Debunking Facelift Myths

Any type of surgery carries risks, but some surgeries may have myths surrounding them that isn’t true. It is important to address those falsehoods. There are many perceived issues about facelifts and the risks involved. These thoughts need to be looked at individually to get to the actual truth.

Complications From Facelift Surgery

In 2019, a study was done to address complications concerning facelifts. The study was called “A Meta-Analysis of Complication Rates Among Different SMAS Facelift Techniques”. It was conducted by Dr. Andrew Jacono from the New York Center for Facial Plastic and Laser Surgery. The purpose of the study was to address the idea that Deep Plane facelift techniques hold a higher incidence of facial nerve injury than other techniques used for facelifts. In looking at complications, the most concerning was the idea of facial nerve damage that might cause problems with being able to physically express with the face. The study showed that there is not any greater risk of this type of damage from the Deep Plane technique when compared to traditional methods. The study also showed that damage that might have occurred was superficial and resolved on its own as healing took place.

Facelifts Versus Other Options

Another myth about facelifts is the idea that they are outdated procedure. It is felt that there are better options that are less invasive and provide much better results. The truth in this is that there are many options right now that help a person obtain a more youthful look. It is not true that they necessarily take the place of a facelift. Those options may be helpful to those that are just beginning to have issues with sagging or looseness of the skin, but a facelift is probably the best approach if there is extensive sagging of the skin.

Facelifts And A Natural Look

People have seen plenty of instances of surgeries gone wrong. That is why it is so important to research your doctor thoroughly. The myth in this is that all surgeries make the face look strange. The goal is to create a positive result without making you look like a completely different person. Older techniques did create some results which resulted in some less than desirable outcomes, but today’s procedures create a much more natural look. These techniques smooth and tighten the muscles and tissues and then the exterior tissues are then re-draped. These procedures performed by an exceptional surgeon can create those results that are desired. It is so important to remember that all surgeons are equally skilled in effectively performing all of these up-to-date techniques, so choose your doctor wisely.

Facelifts And Aging

There is also the myth that once the surgery is done, a person will not age anymore. This is completely false. The surgery itself might take ten years off of a person’s appearance, but they will continue to visibly age. Therefore, the surgery is not the end of taking care of your skin. A person must still be careful and use products that will help nourish the skin.

Many people also feel that you have to be a certain age to have a facelift. If you are not within that age range, some feel that it is not an appropriate option for you. The actual truth is that everyone has their own needs and everyone ages at a different rate. There is no magical time to have a facelift. That is completely a personal choice. Of course being healthy before surgery of any kind, especially elective surgery like a facelift, is mandatory. Personal health is not necessarily determined by a person’s age. Many young people are less healthy than some older people. This is probably the biggest issue to do with whether the surgery is okay for you to have.

Facelifts And Recovery Time

In the past, it seemed to take a long time to recover from facelifts. This is no longer the case. Obviously, when an incision is made, no matter how small, there is a recovery time involved. Since technology has improved so much with cosmetic surgery, the downtime for facelift surgery has decreased a lot. Instead of taking months to recover, now the time has been reduced to a couple of weeks in many cases.

It is important to look at all the myths surrounding facelift surgery and learn the actual truth behind them. For anyone that has considered facelift surgery, but has been nervous because of possible issues, it is important to logically be able to answer concerns with actual facts. With this level of knowledge, perhaps fear of this type of surgery can be reduced. As with any surgery, risks are always a part of the equation. However, you can arm yourself with enough knowledge to make an informed decision about what would be best for you. It is important to remember that facelifts are still a very viable option for anyone that is looking to improve how they look.