Dear Dr. Seckel, What is the difference between facial rejuvenation and a face-lift? I am 50 and in great shape. But when I look in the mirror I see some sagging skin under my chin and dark circles and some puffiness under my eyes. I also have some brown spots on my cheeks and some wrinkles especially around my eyes. I want to look better but am not sure what I need. I always thought I would have a face-lift when the time came, but there are so many options advertised it is confusing. Thanks, Denise, Boston, MA
Dear Denise,
To rejuvenate means to make young or youthful again or restore to an original state. Facial rejuvenation or skin rejuvenation requires that the face or skin be restored to a young, youthful, or original state.
To understand facial or skin rejuvenation you must understand what facial aging changes have occurred on the facial skin and need to be changed or removed or corrected to restore the facial skin to its original state.
The face lift or rhytidectomy, when done by a skilled experienced plastic surgeon does a wonderful job of tightening lax skin and restoring a youthful neck, jaw line, and even brow and cheek position. But a face lift alone does not provide true facial and skin rejuvenation.
As you point out you also see brown spots and wrinkles, also signs of facial aging, when you look into the mirror. Brown spots, wrinkles, dry skin, and red spots are other facial aging changes that must be corrected for true facial rejuvenation. Fortunately, today, we have many new non-surgical facial rejuvenation therapies to correct the brown spots, red spots, dry skin and wrinkles so that true facial rejuvenation is possible. Lasers, IPL, photo facial, microdermabrasion®, Microlaserpeel®, Retin A® and other prescription skin creams, can all be used to effectively restore or rejuvenate the facial skin to close to its original state.
In my opinion, true facial rejuvenation includes not only skin tightening of the facial skin as is done with a face lift, but also treating the superficial skin aging changes such as brown spots, red spots, dry skin and wrinkles. A blepharoplasty or eyelid surgery can remove eyelid bags and help dark circles, but wrinkles and old looking eyelid skin persist.
True facial rejuvenation requires a systematic multi-step program that includes topical creams, exfoliation, and high tech treatments such as lasers, IPL, photo facial radiofrequency and other treatments as well as skin tightening by a face lift or new skin tightening treatments with radiofrequency or infrared energy.
I have developed a 6-step facial rejuvenation program® which can accomplish facial rejuvenation when applied in a properly sequenced manner. It includes:
1. Skin Exfoliation-to remove dead skin cells
2. Stimulation of new collagen production-to plump the skin and remove wrinkles
3. Removal of brown spots and red spots
4. Relaxation of frown lines, crow’s feet, worry lines, and other lines caused by the muscles of facial expression with botox
5. Plumping or filling deep facial lines
6. Tightening of loose facial skin.
This program is customized to the needs of the individual patient. The problem with many procedures advertised today is that they address only one problem. For example a face lift tightens skin but you still have old looking skin. A laser can remove brown spots and red spots but you still have sagging skin. Botox can remove dynamic lines but the skin still looks old and sags.
True facial rejuvenation requires correction of all of the facial aging changes to be true rejuvenation. Happily with the many non-surgical facial rejuvenation options we have available today, true rejuvenation is possible. The key is for the patient to find a board certified plastic surgeon who can provide the whole range of facial rejuvenation techniques from creams, to lasers, to a face lift. Such a doctor can customize the facial rejuvenation program to fit your unique face and not try to fit your face into one particular treatment (laser, IPL, radiofrequency) that is all that some doctors offer. My 6-step non-surgical facial rejuvenation program described in detail in Save Your Face is a great place to start or contact me for further information. Visit my Boston Plastic Surgery Practice online.
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Peabody, Massachusetts,
Concord, Massachusetts