How Are Techniques in an Awake Facelift Different?

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During an awake facelift, you can gain all the benefits of a traditional facelift procedure, with some additional advantages. You will still remain conscious, but you will not feel any pain. This modern facelift technique offers stunning, more refined results when performed by an experienced surgeon. If you are looking for the least invasive method of a facelift, this might be the perfect way to accomplish your aesthetic goals. Below, we cover how are techniques in an awake facelift different.

Anyone visiting Dr. Kenneth Kim for the first time will likely have a lot of questions about this innovative surgery methodology. How are techniques in an awake facelift different from a traditional facelift? Does the procedure cause any pain? Will the results last longer? Keep reading for this brief but detailed guide to awake facelift surgeries.

How an Awake Facelift Works

As one of the newest types of cosmetic procedures, awake facelifts take the familiarity of a regular facelift and combine it with a new type of higher-precision surgery. Depending on the specific goals you have with your facelift, you might be a candidate for this new form of awake facelift procedure. It uses a different form of anesthesia, one that allows you to remain awake while still numbing the surgical area so you do not feel anything.

During the procedure, the surgeon will use a number of techniques similar to a traditional facelift, but you will be able to interact throughout the process. This ability to converse with your surgeon in real-time leads to results that better match your goals.

Facelifts are designed to improve the appearance of your skin and lift wrinkles. Many people invest in facelifts as an anti-aging approach, while others want a facelift to improve their facial contour and form. No matter what your aesthetic ideas are, you can bring the ideal symmetry and beauty to your face that you have always wanted.

This new surgery also helps patients heal a lot faster. With far less tissue damage and fewer risks of scarring, it is both seamless and painless in ways that would be impossible to achieve through traditional means.

Types of Facelifts Performed with Awake Surgery

There are many different types of facelifts available at the office of Dr. Kenneth Kim, so it is important to discuss these details during your initial consultation. For most of our candidates who want a mini or midface lift, awake procedures are a good option. Additionally, a full facelift can also be an awake procedure.

Our most advanced awake surgeries utilize a method of practice that creates incredibly fast results. Not only can the surgery be performed quickly, but the skin and even the subdermal tissues will also recover at a faster rate as well. This means you will not have to wait as long to see a healthy-looking, younger, and revitalized appearance.

Anesthesia Used in an Awake Facelift

Dr. Kim uses a local anesthetic to numb the surgical sites before each procedure. In most cases, this is enough for the patient to have a comfortable, stress-free experience. By keeping the patient awake, Dr. Kim allows for the patient to converse during the surgery and make adjustments to ensure a match to the patient’s aesthetic expectations.

Recovery and Results

The recovery timeline of an awake facelift is generally a lot faster than other facelift types. Within the first few hours following your procedure, you will start to heal, as there is minimal damage to the skin and its underlying tissues. In fact, a lot of patients can see results right away due to the decreased swelling following a successful awake procedure. Awake facelifts are outpatient procedures, as candidates typically feel awake and well enough to go home the very same day. With proper maintenance and care, these facelift results can last more than a decade.

How Are Techniques in an Awake Facelift Different?

Both traditional and awake facelifts can create stunning results that you can enjoy for an entire chapter of your life. However, traditional techniques come with a larger number of disadvantages. These range from increased subdermal scarring to health risks posed by general anesthesia.
There are plenty of reasons to support an awake facelift due to the fact that the techniques are different.

  • Topical Surgical Techniques: The increased precision in an awake facelift leads to little to no damage to underlying tissues, meaning there is almost no scar formation underneath the skin. By eliminating subdermal scarring, the final results are more even, refined, and natural-looking.
  • Gentler Tissue Interactions: Because of the gentler technique, we can create more detailed and refined facelift outcomes. The idea of an awake facelift is to craft the results rather than force them into place. We do more with less, only repositioning tissues that need it.
  • Limited Incisions: With less strain on the body, it will be able to recover faster. Many patients begin returning to their daily routines within a matter of days.
  • See Results Sooner: You will be able to experience the results almost immediately, as you can communicate with the surgeon about what is going on and make adjustments in real time.
  • Decreased Post-Procedure Pain: Recovery expectations are milder than a traditional procedure, with less pain and discomfort reported as you recover. Any pain can be managed with over-the-counter pain relievers, avoiding the riskier use of pharmaceutical analgesics (e.g., opiates).

Are Awake Facelifts Really That New?

While awake facelifts are becoming popularized, they are not necessarily as new as people may think. We have recently been able to refine our technology and technique to the point where we can comfortably offer this alternative to traditional surgery. However, the ability to perform awake surgeries has been around for quite a few years.

Other types of awake procedures, such as liposuction and tissue repair, have been offered by professionals for decades. Awake procedures can offer a lot more control and guidance throughout the entire process, helping to create better results. This technique also reduces the risk of normal surgical complications like blood loss, infection, and prolonged pain.

Additionally, wide-awake procedures allow for improvements in clinical research. By reducing pain, morbidity, and adverse outcomes, awake techniques, while already an improvement, can lead to additional improvements in the future. Techniques will continue to improve, and patient safety will continue to see increases as well. This applies not only to cosmetic surgery but to procedures across the entire spectrum of medical sciences.

Finding an Awake Facelift Surgeon You Can Trust

As you learn more about the incredible benefits of awake procedures over traditional surgical interventions, you might start to feel more confident that this is the right procedure for you. Another thing that can reduce your anxiety about awake procedures is the right surgical team. You should only pursue this kind of surgery with a highly experienced and understanding surgeon. Ask for credentials to see whether or not your preferred surgeon is certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery.

The right surgeon will give you the right results. Inexperienced surgical staff can make your face look worse, leaving you with results you are less than satisfied with. While revision surgery is possible, it is better to get it right the first time by investing in a backed team of surgeons who are experienced with awake facelifts.

Become a Candidate for an Awake Facelift

If you are interested in making small but precise changes to your facial anatomy, you might want to explore our awake facelift options. This procedure is designed to lift wrinkles and tighten the skin immediately. In addition, you can interact with the surgeon as they are performing their surgery, helping to make adjustments and corrections as needed.

As long as you are in good general health and you are experiencing significant wrinkles or sags on your face, you are a likely candidate for our new awake procedures. The first step to making sure you are on the right track to good health is to schedule an appointment with Dr. Kenneth Kim. During your personal consultation, you can discuss your unique needs and find out how to get one step closer to your aesthetic goals.

Realize Your Aesthetic Dreams at Dream Medical Group Today

Our cutting-edge techniques are great innovations, helping people achieve better-looking results. Our new surgical methods are less invasive, leaving behind little to no scarring and causing almost no pain. You will not be prone to bleeding or blood clots like you would with regular surgery. Learn more at any time when you contact Dream Medical Group and schedule your first appointment with us.

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