Facelift
Also known as a rhytidectomy, Facelifts help treat noticeable signs of facial aging in people who want to maintain and/or restore a youthful appearance.
A Facelift is the ideal choice for people who want to maintain a youthful appearance. During the early stages of aging (i.e., the 30s and early 40s), non-surgical methods of facial rejuvenation such as wrinkle-repairing creams may be beneficial. However, as the aging process goes into the more advanced stages, people find these techniques become increasingly ineffective. Thus, Facelifts are one of the only effective methods available for rejuvenating an aging face.
About Facelifts
The common indications (i.e., something that is considered advisable or necessary to undergo a particular test, medication, or procedure) for Facelifts include the following:
- Facial skin elasticity loss
- Stretched skin
- Facial wrinkles
- Jowl formation (i.e., subcutaneous fat along the jaw)
- Jowl enlargement (i.e., a widened or rounded face)
- Neck fullness
- Neck wrinkles
- Deep/prominent nasolabial folds (i.e., creases that extend from the corners of the mouth to the sides of the nose)
- Sagging skin in the face and/or neck
- Other visible signs of facial aging
Additionally, current techniques used for Facelifts produce more natural results and provide women with the option of pulling back their hair without having to worry about unsightly scars. During a Facelift, an incision is made along the front and back of the ear. The skin is then lifted to separate it from the underlying fat and muscle. Next, the surgeon will manipulate the facial fat and soft tissue beneath the skin in order to produce a natural looking result.
The main advantages of Facelifts are the rejuvenation of an aging face and the maintenance of a younger, more youthful look.
Why a Facelift?
Typically, as people age, they become more and more concerned with maintaining a youthful appearance. Thus, people will spend a great deal of money on expensive age repairing facial creams and other cosmetics in an attempt to reduce the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, and other visible signs of aging. When this fails, people often resort to smiling less in order to prevent the occurrence of more wrinkles and will constantly look at themselves in the mirror from different angles to see how their aging face can improve.
Before and After Photos
Wide Awake Facelift
Dr. Kim is the national leader on “wide awake surgery.” This form of surgery involves local anesthesia to numb the patient during surgery. No heavy sedation or general anesthesia is used. Oral sedation can be used to help you relax through the procedure. Dr. Kim chooses to avoid general anesthesia and heavy sedation because they can lead to medical complications and often come with unpleasant side effects. For example, general anesthesia often makes patients nauseous or physically sick.
Wide awake surgery allows Dr. Kim to take his time and practice precision as he improves your facial appearance.
One of the primary advantages of awake facelift is that it minimizes bleeding. With minimal bleeding, your tissue will not be stained and therefore, there is significantly less chance of nerve injury. Clean tissue allows Dr. Kim to work efficiently and not cut nerves during surgery. In traditional facelift methods, nerves and connective tissues are hard to discern and surgeons can make mistakes.
Dr. Kim specializes in cosmetic surgery and is a recognized expert on Facelifts.
With this advanced technique and no concern for bleeding, Dr. Kim can dissect from ear to lip. The remaining skin is repositioned, whereas in a traditional facelift, the skin is pulled. The skin will be fully mobilized and repositioned to accent the natural angles of your face.
This form of precision surgery is only possible with local anesthesia and helps Dr. Kim provide impressive results that will leave you looking years younger.
There are obvious differences in the recovery between precision and non-precision surgery. With precision surgery, your results look more natural and avoid the “pulled” appearance that occurs with traditional methods. Non-precision surgery involves more bleeding and thereby results in a lengthy downtime and pain, and patients have to deal with bruising for weeks. With Dr. Kim, you will be feeling well after a day or two. Your results will be noticeable right away and will last you years!
WITH DR. KIM’S ADVANCED FACELIFT METHOD:
- Avoid the risks associated with general anesthesia
- Quicker Recovery
- Natural, non-pulled results
- No pain, little to no bruising after surgery
- No need for narcotic pain medication
Safety, Comfort and Results
The 50 to 70-year-old demographic is often concerned about the risks of general anesthesia because of the health conditions and emergencies that can arise from its use. At Dream Medical Group, we provide cutting-edge techniques to help our patients feel and remain safe for their procedure.
A typical facelift lasts 4 to 6 hours and requires being under sedation the entire time. Being under for that long comes with unnecessary risks, especially for older patients.
With our technique, patients are awake and relaxed. Not asleep. A facelift with Dr. Kim takes 4 to 5 hours but does not include risks from anesthesia or sedation. Local anesthesia will be used to numb the area of the face being treated. The patient will be able to breath on their own and not require a breathing tube. This will allow the patient to remain safe and without the need for IV sedation.
The two common ways to sedate during a facelift are: general anesthesia and IV sedation which both have inherent risks. IV sedation runs the risk of oversleeping and risk of death. General anesthesia comes with many unpleasant side effects such as confusion, memory loss, nausea, vomiting, sore throat (due to breathing tube), feeling cold, dizziness, and issues urinating. Nerve injury and brain cell injury due to anesthesia are all unnecessary risks you don’t have to take. At Dream Medical Group, we put your health and safety first. Contact us today to learn more about Dr. Kim’s surgical methods and how they will help you have your best facelift!
Facelift Techniques
Previous techniques for Facelifts relied on a pulling method, but this often led to much scarring and an unnatural “pulled” appearance. Thus, current techniques use the treatment of different anatomical layers responsible for the visible signs of facial aging. Additionally, the wound closure tension is no longer applied at the incision site, so there is minimal scarring from the procedure.
Benefits
The primary advantage of a facelift is that it will truly impact your whole appearance. The face is the first thing noticed about you. Look younger and feel yourself with a facelift from Dr. Kim. With Dr. Kim you receive more than the average benefits associated with a facelift. Because of his cutting-edge techniques, you avoid unnecessary medical risks or memory loss associated with heavy sedation and general anesthesia. For a safe, effective procedure you know you can depend on Dr. Kim.
Candidates
The primary candidates for a facelift are men and women who are bothered by aging signs like wrinkles, drooping skin and jowls. Ideally, the candidate will have been considering cosmetic surgery for a while and understand what can be accomplished with the surgery. A facelift is a great option for healthy individuals who are looking to transform their appearance!
Personal Consultation
You will have the opportunity to meet with Dr. Kim and learn all about his approach to surgery. During this meeting you will get to ask questions and learn how a facelift will impact your appearance. Dr. Kim will inform you and ask about your health, past medical procedures and learn about any allergies. He will also examine your face and determine if a facelift is a good solution for your concerns. Together, you and Dr. Kim will create your best facial treatment. Dr. Kim will inform you of what steps to take to prepare for your surgery during your meeting. Follow these instructions carefully. Quality preparation will result in a healthy surgery and recovery.
Dr. Kim researches and performs groundbreaking surgical techniques that improve the surgical process and experiences of his patients. He presents his findings nationally and will be presenting to the American Society of Plastic Surgery this year as well. Dr. Kim specializes in many cosmetic techniques including Korean plastic surgery. If you are looking to truly impact the way you look, schedule a consultation with Dr. Kim today.
Facelift Procedure
The duration of the surgery will vary based on the extent of the procedure; yet, typically, the duration of Facelift surgeries is 4 to 6 hours.
Post-Operative Care
With a typical facelift, the patient is black and blue after and requires surgical drains. Surgery with Dr. Kim will not cause excessive bruising or placement of drains. There is also minimal discomfort associated. You will only need to take Tylenol for 24 hours. No need for narcotics or opioids! Patients are able to return to work within a week and show off their impressive results.
Results
The expected results include a rejuvenated natural looking face, a smoother neck and jawline, less prominent nasolabial fold, reduced appearance of fine lines and/or wrinkles, youthful-looking mid-face, and dramatic improvements in visible signs of facial aging.
Your results will look natural, not pulled as with a traditional facelift. A traditional facelift often leaves the face looking wide. Dr. Kim aims for his patient’s faces to look slender and youthful. With his technique, there will be no aggressive pulling. Your face will appear similar in shape to the V that so many 20-year-olds have. Your skin will be repositioned delicately, allowing your results to last longer and drop less as you age.
There is a visible and felt difference when you get a facelift with Dr. Kim.
Facelift Cost
Dr. Kim will hand-tailor your procedure to your physical features and aesthetic goals. The cost of your procedure will reflect your personalized procedure and will be unique to you. To learn more about Facelifts and how this treatment will transform your appearance, schedule a consultation with us by calling (213) 700-4297 or by clicking here. We look forward to hearing from you!
FAQs
WHAT IS THE RECOVERY TIME FOR FACELIFT?
Patients are often able to go back to work within a week. Final results will be noticeable within a month or two and you will be impressed by how young and smooth your face looks.
HOW PAINFUL IS A FACELIFT?
A facelift is not painful. Dr. Kim will administer local anesthesia until you are comfortable. His talent and precise surgical style will allow your procedure to go well and for post-op recovery to be fairly comfortable. No pain medication needs to be prescribed because Dr. Kim does not damage nerves during surgery. Tylenol will help alleviate any discomfort. You will be able to stay relaxed and comfortable throughout your recovery.
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO RECOVER FROM A MINI FACELIFT?
A mini facelift is less invasive than a full facelift and focuses on the lower half of the face. Incisions are made behind the ear through which the facial tissue is improved. Since this is a less involved surgery, downtime is often a few days.
HOW LONG DOES A FULL FACELIFT LAST?
A full facelift will last you years! This procedure is meant to rejuvenate your appearance and take years off your face. Men and women can enjoy their results for a long time.
WHAT IS THE AVERAGE COST OF A MINI FACELIFT?
The exact amount of your procedure will depend on your desired aesthetic. To truly know how much your procedure will cost, schedule a consultation with Dr. Kim.
Medical Publications
Cutaneous Layer and SMAS Suspension (CaSS) Lift
as a Minimally Invasive Lateral Midface Lift
Received July 2, 2023. Accepted for publication September 30, 2023.
Background: In our prior study, the authors determined that pulling on the superficial adipose layer is more effective in lifting the skin than pulling on the superficial musculoaponeurotic system (SMAS). Applying this concept of using the superficial adipose layer to transmit the lifting force to the skin, this study examined improvements in patients who underwent lateral midface lifting using our minimally invasive multilayer lifting technique and measured the duration of those improvements.
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