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Options for Cosmetic Surgery and Face Lifts in the Birmingham Area

Facial Rejuvenation via Face Lifts and Forehead Lifts

A face lift is a surgical facial rejuvenation procedure that repositions both the musculature and skin of the face in men and women who are experiencing signs of aging. The goal in a face lift is to restore the patient’s face to a more youthful appearance. The public has been exposed to many different kinds of facelifts, ranging from thread lifts, contour lifts, mini- lifts, etc.

Dr. Eich employs proven techniques rather than “the newest thing” on TV and in ads. He takes no shortcuts in his facial rejuvenation procedures. A face lift is a very complex procedure that requires the skill of an expert cosmetic plastic surgeon because, unlike other parts of the body, your face is there for all to see. 

Who Would Benefit from a Face Lift?  A Forehead Lift?

Healthy men and women experiencing signs of aging in the facial and neck areas are ideal candidates for a Face Lift. Generally, a face lift is performed after the age of 40, but can be done at any age desired on a patient who is concerned with signs of facial aging.

Healthy men and women who are bothered only by brow drooping and forehead wrinkling are appropriate for a Forehead Lift.

At our Birmingham cosmetic surgical suite, we see many patients from all over the Tuscaloosa, Gadsden, and Anniston areas who desire the benefits from surgical facial rejuvenation.

The Technical Aspects of a Face Lift

There are many different names for face lift and neck lifts, but truthfully, there are only a few actual procedures that are done, depending on the patient’s level of facial aging. To reposition tissue so you look both younger and natural, Dr. Eich repositions both muscle and skin. The goal is to restore the youthful appearance without making you look like a different person—you still look like you but a “younger you”.

Like our other cosmetic surgical procedures, face lift procedures are performed in our onsite operating room in the office in Birmingham. Cosmetic surgery face lift procedures require that the skin be elevated to expose the muscles and connective tissues of the face called the SMAS, or Superficial Musculo-Aponeurotic System.  The SMAS is then tightened with suture material. By working on the SMAS, we put the soft tissues where they were when you were younger. This reduces the jowls and nasolabial folds, increases the prominence of the cheeks and makes a sharper looking jawline.

Once this is done, Dr. Eich repositions the skin, which is draped over the newly repositioned musculature and then trimmed and sutured. Dr. Eich hides the face lift scars as much as possible in the crease between the ears and cheeks, behind the ears, and at the hairline behind and just in front of the ears. The placement of scars may be slightly different in men than in women, as men tend to have shorter hair. 

The difference between a mini face lift and a full face lift:

  • A mini face lift is also called the S lift, the short scar face lift or the midface lift, and is generally most appropriate for patients with only mild signs of facial aging, either because they are younger patients or because they have previously had a face lift and now need a “touch up.” The advantage of a mini face lift is that it results in a shorter scar. However, it is important to understand that a mini face lift will not provide the same degree of improvement as a full surgical face lift.
  • A full face lift (often what is meant when people say the word, “facelift”) is most appropriate for individuals with deep nasolabial folds, sagging jowls and facial sagging that extend into the neck area. Though the scars from a full face lift are usually hidden by the hair, the scars might be revealed when the hair is up in a ponytail or French twist. During the full face lift, the neck area is treated as well as the midface area. The musculature of the neck area is lifted and repositioned, and the skin of the neck is re-draped over the area to create a more youthful contour.

Each face lift procedure is individually tailored to the patient’s level of sagging. Total facial rejuvenation includes eyelid surgery, forehead lift, face lift and neck lift. Dr Eich will discuss all the options at your consultation, and will decide, with you, which procedures will create the most desirable final result.

The Differences of a Forehead Lift

The goal of the forehead lift (also called a brow lift) is to reduce many of the wrinkles in the forehead and to reposition the brows back to where they belong, helping to relieve the patient’s appearance of being tired or angry. Secondly, it removes or severely weakens the muscles that cause lines between your eyes at the top of your nose.  Of course, a temporary way to do this is with Botox. For those in need of a more permanent solution, a surgical forehead lift is the only way to accomplish these results.
 

How the Results of a Forehead Lift are Achieved

A forehead lift may be performed in one of several ways.

  • An endoscopic forehead lift uses a surgical video device and special instruments placed through small incisions made at the hairline. Mild amounts of excess skin may be re-draped, but the endoscopic method does not allow for the removal of skin in people with a significant amount of excess skin of the forehead.
  • A coronal or open lift uses an incision that runs nearly from ear to ear across the top of the head to allow the removal of significant amounts of excess skin while hiding the scar in the hair-bearing scalp.
  • A biplanar forehead lift uses endoscopic equipment to perform the forehead lift but adds an excision of skin at the hairline to avoid the long scar of the coronal forehead lift.

All three methods allow the tissue and muscle beneath the skin to be repositioned to diminish the creases and furrows in your forehead. Dr. Eich will discuss the best solution for you at your consultation.

Recovery from a Face Lift and Forehead Lift

Whether you undergo a face lift or a forehead lift, your facial rejuvenation recovery will depend on the nature of your procedure and your own individual healing pattern.

Whether you reside in nearby Birmingham or in Gadsden, Tuscaloosa, Anniston or other outlying areas, we recommend you spend the night after surgery.

For a face lift, you will be placed in a compressive support garment after surgery, to be worn at all times for 1 week, with continued use at night for another 2 weeks. You may shower as usual after surgery, but you must avoid getting into standing water such as a bath or pool. In general, face lift discomfort is most noticeable for about three days; by two weeks, most people feel much better although they may still be sore.

Recovery from an endoscopic or biplanar brow lift is generally faster than a coronal forehead lift. When your procedure is completed, your head will be loosely wrapped to minimize swelling and bruising. The swelling and bruising often extend to the eyes for several days. A thin tube is often placed to drain any excess fluid that may collect under the skin, but this will be removed within a few days.

Swelling and bruising after surgery is mostly gone at 2-3 weeks, but minor changes can occur for up to several months before the final outcome of your facial rejuvenation is evident.

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