Facelift, Mini Facelift Surgery, Best Facelift results, Natural facelift results Perth

Dr Imani’s goal in facelift surgery is for his patients to look refreshed and younger yet keep their natural facial appearance. Facelift surgery is the ultimate in facial rejuvenation and has become one of the most popular and well-known forms of plastic surgery. Unlike non invasive treatments such as lasers, wrinkle relaxers and wrinkle fillers, facelift procedures actually reposition the deeper structures of the face making the face and neck appear smoother and more defined. More and more people want to look as youthful as they feel physically and mentally. We can conceal an ageing body with good attire and do exercise to keep toned, however it’s not so easy to hide the signs of an ageing face!

What is a Mini Facelift? 

Mini facelift surgery is performed when the face is in its early stages of ageing.  This procedure involves local anaesthesia or twilight sedation or general anaesthesia depending on the patient’s preference and medical history. Dr Imani performs Mini facelifts to address early drooping of the soft tissues and loosening of the skin in the face and the neck caused by gravity induced descent changes which results in jowl formation and loss of the definition of the jawline. Gravity induced descent, loss of elastin and weakening of the facial ligaments also cause Marionette lines at the corner of the mouth and the chin, a turkey neck and vertical bands develop in the neck.

Many of middle-aged patients who feel that dermal fillers and non-surgical facial procedures no longer help their appearance become ideal candidates for a Mini facelift.  With ageing the benefit of these non-surgical treatments lessens and filler fatigue sets in. You need more and more fillers and wrinkle relaxers. In these patients a mini-facelift is the best option for a more cost-effective and longer-lasting rejuvenation.  The cost of a Mini facelift in Perth, far out ways the cost of repeated filler and toxin injection over a 4-to-5-year period. After a Mini facelift operation, the maintenance requirements are reduced to minimal doses of wrinkle relaxers and skin surface treatments such as quality skincare products and facials.

A Mini Facelift targets the following face and neck areas of concern:

·       Jowling

·       Marionette Lines

·       Dropped Cheeks

·       Loose Neck/Vertical Bands

Dr Imani customises each face and neck rejuvenation procedure to suit to his patient’s needs. Whilst classifying facelift surgery with different names is helpful the reality is that each operation is customised for each individual anatomy and degree of ageing.  This is like a master fashion designer specifically creating a garment for an individual.  With this approach, Dr Imani’s results look natural and beautiful. Patients do not look pulled, stretched, or artificial, simply put the patient’s face is transported back 15 years to their younger version. 

You are ready for a facelift and neck lift if:

• Your look older than you feel.

• Your look older than your are

• You are tired of getting regular Non-surgical treatments such as wrinkle relaxer, injectable fillers, facial lasers, and skin tightening devices which do not give you the same rejuvenation they once did when you were younger.

• You are looking for a low-maintenance, long lasting treatment for your ageing face.

• You desire to enhance your appearance for yourself, to boost your confidence and improve the way you feel about yourself.

• You are in good physical and mental health.

• You are ready to look like you did 10-15 years ago when you were younger.

Who benefits from a facelift?

As we age, our face and neck show the effects of gravity, excess sun exposure, smoking, and the stresses of daily living. Fine lines become wrinkles, creases form between the nose and mouth; the jaw line grows slack and droops forming jowls; skin folds and fat deposits appear around the neck. The number of chins may also multiply! These changes can give us a tired or angry look. If you are concerned with any of these changes facelift surgery could improve your looks.

A facelift can be performed on its own or as part of a total facial rejuvenation. A facelift usually means a face and neck lift. It is designed to tighten the jowls and the loose neck skin. Several variations of surgeries are available depending on your individual needs. A facelift does not lift the eyebrow (seeBrow Lift ) or smooth the lines around the eyes or mouth. These concerns can however be addressed by a forehead lift at the same time as a facelift which provides for a harmonised facial rejuvenation. Skin conditioning, laser resurfacing and the use of injectable materials such as dermal fillers and/or wrinkle relaxers, can further enhance the rejuvenation of your face. At your consultation with Dr Imani, possible remedies for any specific problem you see in your face will be addressed in detail. No matter what the plan, Dr Imani's goal remains the same: to produce natural, not over-pulled skin with long lasting results.

The best candidate for a facelift is a man or woman whose face and neck have begun to sag, but whose skin still has some elasticity and whose bone structure is strong and well defined. Most patients are in their forties to sixties, but facelifts can be done successfully on people in their seventies or eighties if they are fit and healthy.

Click here to contact IMANI Facial Plastic Surgery and Cosmetic Specialists for a consultation for your facelift in Perth.

Some people have a facelift once and then undergo no further surgery. On the other hand, some people enjoy the benefits and after 10-15 years they may wish for a further touch-up procedure. Much of the duration of the facelift depends upon the individual's lifestyle and their tendency to undergo further ageing.

What does the surgery involve?

There are many options in facelift surgery.  These include:

1. Mini facelift

2. SMAS facelift

3. S-Lift

4. MACS lift

5. Short incision facelift/Short scar facelift

6. Ponytail lift

7. Deep plane facelift

Incisions usually begin in the hairline at the temples, extend in a natural line inside the cartilage of your ear, and continue behind the earlobe to the lower scalp behind the ear and the neck hair line. This helps hide the scars. The skin is separated from the underlying tissues and gently smoothed back to relieve the redundant folds. Tightening of the underlying muscles of the face is performed with special techniques.  Dr Imani utilises many techniques depending on your anatomical requirements to perform your facelift surgery.  These include: Mini facelift, S lift, SMAS plication, SMAS resection, MAC lifting - Minimal Access Cranial Suspension, deep plane facelift and extended deep plane facelift in order to provide smoother skin on a solid foundation to rest upon. The excess skin is then removed and the remaining skin is brought back into position. Following surgery, a small thin tube may be temporarily placed under the skin, behind your ear, to drain any fluid that might collect there. We wrap your head loosely in bandages to minimize bruising and swelling. The dressing is removed and replaced the next day.

The surgery is performed on an outpatient or inpatient basis. You can resume non-stressful activities during the first week. In about 7-10 days you can wear camouflage makeup and resume most normal activities. The healing process with a facelift is gradual and final healing may take several weeks.

What are the different types of facelift surgery:

(a) Mini-Facelift (SMAS Plication/ SMAS Imbrication, SMASectomy)

The mini facelift is an abbreviated version of full facelift surgery. Its best to think of it as a “short incision” facelift. The Mini Facelift rejuvenates the lower face for patients with mild sagging that causes early jowls and excess skin in the lower face and the upper neck. This procedure utilises a short incision, or an S shaped (S Lift) incision creating a pony tail that hides the incision behind the ears around the inside of the ear cartilage (opening hole of the ear), and behind the earlobes and back of the ear.

The SMAS is the Superficial Muscular Aponeurotic System in the lower face and neck. It is tightened using sutures/stitches which lifts and softens the facial appearance. The SMAS is not dissected and lifted off the deeper facial layers as for the SMAS flap and deep plane techniques.  The SMAS is instead tightened with stitches. In SMAS plication, sutures are used to elevate it, in SMAS imbrication it is folded on itself, and in SMASectomy the loose SMAS piece is removed and stitched tighter. For younger patients that do not have heavy jowls or significant facial aging, the mini-facelift is a suitable facelift procedure.

(b) SMAS Flap Facelift 

A SMAS Flap facelift technique is used for patients with more sagging and heavier facial tissues with advanced aging. SMAS Flap techniques lift the SMAS. A muscle “flap” is created, lifting the muscle off the deeper structures of the face, and smoothing it out.  The edges of the cut SMAS are secured in higher positions in the face.  This lifts the heavy face.  

(c) Deep Plane Facelift 

The deep plane facelift is the most sophisticated rejuvenating type of facelift surgery it rejuvenated the face and neck . In addition to the jawline and neck, it lifts the cheeks, nasolabial folds and the midface using the same incision as the short-flap facelift plus a hairline extension  behind the ears and down the neck. The muscle and fibrous tissue are separated from the underlying layers of the cheeks, face and neck. The skin + fat + the underlying muscles are left connected and moved as a composite unit, not separated as in the SMAS flap techniques. The deep tissues are then lifted and repositioned using a vertical vector higher in their original position, reversing the effects of aging by 10-20 years.

Are there risks involved?

Yes. There are risks involved in all medical procedures. Dr Imani will gladly discuss and disclose all possible risks, benefits and alternatives involved at the time of consultation. Our practice staff will provide you with written procedure specific information sheets after your consultation.

Post Operative Recovery

There is unlikely to be any significant discomfort after surgery; simple analgesics as prescribed by Dr Imani are sufficient. The face and neck are particularly sensitive to swelling and a certain degree of bruising is to be expected. Albeit rare, severe or persistent pain or a sudden swelling of your face should be reported to us immediately. The use of cold compresses in the first few days after surgery is extremely comforting and will minimise bruising and swelling. Some numbness of the skin is quite normal; it will disappear in a few weeks or months. You will need to keep your head elevated and as still as possible for a couple of days after surgery, to keep the swelling down.

If you’ve had a drainage tube inserted, it will be removed one or two days after surgery. Bandages, when used, are usually removed after one to five days. Your skin may look pale, bruised, and puffy but this will return to normal. Most of your stitches will be removed after five days (if you have not had absorbable stitches inserted). Your scalp may take longer to heal, and the stitches or metal clips in your hairline could be left in a few days longer.

You should be up and about in a day or two, but plan on taking it easy for the first week after surgery. Be especially gentle with your face and hair, since your skin will be both tender and numb. Avoid strenuous activity for at least two weeks (walking and mild stretching is fine). Avoid alcohol, steam baths, and saunas for several weeks and limit your exposure to the sun for several months. Above all, get plenty of rest.

Scars are barely visible as they are usually hidden by your hair or in the natural creases of your face and ears. Your face will continue to age with time, however, the effects of the facelift are lasting. Years later, you will continue to look better and as if you had never had a facelift at all.