Probably no one wants to say goodbye to youth and beauty. Fortunately, plastic surgeons are willing to debate over time: with their help, patients can "stop" the aging process, preserve youth and at the same time naturalness. But is it possible to trust someone with your face without fear? How to choose a good clinic and a competent specialist among the abundance of tempting offers?
What is a face lift for?
With age, the appearance and contours of the face change due to natural physiological processes. There are many reasons for this: hormonal imbalance, slowing of metabolic processes, decreased collagen production, change in bone tissue composition, loss of fat bundles in some places and their appearance in others, where it is. undesirable, and so on. As a result, facial tissues lose their volume and elasticity, the skin becomes smooth and loose.
No matter how good care, effective folk methods and cosmetic procedures are used, time will take its toll: all of these funds can only affect the superficial layers of the skin. Even if it turns out to delay the appearance of superficial wrinkles for a long time, then it will not be possible to completely stop or reverse the processes that occur in deep tissues with the help of all of the above.
On a noteThe advent of modern techniques has allowed surgical tightening services to once again strengthen their position. According to the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ISAPS), today our country is in the TOP 15 countries in the world in terms of the number of plastic surgeries performed. In 2017, the local plastic surgery market reached a record turnover over the past five years, growing by more than 30%. The demand for aesthetic medicine continues to grow. The third most popular among all types of plastic surgery is face lift.
likewitnessfor a facial lift, ptosis is the first to appear. This is a soft tissue prolapse of the face as a result of a gradual loss of elasticity and skin tone, deterioration of muscle contractility. Ptosis can predominate in a specific part of the face:
- in the lower third of the face- ptosis (fall) of the neck and chin tissues against the background of relaxation and an increase in the skin area. This leads to the formation of wrinkles and creases in the neck and the smoothing of a clear chin-cervical angle;
- in the middle third of the face- nasolabial folds, nasolacrimal grooves, bags under the eyes and drooping cheeks, distorting the oval of the face;
- in the upper third of the face- wrinkles on the forehead, fading of the outer edges of the eyebrows and corners of the eyes, congestion of the eyelids, the formation of horizontal wrinkles in the bridge of the nose.
These signs of age-related tissue aging can be offset by the use of various facial plastic surgery techniques and professional cosmetology. However, when it comes to surgery, it is important to remember the other side of the coin - the contraindications.
Contraindications:
- malignant neoplasms;
- violation of blood coagulation;
- epilepsy and severe psychosomatic illnesses;
- untreated hypertension;
- diseases of the internal organs;
- dermatological diseases;
- chronic diseases in the stage of deterioration;
- pregnancy;
- inflammatory and infectious processes.
On a note
Aging, although not very pleasant, is a natural process in which the natural anthropometric dimensions of the face must be preserved, despite the fact that this is accompanied by the appearance of gravitational ptosis, ie physiological loss of tissue volume and the formation of skin folds and wrinkles. . Therefore, from the beginning of the degenerative process of tissues, it is better to choose the most delicate methods of exposure that do not give a pronounced effect of a "tuned" face.
Aesthetic and reconstructive surgery, of course, has come a long way in its development and its possibilities are already great. However, you should be aware that after plastic surgery there is a possibility of complications - surgeons know well and know how to minimize side effects. But some complications can be protracted and even dangerous, which is why it is so important to choose an experienced plastic surgeon with an impeccable reputation.
Here is a summary of the currently most popular face removal methods - this will allow you to get an idea of the "arsenal" of modern clinics of cosmetic surgery and cosmetology.
Types of brackets
Today plastic surgery specialists are able to perform facelift procedures for every taste, because this is allowed by the possibilities of modern medicine. Each technique has its fans both among doctors and patients. Let’s take a closer look at how these techniques differ.
Surgical methods of lifting the face
These techniques allow you to work on the deep tissues of the face, so that they have a lasting effect. The most popular and effective are endoscopic face lift and SMAS lift - they aim for a comprehensive solution to age-related problems. With their help, the soft tissues of the face are redistributed and the skin is tightened.
Circular face lifting (complex face and neck correction) -a combined method of surgical rejuvenation, which incorporates the possibilities of several techniques.
- Indications: loss of tissue volume, "floating" contour, a large amount of excess loose tissue, deep wrinkles and other age-related changes.
- Contraindications: diseases of the cardiovascular, respiratory, endocrine, nervous and other systems, as well as liver and kidney, hematological and skin pathologies, inflammatory and infectious processes, pregnancy and lactation - to identify contraindications, it is necessary to carry outa laboratory and instrumental studies, consult a range of specialists. . .
- Injury: up. This is a complete operation, therefore, when choosing this technique, you should be aware of the severity of the future intervention.
- Performing: With the erection of the circular scalpel, long incisions are made, followed by deep tissue modeling, transposition of fat bags, and removal of excess skin. The operation is performed under general anesthesia. Thereafter, it is necessary to stay in the hospital (up to two days) and a rehabilitation period of at least one month.
- result- more pronounced and more stable, compared to all other techniques. Possible complications are scars, damage to the facial nerve and its branches, and multiple hematomas.
- pro: the most effective procedure for lifting the face with an excessive amount of tissue, the ability to correct imperfections that other methods can not cope.
- minuses: high trauma, relatively serious risk of complications, long rehabilitation period.
Endoscopic lifting -A progressive type of surgical intervention for the profound correction of age-related changes using endoscopic video equipment. As you can understand, this method uses an endoscope with a video camera a few millimeters in size, which transmits an image magnified many times on the monitor. So the doctor can clearly see the work area with the nerve bundles and the vessels located in it. Endoscopic lifting of the face and neck is performed under general anesthesia. Varieties are endoscopic lifting of the upper, middle or lower third of the face - each of the surgeries is used depending on which part of the facial problems needs to be treated. It is possible to work with specific areas, as well as to combine several types of interventions. With an endoscopic lifting, the blood vessels are slightly injured and full control of the operation is available and if all the rules and recommendations are followed, the risk of serious complications is practically ruled out. Tissue swelling, slight bruising, and temporary hair loss in the intervention area are possible, but over time, the tissue is completely restored.
- Indications: deep wrinkles and creases, the consequences of soft tissue sagging, lack of tissue volume due to age-related changes, drooping eyelids, drooping eyebrows and other aesthetic problems.
- Contraindications: oncology, severe chronic diseases in the acute phase, inflammatory skin diseases, infections, skin coagulation disorders, pregnancy and lactation.
- Injury: medium. The device makes it possible to remove large incisions and control the location of blood vessels and nerves.
- Performing the procedure: with general anesthesia, small incisions are made (up to 1. 5 cm), then deep dissection of the face mask is performed and tissue manipulation is performed under the control of endoscopic video apparatus: dissection, tension and fixation of muscles and fat packages. Finally cosmetic sutures are applied. The sutures are removed in five to seven days and the patient can return to his normal way of life in two to three weeks.
- result: the patient looks 10-15 years younger and does not lose his natural individuality - the skin softens, the volumes are replenished, but the natural symmetry is preserved. The duration of the effect depends on individual characteristics, the presence of bad habits and behavioral stereotypes, but in general, the result can last up to 20 years. If we talk about the possible negative consequences, then everything is limited to swelling and slight bruising.
- pluseshigh safety and low level of trauma, the possibility of complete control with video cameras, the lack of visible traces of surgery, a pronounced rejuvenating effect.
- minuses: in the early period of rehabilitation, the effect of excessive correction is observed, the technique is poor for patients with a very large excess of skin.
SMAS rise- an effective method of surgical tightening with modeling of the muscular-aponeurotic layer. Most foreign plastic surgeons believe that the aging process of the middle and lower third of the face is mainly related to this layer.
- Indications: signs of aging in the form of sagging and loss of skin elasticity, wrinkles, blurred facial contours.
- Contraindications: oncology, chronic diseases in the acute phase, blood clotting disorders, pregnancy.
- Performing the procedure: during the operation, after removing the excess, the skin tightens, the muscle tissue moves and fixes. The operation lasts several hours, after which a recovery period is required, which lasts about a month.
- resultpersistent, lasts up to eight years, but not as pronounced as with endoscopic lifting. Possible complications include nerve damage, hematoma, and edema.
- promethods: visible lifting effect, elimination of excess skin.
- minuses: risk of complications, the presence of lesions around the kidney (before and behind the ears).
Non-surgical skin tightening
This is a set of techniques, the use of which allows you to get a lifting effect without significant skin damage. Such approaches have gained their popularity due to the possibility of performing a facelift procedure without surgery, i. e. in a gentler manner with a minimum rehabilitation period. Unfortunately, this inevitably affects the severity and duration of the effect.
Hardware cosmetologyinvolves techniques that use ultrasonic, radiofrequency, or laser lift effects on tissues without compromising their integrity.
- Indications: wrinkles, loss of skin firmness and clear contour.
- Contraindications: oncology, chronic diseases, inflammatory skin diseases, pregnancy.
- Injury: missing or almost missing.
- Performing: during the procedure, the impact is performed on the problem area with special equipment, in this case there is no need to use general anesthesia and in a long period of rehabilitation. The patient can immediately return to his business, only required to follow the doctor's recommendations. With some procedures, only a few sessions are enough, while others require a course of procedures.
- result: restores firmness and turgor, softens wrinkles, stimulates the natural production of collagen and elastin. The result is less stable than after surgical tightening and depends strongly on both the characteristics of the patient's body and directly on the specifics of the technique chosen. The effect usually lasts two to three years.
- pro- visible effect without trauma, lack of painful sensations and need for long-term rehabilitation, skin tightening.
- minuses- inability to eliminate many of the expressed problems of aging, less visible and lasting result, the need to repeat the course.
Injections -introduction of fillers based on hyaluronic acid, collagen or botulinum toxin to combat age-related changes.
- Indications: wrinkles, lack of volume.
- Contraindications: severe chronic diseases in the aggravation phase, skin diseases, violations of skin integrity, blood clotting disorders, individual drug intolerance, pregnancy and lactation.
- Injury: The contour plastic procedure is considered to be less traumatic, but there is a risk of damaging blood vessels and needle nerves.
- Performing: The procedure usually takes less than an hour to complete. Only application anesthesia may be used, after which the drug is injected into the problem area with a needle or cannula. With the help of a filler, you can eliminate nasolacrimal grooves, nasolabial folds, correct the lack of volume in the middle and lower third of the face. Botulinum toxin is injected only into muscle - to relieve hypertension and then to smooth out wrinkles. Also in this way it is quite possible to "raise" the sitting corners of the mouth. After the procedure, the patient can return to normal work and do them, following the doctor's recommendations.
- result: procedures allow volume replenishment and elimination of wrinkles, but the result depends on the characteristics of the patient's body and the choice of medication. The effect can last for three-six months to a year or a year and a half.
- pro: low trauma, ability to correct the result if unsatisfactory, no need for rehabilitation and use of general anesthesia.
- minuses: short-term result, need for repetition, visual elimination of only superficial imperfections.
The cost of facial rejuvenation procedures: can not buy youth?
When choosing a clinic, it's worth remembering the well-known phrase: "You get what you pay for. "Any type of lifting is a procedure that requires modern equipment, medications and quality anesthesia, providing the patient with special residence conditions and, most importantly, a highly qualified surgeon. If the price for this type of service is suspiciously low, it means that some of these points (or all at once) are not respected and maybe the clinic does not have a license at all. But the beauty and health of facial skin is not something you can save for. The public knows a large number of stories about patients who after deciding to save money, were later forced to spend much larger sums not only to correct the consequences of an unsuccessful operation on the aesthetic side, but also to restore the health oftire.
On average, the price for a deep surgical lift of two areas of the face starts from a pretty impressive amount; if it is necessary to perform more serious manipulations with a combination of techniques, you will have to spend even more. The exact cost can only be discovered in consultation, as the purpose of the intervention depends on the individual characteristics of the patient. We are talking about age, skin quality, volume of unwanted tissue, type of facial structure, as well as the desires of the person himself and much more.
SMAS (ultrasonic) hardware face lift is not very cheap, the price is mainly affected by the number of lines. The cost of filler contouring depends on the drug and the required volume of administration.
Technologies that allow the return of youth are constantly being improved, increasingly expanding the possibilities of modern aesthetic medicine. Today, plastic surgeons are able to eliminate almost any manifestation of age-related changes, and with the introduction of endoscopic technology, it also became possible to minimize the trauma of surgeries. So the use of modern equipment, an individual approach and the use of advanced techniques are all on which people who want to look refreshed can rely.
Where can I go for the procedure?
Recommendations for choosing an aesthetic medicine center and a specialist are given by an expert - plastic surgeon:
"Since plastic surgery and cosmetology gained wide popularity, a large number of specialized clinics have appeared on the market. Unfortunately, some of these institutions do not meet the high standards for the provision of medical services and employ unscrupulous specialists. Such clinics do notnot only are they not interested in successfully solving the patient's problem, but they also simply do not have the resources needed for high quality work.
To find a high-class doctor and a comfortable clinic, it is necessary to study as much information as possible about the specialists and the institution itself. First of all, do not hesitate to ask for a license for the right to practice medicine, certificates, medical degrees. . . Furthermore, all of these documents should be available to the public on the site. It is necessary for the license to reflect compliance with the requirements of the Procedure for the provision of medical care in the profile "Plastic Surgery", approved by order of the Ministry of Health. You should also pay attention to the documents confirming the current surgeon certification. It is worth finding out what the status of the clinic is, if it has a sufficient level of funding to receive high quality equipment and if the medical institution has experience in performing the necessary procedures and photos of illustrative examples. It is desirable for the institution to function for more than a year: if the history of the clinic is long, then this suggests that patients (and regulatory authorities) have already formed a trusting attitude towards this medical institution.
An important selection criterion is a wide range of services offered and an integrated approach to solving the patient's aesthetic problems in one place: from diagnostic measures to plastic surgery and professional cosmetology.