The Secret to a Natural-Looking Face-Lift

You’ve taken a good, hard look at all the noninvasive anti-aging therapies out there, and have even dabbled in a few. But most of them seem designed to combat the early signs of aging or just give your skin a healthier glow. If you have significant facial volume loss, jowling, or a drooping chin or neck, the most beautiful and dramatic rejuvenation can only come from an expertly performed surgical face-lift.

When you first think about a face-lift, also known as a rhytidectomy, you may remember all of the shaming websites that feature celebrities whose skin looks over-tightened and shiny. That’s definitely not the look you want.

So how do you get a face-lift that looks natural, healthy, and ageless? Not only is a natural-looking face-lift possible, it’s the least you should expect.

At his practice, DiGeronimo MD Advanced Plastic Surgery, in Miami, our expert plastic surgeon, Dr. Ernest M. DiGeronimo, shares a few guidelines that can help achieve the most beautiful, flattering, and natural-looking face-lift possible.

Find the most experienced surgeon

Getting a face-lift is the time to leave your bargain-hunting self behind and look for quality first. Take your time interviewing the top surgeons in your area. Get recommendations from friends and read reviews on the internet.

Consult with several surgeons so you get a sense of their personalities. You need to feel confident in their skills and also comfortable enough to ask any questions that concern you. Be sure to look at their before-and-after photos, especially those that present patients who have a facial structure that’s similar to yours.

Be sure the surgeon spends time with you, without seeming rushed. At DiGeronimo MD Advanced Plastic Surgery, Dr. DiGeronimo conducts a medical exam, talks to you about your goals, examines your skin quality, and evaluates your underlying bone structure. Your surgeon should explain the procedure in depth during your consultation, and let you know what kind of results you should expect.

Don’t buy into the “skin only” lift myth

You may have heard about the “skin only” facelift as a less expensive and less invasive alternative to a traditional face-lift. Skin-only lifts don’t last as long as a well-performed traditional lift, because they’re not as secure. Although the skin is lifted higher, the underlying tissues pull downward, undoing the benefits of the lift within a few years.

In contrast, Dr. DiGeronimo performs a deep-plane face-lift that lifts the skin along with the underlying superficial musculoaponeurotic system (SMAS) layer. Lifting the tissue both horizontally and vertically allows for the most natural look and mimics the direction of a younger face. Additionally, Dr. DiGeronimo carefully hides the scars in the creases of your ears so they’re easily hidden by your hair until they fade over time.

Add on, when needed

Nothing can undo the youthful restoration of a face-lift like a saggy, crepey neck. If you’re undergoing a face-lift, talk to Dr. DiGeronimo about adding in a neck lift.

If you have a double chin, a neck lift may begin with removing excess fat. During this procedure, Dr. DiGeronimo tightens the underlying platysma muscles, stitching them together for a more youthful contour. Next, the skin is lifted up and outward and secured discreetly behind your ears, with the excess trimmed away.

You may also consider a brow lift to remedy a heavy brow or drooping upper eyelids. Asking Dr. DiGeronimo to perform more than one rejuvenating surgery saves you recovery time and the expense and inconvenience of separate operations.

Follow all preop and postop instructions

A full and uneventful healing is essential to the most natural outcome for your face-lift. Be sure you stop smoking for at least two weeks before your procedure and for two weeks afterward. Dr. DiGeronimo gives you a list of blood-thinning medications and herbs to avoid, including aspirin and ginkgo biloba.

Arrange ahead of time for a friend or family member to drive you home after your surgery and help you with household chores. You should expect to miss at least a couple of weeks of work and normal life. Make sure you avoid bending down while you’re still healing, to prevent excessive swelling and bruising.

Improve your skin quality, too

You can take your face-lift to the next level of natural by adding in rejuvenating therapies that improve your skin quality, including laser resurfacing, microneedling, and a Vampire® facial that suffuses your skin with an intense concentration of your own platelets, which contain growth factors.

Dr. DiGeronimo can schedule any of these add-on procedures so they work synergistically with your face-lift. As you heal over the next several months, you’ll notice that your skin not only looks lifted and naturally tightened, but it glows with renewed vibrancy and health.

To find out how a face-lift at DiGeronimo MD Advanced Plastic Surgery, can make you look younger and more vital for up to a decade, call us today at 305-376-0378 or book a consultation online.