Simple facts about getting older and what can be done about it

There are two simple facts about getting older. The first aging is inevitable. The second fact is in most cases it can be reversed or slowed down. There are many options available including plastic surgery, such as face/neck, facial implants, eyelid surgery or brow lift. Non-surgical options include Botox, Fillers such as Restylane, Juvederm, Radiesse, or Artefil (permanent filler) or even less invasive microdermabrasion or chemical peels. Other options include laser treatments which include ablative and non-ablative laser treatment as well as IPL or light photo-rejuvenation treatments. Factors that result in drooping or sagging of the skin around the face include aging, sun exposure, and smoking and gravity. A facelift can help tighten the skin by allowing facial tissue to be tightened and skin to be pulled smooth and tight across the face and neck. Facelifts are performed under local anesthesia with an oral or IV sedative, which allows the patient to be awake yet relaxed and pain free. In more extensive cases, general anesthesia is recommended. The surgery involves an incision starting above the hairline at the sides of the forehead, extending down below the ear and around to the back of the hairline. A midline neck lift can be achieved with an incision at the chin. Once the skin is lifted, the facial muscles and tissue are tightened. Liposuction may be required. Excess skin is then stretched back and cut away. Depending on the type of the lift, the procedure can take anywhere from 2 to 5 hours and is performed as an outpatient operation in a surgical suite. After surgery pain is usually minimal and medication is prescribed to help. For a short time (1-3 weeks) swelling, bruising, and some numbness should be expected. With a normal recovery you can expect to be back to your daily routine, excluding strenuous exercise, within 2 days to 2 weeks depending on the type of procedure. For those who do not desire surgery as an option, non-surgical facelift might be a great solution. There are many different techniques for a non-surgical facelift, most of which are better suited for younger people who are thinking of plastic and cosmetic enhancement for the first time. An important advantage of choosing a non-surgical facelift is the shorter recovery period. The most popular non-surgical face lift procedure is Botox. More than three million people underwent a Botox non-surgical face lift procedure in 2006 alone. Botox involves a series of injections that relax the muscles and smooth the skin and reduce the appearance of wrinkles last three to six months. Filler injections are another type of non-surgical face lift procedure. This technique causes skin to raise the tissues and decrease the visibility of wrinkles and fine lines. The two more popular products, Restylane and Juvederm, both hyaluronic acid products, last about 6 months. Two other options are Radiesse, lasting 12 months and Artefill, permanent filler. Skin resurfacing techniques such as the chemical peel, dermabrasion, microdermabrasion, chemical peel and laser skin resurfacing (ablative and non ablative) are also common types of non-surgical face lift procedures. The Key to achieving the perfect result is to speak with an experienced and knowledgeable cosmetic surgeon in your area. This expert can determine what procedure may be best for you and discuss the risks and benefits associated with surgical or non-surgical face lift procedures.