Ready to look as young as you feel?

People often tell us they’re working hard at staying healthy.  Yet years of sun damage and aging are catching up to them.  Their faces do not reflect their youthful attitudes.

Many cosmetic plastic surgery procedures can erase the years, restore a fresher-looking appearance and offer long-term results.

All can be performed in accredited outpatient surgical facilities, allowing patients to go home the same day. They also can be customized for each patient, depending upon his or her particular needs.

A browlift minimizes signs of aging and creates a more rested look. Muscles and tissues that cause furrowing or drooping are removed or altered to smooth the forehead, raise eyebrows and minimize frown lines.

The procedure can be performed with conventional surgery, in which incisions are hidden just behind the hairline.  Or your surgeon may prefer to use an endoscope, which allows the procedure to be performed with minimal incisions.

Most patients are back to their normal, light activities in seven to 10 days. However, vigorous physical activities should be limited for several weeks, and prolonged exposure to heat and sun should be limited for several months.

Results can last five to 10 years.

The mini-facelift is a popular choice for relatively younger patients, in their late 40s to 50s. If performed early enough, mini-facelifts can prevent the signs of aging before they become obvious.

This procedure is tailored to address trouble spots, such as the jowls or mid-face. Because mini-facelifts are generally associated with quick recovery, they are sometimes called “weekend facelifts.”

A mid-facelift is best for patients whose cheeks are sagging but don’t have jowls or serious neck wrinkles.  Mid-facelifts tighten the skin around the cheeks, smooth the appearance, and reduce the deep marionette lines between the nose and the lips.

This procedure offers results that are more subtle than a traditional face lift.

A traditional facelift reduces the slackness in skin in the lower two-thirds of the face. It corrects sagging jowls and loose neck skin. If combined with liposuction, a facelift eliminates a patient’s double chin.

Many surgeons use photographs of the patient from an earlier time to guide them and help create a more youthful look.

Patients can resume normal activities in 10 to 14 days.  Results last about five to 10 years.

To maintain long-term results following any cosmetic surgery, we recommend that patients always wear sunscreen and use quality skin care products, such as Obagi Nu-Derm® System, a prescription skin care line available only in a doctor’s office.

Before undergoing any cosmetic procedure, discuss your goals and expectations with a board-certified plastic surgeon.  Together, you can determine the procedure that is right for you.

Love Your Look is a column by Dr. Thomas Albert, Dr. Howard Heppe and Dr. Harold Bautista, the board-certified plastic surgeons of Plastic Surgery Services of Fredericksburg. For more information, please visit http://www.loveyourlook.info/, call 1-800-793-7730 or email lmackey@loveyourlook.info. For a free consultation with one of our doctors, just mention this story.

Plastic Surgery Services of Fredericksburg proudly serves patients residing in Fredericksburg, Stafford, Spotsylvania, King George, Culpeper, Northern Neck, Richmond and Northern Virginia.