The Goals of Facelift Surgery

Facelift surgery, (also known as rhytidectomy, rhytidoplasty or meloplasty) is a very frequently requested procedure.  The goals of facelift surgery are: (1) to achieve natural, higher, more youthful facial contours, (2) to remove deep facial folds, excess sagging and drooping of large wrinkles and “double chins,” and (3) to restore a smooth jawbone and neck contour.  Remember to plan your surgery properly!

Perhaps in no other area of plastic surgery does the individual surgeon’s aesthetic sensibilities and choice of technique create such variations in the final result.  In the early days of plastic surgery, mini-lifts and minor procedures were performed.  However, the corrections achieved by those techniques were quite limited and not long lasting.  In the past decade, surgeons have described a variety of techniques designed to give better and longer-lasting corrections, but each had its own drawbacks.

In search of a superior result, I visited many of these doctors performing their techniques. I did extensive anatomical research and cadaver dissection.  The culmination of my efforts was the development of the Extended SupraPlastysmal Plane Technique (ESP) facelift. I have lectured about this technique throughout the country and around the world.  The ESP technique has been successful in giving a very natural and beautiful result.  Both men and women request this procedure, and it can be combined with an eyelid lift, light chemical peel, facial fat suctioning, and cheek, nose or chin surgery for even better results.

To create a more youthful face, different surgical procedures often can be utilized together.  Prior to any of these procedures, a good skin care program incorporating the use of topical Retin-A and alpha hydroxy acids as prescribed by your doctor can prove beneficial in slowing the aging process.

Remember, one important portion of all plastic surgery procedures is to educate yourself