Facial Surgery and Rejuvenation
This type of surgery works to enhance your facial features and restore your facial appearance, aiming for a refreshed and natural look.
About your face
Every time we meet someone, the first thing we observe is the face of the other person and it is this first impression that makes the emotional and interpersonal connection with others. The human face is fundamental to a person’s identity and self-image and is closely tied to the perceptions, assessments and expectations of others in a face to face interaction. It is for this reason that the face is often given more attention than any other feature of the body.
As time goes on, your face undergoes gradual changes, and is influenced by your lifestyle and heredity. Surgery can restore your image by smoothing the texture of your skin, reshaping the underlying tissues and removing excess tissue. With so many providers and procedures on offer, it can be difficult to know where to start.
Dr Rodrigo Teixeira is a specialist plastic surgeon in Melbourne and his approach to cosmetic facial surgery respects your identity by enhancing your facial features and improving facial harmony. He aims to achieve a natural and youthful result with a customised and tailored treatment that suits your requirements.
Rejuvenation in the face and neck
Dr Rodrigo is experienced in facial surgery and he will perform a facial assessment taking into consideration your unique characteristics and your expectations. He will discuss suitable treatment options to help you make an informed decision on what works best for you. In doing so, common points to consider are:
We are all more or less affected by it, an irreversible relentless process of tissue degeneration. Gradually, loss of elasticity, stretching of the skin and weakening of suspensory ligaments, will lead to signs of ageing:
- Relaxation of the skin of the face causing sagging
- Deepening of the fold lines between the nose and corner of the mouth
- Fat that has fallen or has disappeared
- Jowls developing in the cheeks and jaw
- Loose skin and excess fat of the neck that can appear as a double chin or “turkey neck”
As we age there are also marked changes to the fatty and bony tissues of the face. There is fat deflation and fat displacement that reduce the fulness and plumpiness of tissues. For instance, the malar fat pad (cheek) deflation will contribute to the ageing of the areas around the eyes. In addition, the resulting sagging of tissues will lead to the development of jowls, in other words, displaced tissue hanging over the jaw line.
Skeletal changes happen simultaneously and bone resorption, gradually, make some of the supporting surfaces hollow. Despite occurring on a deeper tissue level, those changes become noticeable because the more superficial tissues also change and it leaves the bones more exposed.
Non Surgical procedures
Some of the most popular non-surgical procedures are fractional laser resurfacing, Coolsculpt, Microdermabrasion, Plasma Pen, Thermage, Photodynamic therapy, Micro skin needling and Skin peels.
Do you have a facial skin care routine?
If so, you may prefer to keep it if it is working for you. Otherwise, your journey may start with skin care treatment to improve the quality of your skin. It is important to prepare your skin before surgery for better results.
Non-surgical treatment like injections to correct wrinkles and fillers should be avoided before surgery. When too much filler has been previously injected it may be necessary to dissolve it before surgery by injecting dissolving enzimes into the fillers. Please note that not all types of fillers can be dissolved.
However, after surgery those treatments may be an option to maximise your results. Laser treatments may improve the colour and texture of the skin, and plasma pen can be used for mild skin tightening in focal areas. It is especially popular for eyelid and brow treatments.
Facelift (Rhytidectomy)
The original face lift as described over 60 years ago involved hidden incisions in front and behind the ear and incisions in the hair bearing scalp. It relied on skin tightening only, and often produced unnatural results that didn’t last long because skin is naturally elastic. Another frequent problem was the operated look stigma caused by excessive thightening and hairline set back.
Facelift techniques have evolved dramatically. Gradually, new surgical techniques were developed and incorporated dissection of the supportive layer of the face that sits deeper, underneath the skin and fat layers. Essentially, modern techniques focus on this special layer that is called SMAS (superficial muscular aponeurotic system) layer, rather than just operating on the skin.
In reality the “deep plane” facelift is no deeper than the proper SMAS lift. The original deep plane technique treated the skin, fat and SMAS layers together, pulling then in the same direction, whereas SMAS techniques generally address different layers separately and allow for more customisation.
The confusion occurs beacuse there are numerous ways to approach the SMAS. In simple terms, it can be explained by the areas and the extent of the SMAS dissection and how the released tissue is tightened and secured.
There are less invasive alternatives to a SMAS lift or deep plane facelift? Recently, minimally invasive procedures are gaining in popularity in all surgical fields. There is a tremendous boom in scarless facial rejuvenation techniques, including radiofrequency techniques, threading lift, and laser devices. These treatments are very heavily marketed and are very appealing because of the immediate effect and reduced recovery time, but none of them is capable of reproducing the quality and longevity of a traditional face-lift. The MACS-lift fits well between non-surgical options and more radical face-lift procedures because it manages to reduce downtime and morbidity, while preserving the quality and stability of the result.
Dr Rodrigo Teixeira will be perform a full face assessment and discuss the best facelift option to address your concerns. A good facelift is made to measure. It takes into account how you aged, what your anatomy is like and what result you want. Sometimes the combination of different treatment modalities may enhance the final result of you facial cosmetic treatment.
Brow lift and Temporal lift
If you feel that you have a sagging brow or asymmetrical brows, a brow lift could be the right procedure for you. By lifting the soft tissue surrounding the brow and the forehead, this cosmetic technique can give you a fresh and rejuvenated look. Benefits of a brow lift:
- Easy procedure, low-risk procedure with minimal downtime
- Results are long lasting
Neck Lift
A neck lift is also known as a platysmaplasty. This technique is often carried out in conjunction with a facelift, the purpose of which is to combat the signs of ageing and rejuvenate the neck region. The front and side of the necl can be easily accessible when combined to a facelift, but the more profound changes are on the sides.
Some patients have more fat and marked muscle bands in the front of the neck and may also need combined procedures such as liposuction and/or neck corset midline plication. The results are often long lasting and create a youthful, toned looking neck. Although the procedure has a risk low of complications, it is always essential and beneficial to consult your surgeon for advice.
Facial Fat Grafting
Do you want to restore the lost volume to your face and attain a natural, youthful look? Do you wish to enhance your facial features, the shape and contour of your jawline, cheeks and around the eyes? In that case, fat grafting might be right for you.
Facial fat grafting is a procedure which involves transfer of tiny amounts of fat to the face from the abdomen or thighs to enhance your facial features. The fat is harvested with mini liposuction, purified and processed into very small particle sizes. Your surgeon will normally inject droplets of fat with a very thin cannula into the areas of your face that you want to add volume to. The micro droplet technique is used for this procedure.
Fat grafting procedure is minimally invasive. Unlike facial fillers, it can give you long-lasting results, and in some cases, you will only need one treatment. It can be done alone or, commonly, combined with other procedures.
Maximising your facelift results
Congratulations, now that you’ve gotten a facelift, you must be enjoying your new look. A facelift often lasts for an average of 7-10 years, however, it is essential that you look after your health and your skin, so as to further optimise the benefits of the surgery.
Adopting a healthy lifestyle, avoiding alcohol consumption and smoking, exercising and a nourishing and balanced diet will work wonders in maintaining the results of your facelift. Drink plenty of water, as it keeps your skin hydrated and looking youthful. Create a customised skincare routine that includes the regular and daily use of sunscreen. All these little steps that are not very time consuming can be highly advantageous in making sure you always look and feel well.
Things to consider before facial surgery
Facelift surgery is not for everyone. Talk to your medical practitioner and consider the following:
Your surgeon can only work with the existing skin and soft tissues. The facial skeleton also ages in the form of bone loss. So there are limits to how far you can rejuvenate your face and some patients may consider other treatments to treat the facial skeleton.
- 30s – skin care routine, non-surgical treatments and rhinoplasty are common options. Consider facial fat grafting for fine and long lasting results as an alternative to fillers.
- 40s – some procedures like eyelid surgery, temporal lift or brow lift may be indicated before having facelift surgery of the midface and neck.
- 50 and 60s – most common ages for patients looking for a facelift, although younger patients after shorter recovery may choose less invasive techniques such as the MACS-lift.
- Consider the cost of treatment. Generally, cosmetic facial surgery does not qualify for rebates from Medicare or private health insurance companies. Also, it is important to have some extra savings available, or consider hiring surgery insurance, in the event of a complication that requires further treatment. Generally speaking facelift surgery starts from $25K and may increase depending on the complexity of treatment and the experience and reputation of the surgeon.
- Information about important aspects of the procedures, recovery time and potential complications can sometimes be unclear and misleading, so it is important to do your research and seek professional advice. You should be clear about anything you need to do before surgery, during recovery time and any aftercare that may be needed when you go home.
Possible risks with facial surgery
Despite the highest standards of surgical practice, complications are possible. The decision to have facelift surgery is extremely personal. You’ll have to decide if the benefits will achieve your goals and if the risks and potential complications are acceptable. Dr Rodrigo will explain the risks associated with surgery. Even though most patients will not have complications, you should discuss your concerns about possible side effects.
Some of the general side effects are allergic reactions, severe swelling and bruising, bleeding, infection and blood clots. Similarly, there are specific complications. For example: scarring, skin loss (necrosis) and slow healing wounds, pain, facial asymmetry, facial nerve weakness or palsy, numbness, under and over-correction.
Unsatisfactory results may include: asymmetry, unsatisfactory surgical scar location and unacceptable visible deformities at the ends of the incisions (it may be necessary to perform an additional surgery to improve your results).
For more information, please consult your surgeon. Before proceeding, you have the option to seek a second opinion from an appropriately qualified health practitioner. Recovery time and treatment results will vary from patient to patient and depend upon a variety of individual patient factors.
Facelift Recovery
Right after your facelift you will experience swelling and bruising which are both normal and temporary side-effects of any surgical procedure. Although you could experience some discomfort, pain relief medications that your surgeon will prescribe to you should keep you relatively pain free.
Do not expect to see the results of the facelift immediately, since it takes months for the final outcome to materialise. During the first week after your surgery make sure you do not exert yourself physically by carrying out strenuous tasks or high-intensity training.
Make sure you sleep with your head elevated and follow all the aftercare instructions your surgeon gives you. 10 days after your facelift you can gradualy resume normal activities, some bruising and swelling might still persist. Note that complete healing takes at least 6 -12 months, and the final result could be apparent only after this period of time.
Part of investing in your facelift journey with an accredited and affiliated Specialist Plastic Surgeon like Dr Rodrigo is knowing that you’re getting a high standard level of care throughout your procedure. He and his team will be ready to support you post-surgery, giving you detailed and clear post-operative instructions, pain management, dressing changes and follow-up appointments until you are fully recovered.
Find your facelift specialist surgeon
The skill and expertise of the surgeon you choose are very important. Make sure you choose a specialist surgeon with adequate training and experience and who will be equipped to answer all your questions and carry out your facial surgery safely. A good surgeon will always make sure you are comfortable and guide you through the process in a very reassuring but realistic manner.
Dr Rodrigo & Facial Surgery
Dr Rodrigo has a special interest in facial surgery. His expertise in craniofacial surgery, cleft surgery and reconstructive surgery are assets when performing facelift surgery. He will provide you with adequate follow-up and his work speaks for itself.
Need more information?
Find your facelift specialist surgeon
The skill and expertise of the surgeon you choose are very important. Make sure you choose a specialist surgeon with adequate training and experience and who will be equipped to answer all your questions and carry out your facial surgery safely. A good surgeon will always make sure you are comfortable and guide you through the process in a very reassuring but realistic manner.
Dr Rodrigo has a special interest in facial surgery. His expertise in craniofacial surgery, cleft surgery and reconstructive surgery are assets when performing facelift surgery. He will provide you with adequate follow-up and his work speaks for itself.
Need more information?
Book Consultation
Our friendly staff will give you a call to discuss your needs and answer any questions you may have
"*" indicates required fields
Facial Plastic Surgery Blog
Upper eyelid surgery benefits and recovery
Upper eyelid surgery benefits and recovery The eyes are one of the most prominent features on a person’s face and are very expressive in communication. …
Facial Surgery – Most popular procedures for different age groups
Facelifts The face undergoes gradual changes as time goes on, and is influenced by lifestyle and heredity. Tissue sagging, fat loss and displacement are some …
Double Chin – Neck Liposuction: Causes and Treatments
Double Chin – Neck Liposuction: Causes and Treatments People do not all develop double chin the same way, nor they will need the same procedures …
Everything you need to know about Otoplasty
Otoplasty, also known as ear pinning, is a surgical procedure which aims to correct the shape of protruded ears in both children and adults. Normally, …
Fat Grafting and What It Can Do For You
Do you want to restore the lost volume to your face and attain a natural, youthful look? Do you wish to enhance your facial features, …
MAFAC 2019
Dr. Rodrigo recently attended the commemorative 10th year of the Melbourne Advanced Facial Anatomy Course (MAFAC) in Brisbane. \”It was probably the best course …