Reasons for Facelifts

"In human society, we all make quick decisions about people based on their faces." -Ralph Waldo Emerson, American 19th century philosopher and poet

According to Ralph Waldo Emerson, it is important to put your best face forward. In terms of the reasons that patients have stated why they want a facelift, they are widely individual. Very often, people feel that their face looks older than how they feel. It´s no secret that appearing older and less energetic has an impact on one´s professional and social life. Some of my most enthusiastic clients have been salesmen, accountants, Wall Street financiers, and computer software engineers. Image is very subtly important in just about anything that we do. Most importantly, most of our clients feel a renewal in their self confidence by looking better after their facial rejuvenation. Increased confidence has led to most of our clients feeling more productive in their professional and personal lives. My financial clients have calculated that you can probably prolong your peak earning potential by about 10+ years so that when you amortize the cost of the procedure in time and money, you have spent a few dollars per year in order to maximize your income. If you are not so inclined to follow that financial reasoning, suffice it to say that investing in yourself is always the best financial investment you will ever make. For the best advice about beauty, read here what Frank Lloyd Wright, celebrated architect and poet, wrote about the place of beauty in your life:

"The longer I live the more beautiful life becomes. If you foolishly ignore beauty, you will soon find yourself without it. Your life will be impoverished. But if you invest in beauty, it will remain with you all the days of your life."

Benefits of a Facelift

Sun exposure, loose skin and wrinkles can all deceive an onlooker about the person they see before him. In 2007, facelifts were the sixth most commonly performed procedure performed in the United States. A facelift can basically set back the clock by about ten years. The jowls and the neck are tightened and a double chin can be improved at the same time. The best candidate for a facelift is someone who has just started thinking about it but still looks good. This person will require less surgery and will maintain a youthful appearance for a long time.

Realities about Facelifts

Like any investment, care and maintenance is the key for maximizing its effects. Healthy habits in terms of diet and exercise, avoiding sun exposure, not smoking or indulging in excessive alcohol and staying well hydrated are basic requirements. In addition, you should adopt a well designed, customized skin care regimen that involves proper sun protection year round. In Dr. Prasad´s offices, he offers state of the art skin care and the Garden City office includes a fabulous spa with a knowledgeable esthetician who can significantly benefit the impact of the facelift with our own custom designed skin care line and spf mineral based makeup from Jane Iredale.

Skin texture, age spots and fine lines will not be significantly affected by a facelift. These issues can be addressed with other adjunctive procedures such as laser or chemical resurfacing, microdermabrasion and other skin care procedures. Botox and fillers may be necessary to improve deeper wrinkles.

Facial Aging

The midface has a certain amount of fat in it that gives volume to the face and is responsible for the "youthful glow" that distinguishes a 20 year old face from a 30 year old face, even if the person has no other signs of aging.

The fat in the middle of the face starts to die off and the shape and sculptural look of the face changes into a more aged look. The facial fat pad located under the eye socket (orbit) changes shape, gets smaller or moves to a new position. Midface implants can make a very dramatic difference in a person's appearance. Usually this procedure is performed along with facelifts or eyelifts but it can certainly be performed on its own.