Facelifts have long been a staple of the cosmetic surgery world. The first documented facelift was performed in Berlin in 1901. Sometimes in the past there have been cases of celebrities getting a less than good job. Most people remember Frank Gifford coming back to Monday Night Football one fall with a face that looked like it was being put on the rack. More recently, Kenny Rogers was the object of Internet ridicule for his stretched face.

But a facelift that is expertly performed by a skilled surgeon such as Dr. Barrera can take 10 to 15 years off a person’s age. Plus, new techniques, such as the “mini facelift” create less scarring and make for easier recovery.

A facelift is a way to counteract the sagging skin and volume loss that come with aging. Some people opt for what is known as a liquid facelift, but the surgical variety creates much more rejuvenation with enduring results.

What can a facelift address?

The facelift procedure continues to evolve. Today, Dr. Barrera seeks to address the underlying support tissues and musculature, possibly more so than the skin. This creates more natural-looking results, rather than a stretched appearance. Dr. Barrera has various methods available to him and he will match your needs with the method.

Clinically known as rhytidectomy, a facelift focuses mainly on the middle to lower face. A facelift can help remove the smile lines that run from the corners of the nose down to the corners of the mouth. It can restore the definition of the jaw line, remove deep wrinkles in the cheeks, address volume loss and sagging in the cheeks, and remove the loose skin in the neck that leads to vertical cords. Expertise is important in a facelift to leave the right amount of fat and excess skin to avoid an unnatural result. That’s where the experience and expertise of a surgeon like Dr. Barrera is paramount.

Some patients mistake the name — facelift — and assume it addresses aging across the entire face, but this is not the case. A facelift doesn’t address issues with the eyes and brows. For many patients, Dr. Barrera combines a facelift with eyelid surgery to provide more rejuvenation.

Facelift recovery

Recovery from a facelift isn’t a speedy thing. This is because the amount of tissue that Dr. Barrera has to lift and reposition. This creates bruising and swelling. This will disappear gradually over the first two weeks. Most patients can return to work in a week or two. But it will take from two to three months for the full results of the facelift to show themselves, due to residual swelling. This swelling will often return in the evening.

Interested in pushing the clock back a decade or more with a facelift? Call Dr. Barrera at (713) 468-5200 to schedule a consultation.