Ask Dr. LeRoy: The Band Aid Facelift Has So Many Advantages – Why Would Anyone Choose a Traditional Facelift?

Everyone who has seen a Hollywood gossip magazine knows that plastic surgery can be done well or it can be done poorly. There are so many factors that affect each patient’s end result, from their body’s natural anatomy and healing process to whether or not they followed their pre- and post-surgical care instructions. But two factors can often have the most powerful impact on the results are (1) having the right procedure for your needs and goals, and (2) selecting the right surgeon to perform it. This is the discussion that I have with every patient who comes to me for facial rejuvenation surgery and doesn’t know if they need a Band Aid Mini Facelift or a traditional facelift.

The Band Aid Facelift is a unique procedure that I developed in order to give my patients a less invasive, in-office alternative to a typical facelift, and I’ve performed it for over 5,000 patients with great success throughout the past 20 years. Using advanced techniques, I’m able to give patients a natural-looking result with this in-office surgery using gentle numbing rather than full general anesthesia. This provides a number of benefits my patients appreciate, including about half the recovery time, a much lower cost, less swelling, less scarring, and simply an easier and more manageable process overall. For select patients, I’ve even taken it another step further with a Band Aid Micro Mini Facelift that offers even less recovery time and cost. So given all that a Band Aid Mini Facelift can offer, many patients ask, why would anyone choose a traditional facelift instead?

Ultimately, the degree of aging a patient has and the amount of improvement they want are the deciding factors for whether they’re a better fit for traditional facelift or a Band Aid Facelift. In order to maintain a level of comfort and safety for the patient, there is a limit on the amount of improvement I can make with the in-office Band Aid Mini Facelift. It can be a fantastic way for patients with a mild to moderate degree of aging to restore a more youthful appearance and to keep up with new signs of aging as they arise. However, for patients whose aging has progressed further and need or want a more significant amount of sagging skin removed and underlying tissue repositioned, a Band Aid Facelift simply won’t be worth their effort because they won’t be happy with the amount of improvement it can provide. For these patients, a traditional facelift is generally the best way to go, and they can then keep up with future aging with occasional minimally invasive procedures so that they continue to look youthful and rested for years to come.

As a board-certified plastic surgeon, my primary goal is to help each patient become their most confident and beautiful self while protecting their health and safety. Knowing which surgical or nonsurgical cosmetic procedure to recommend for each patient is a crucial part of this process. To discuss whether a Band Aid Facelift, a traditional face lift, or another type of surgical or nonsurgical facial rejuvenation procedure is best for your needs, schedule a plastic surgery consultation today. For more helpful cosmetic surgery information, patient health tips, special offers, and more, follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+.