Ask Dr. LeRoy: Why Do Some Patients Have Multiple Band Aid Facelifts?

The Band Aid Mini Facelift I developed is undoubtedly my most popular procedure, and for good reason. After all, it offers patients the degree of facial rejuvenation that only cosmetic surgery can produce, and yet it’s performed in-office using minimally invasive techniques and gentle numbing rather than general anesthesia. But, as a brief look at our plastic surgery testimonials will show, it’s not uncommon for patients to return for a second or even third mini facelift. Why is this the case?

The simplified answer is that aging is an ongoing process.  For instance, the results of a rhinoplasty (or nose surgery) will typically look the same throughout the rest of the patient’s life, because after the nose reaches its genetically-determined adult structure, it changes very little if at all. Aging, on the other hand, is inevitable and progressive throughout adulthood. So while a face lift will remove excess skin and restore a more youthful shape to the face, the existing skin will continue to lose firmness and facial tissue will continue to drop, eventually creating new wrinkles and sagging skin. You will always look younger than you would have if you had never had a facelift, but for instance, if you look to be 40 years old after your surgery, you will not continue to look 40 forever.

With that being said, patients return for a second Band Aid Mini Facelift for many reasons. Everyone ages at their own pace due to heredity as well as environmental factors, but it typically takes around ten years after a mini facelift for patients’ signs of aging to return to the extent that they appeared before surgery, so some patients choose to have a second mini facelift after ten, fifteen, or twenty years in order to address the new aging that has appeared since their last surgery. Another common reason patients return is to have a different area treated. The mini face lift is designed to target specifically the area of the face which needs the most attention, be it the cheekbone area, the jawline, or the neck, so some patients may initially receive surgery to rejuvenate their jawline and return several years later to also address skin laxity on their neck.

Another popular choice is for Band Aid Facelift patients to later undergo not a second mini facelift but one of my other facial rejuvenation surgeries, such as Band Aid Eyelid Surgery to improve “hooded” eyelids or bags under the eyes, or a Band Aid Brow Lift to address aging across the forehead. I also offer a variety of non-surgical skin treatments, which are particularly popular for patients who want to maintain the results of their facelift, including Band Aid Laser Skin Resurfacing, Band Aid Skin Tightening, and injectables (such as Botox®, Restylane®, Juvéderm®, and more).

Plastic surgery is more than simply a cosmetic change. To paraphrase one of my previous patients, it’s an added pick-me-up each day that contributes to an overall more positive outlook. While aging is inevitable, choosing manageable and incremental procedures like the Band Aid Mini Facelift can help you feel more confident and uplifted by your appearance for years to come. To start discussing the ideal treatment plan for you, schedule a consultation with me, Dr. John LeRoy. Or, for more information about our plastic surgery services as well as the latest special offers and announcements from our office, follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+.