Ask Dr. LeRoy: Why Do You Offer So Many Different Types of Facelifts?

For people who haven’t spent much time around the plastic surgery world, their only impression of the field may be the stories they’ve seen on the news about patients who undergo a long series of procedures to look like their favorite celebrity. But that’s not a representation of cosmetic surgery for the majority of patients and trusted surgeons. For the most part, patients want to look like themselves—just with a few minor improvements. As a double board-certified plastic surgeon who specializes in facial rejuvenation, I typically hear, “I want to look the way I did five, ten, or fifteen years ago.” But here’s the catch: turning back the clock on facial aging looks different for everyone. That’s why I offer three distinct types of face lift surgery, and each is customized to the individual patient: the traditional facelift, the Band Aid Mini Facelift, and the Band Aid Micro Mini Facelift.

Traditional Facelift

As the most comprehensive facial rejuvenation option, a face lift is performed under general anesthesia. Few patients realize that facial aging is caused not only by the loss of skin firmness, but also by changes to the underlying facial structure, so a facelift addresses both of these issues by removing excess skin as well as repositioning the underlying facial tissue. This option is generally ideal for patients who have rather extensive aging and are looking for a dramatic improvement. However, I also maintain the priority of making the results look natural, rather than overdone or “windblown.”

Band Aid Mini Facelift

I developed this procedure nearly 20 years ago as a way to offer patients the precision of plastic surgery with less recovery time. Using specialized, minimally invasive techniques, my Band Aid Facelift is performed using gentle numbing, so patients have no need for general anesthesia, the tracheal tube or other necessities that come with it. Instead, the surgery is performed in-office, and the result is a natural-looking result that can take eight to twelve years off a patient’s appearance, all with half the recovery time and half the cost of a traditional face lift.

Band Aid Micro Mini Facelift

As effective as they are, neither the traditional or the Band Aid facelift can stop the aging process (nor can anything known to medical science). So eventually, patients develop new signs of aging, and they generally want to treat them so they can maintain their cosmetic surgery results. While most patients aren’t ready for another Band Aid Facelift for eight to ten years after their initial procedure, the Band Aid Micro Mini Facelift is an even milder surgery which is designed for approximately three to four years post-surgery. It’s also performed in-office with gentle numbing, but it requires just half of the cost and downtime of even the Band Aid Mini Face Lift.

While my facial rejuvenation patients are each best suited for one of the three facelift options above, it’s important to recognize that each surgery is unique as well, because patients age in their own way. For instance, one patient may require their surgery to focus on the mid-face, while another may be more concerned about their jowls. A different patient may struggle primarily with sagging skin, while another is more affected by fat distribution. This is why your first step should be to schedule a plastic surgery consultation to discuss the options for your unique anatomy.  For more cosmetic surgery tips and the latest news, follow me, Dr. John L. LeRoy on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+.