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facelift surgery Atlanta

The Growing Movement of Facial Rejuvenation

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As a board-certified plastic surgeon, it isn’t just my time in the operating room that makes me love my job. I also enjoy getting to know my patients before surgery by discussing why they’ve chosen to have a cosmetic procedure, what they want to get from it, and how I can help them find a new sense of confidence. Through these conversations, over time I start to notice changing trends in the procedures patients want and the reasons they’ve chosen them. When the nationwide report of cosmetic surgery statistics is released each year from the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS), it’s always interesting to see how our Atlanta trends compare to those throughout the country. This year, I’ve noticed an interesting similarity between the two: the growing emphasis on facial rejuvenation.

The Growing Movement of Facial Rejuvenation

One way to see how patients’ interest in various types of procedures are shifting is to look at which treatments saw the highest increases over the past year. In 2017, among the six plastic surgeries with the largest increases from the previous year, four of them were facial procedures. That’s surprising considering that only one third of all the surgeries measured by ASAPS are facial procedures.

We also see the same trend in non-surgical cosmetic treatments. Four of the five fastest-growing non-surgical procedures last year were focused on the face. This shows us that more and more patients are focusing their cosmetic efforts on looking younger rather than looking thinner or enhancing their breasts.

Another intriguing takeaway from the ASAPS report is how popular facial rejuvenation is among men. When we look at all the plastic surgeries that could be performed for either men or women, men make up an average of 24.5% of the patients for facial procedures. For body procedures, men account for an average of only 6.9% of patients. Despite the old stereotype that plastic surgery is primarily focused on women, these statistics show us that it’s increasingly common for men to choose to look younger.

We can only speculate about the reasons for the increasing interest in facial rejuvenation among men and women alike. It may be because the average age of the US population is increasing, or it may be because people are staying in the workforce longer and they want to continue presenting themselves as their youthful and energetic selves. Regardless of the reasons, the fact is that more and more people are taking action to look and feel younger, and I’m honored to help. If you’re ready to learn more about your facial rejuvenation options, schedule a consultation with me, Dr. John L. LeRoy. For more interesting plastic surgery facts and helpful tips, follow me on Twitter, Facebook, and Google+.

Surprising Facts about Facelifts

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Plastic surgery is a subject people talk about constantly, often in the context of celebrity gossip. As a double board-certified plastic surgeon, I’m glad that awareness of cosmetic surgery is spreading, but I’ve noticed that there is a lot of incorrect information floating around as well. If you’re considering a facelift (or any other elective surgery, for that matter), it’s a good idea to educate yourself about the procedure. With that goal in mind, here are a few facelift facts that may surprise you.

Surprising Facts about Facelifts

Fact #1: More and more men are getting facelifts.

People typically think of plastic surgery as appealing to women because women have more of a tendency to by concerned about their appearance. But in our modern society, more and more men are acknowledging that they could stand to feel more confident in their appearance and that there’s no shame in working toward this goal. Just compare the last few years as an example – in 2016, 11.3% of facelift patients were men, while it was just 8.1% in 2010*.

Fact #2: For nearly 70 years, facelifts only treated the skin.

The first known facelift was performed in 1901, and from that procedure until 1968, a facelift only consisted of removing excess sagging skin and lifting the remaining skin to a higher position. This put all the tension on the skin and had a tendency to give patients the dreaded “wind tunnel look.” Facelifts have evolved since then, and today they typically involve restructuring the underlying muscle and other facial tissue as well. After all, these underlying tissues change with age as well, so raising the skin alone won’t give the natural-looking results that come from the more well-rounded facelifts performed today. Keep in mind, however, that some surgeons still do facelifts that make patients look “windblown” or “overdone, ” so it’s important to find a board-certified plastic surgeon with extensive experience performing facelifts, and to look through the surgeon’s facelift before and after photos before you commit.

Fact #3: Facelifts are becoming more and more popular for the 65+ crowd.

Most people think of a facelift as a procedure for people in their 50s, perhaps early 60s, but recent trends show that there’s no age limit for enjoying your appearance. In fact, in 2016, patients age 65 and older accounted for over 30% of facelift patients in the US – the highest percentage since the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery began tracking this data in 1997*.

Fact #4: A typical facelift addresses the lower 2/3 of the face.

It’s easy to see how patients would assume that a facelift lifts the entire face. However, the lower 2/3 and the upper 1/3 of the face need to be rejuvenated in different ways. For patients with sagging skin throughout their forehead, I typically suggest a brow lift, also called a forehead lift or an upper facelift.

Fact #5: Every facelift is different.

The human anatomy is incredibly complex and it varies slightly with every patient, and facial aging is no exception. Because each patient ages in their own way and at their own pace and has different goals for their results, every good facelift is customized to fit the patient. Surgeons also have their preferred techniques, like the Band Aid Facelift I developed to reduce recovery time, scarring, swelling, bruising, and cost for my patients.

Fact #6: A facelift doesn’t remove all signs of aging.

Some patients assume, “If Botox® gets rid of my crow’s feet and a facelift is more extensive than Botox®, the facelift will remove my crow’s feet as well as my sagging skin and other signs of aging.” Unfortunately, there is no “one and done” procedure for facial rejuvenation. Facial aging happens in several ways at once, and while a facelift focuses on the structure of the face and the contours of the skin, it doesn’t address the more superficial issues. That’s why most facelift patients also get Botox® injections, facial filler injections, and/or laser treatments to reduce their fine lines, wrinkles, and age spots.

Fact #7: Facelift have risen by nearly 22% in the US since 1997*.

In recent years, the cosmetic world has been favoring a more natural look, but that doesn’t mean plastic surgery has slowed down. Patients are simply seeking procedures that give them a more natural-looking result, like mini facelifts and other minimally invasive options.

Fact #8: Facelifts may be more affordable than you think.

I see patients all the time who say, “I’ve wanted a facelift for years, but I assumed I couldn’t afford it, so I never looked into it.” In reality, cosmetic surgery is more accessible than many people realize. There has also been an increase in minimally invasive facelifts like my Band Aid Mini Facelift in recent decades, and when these procedures are performed in-office with gentle numbing rather general anesthesia, they can be about half the cost of a traditional facelift. Keep in mind that not all surgeons perform mini facelifts this way, though, so be sure to ask specific questions in your facelift consultation.

A facelift can make a great difference in a patient’s confidence on a daily basis, but only if it’s done correctly and performed by an experienced, qualified surgeon. Take your time to research board-certified plastic surgeons in your area. If you live in the Atlanta area, schedule a consultation at my plastic surgery office where I can meet with you directly to discuss your options.

*Statistics are from the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery.

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

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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.

Ask Dr. LeRoy The Band Aid Facelift Has So Many Advantages – Why Would Anyone Choose 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+.

How Long Before an Event Should I Have Facial Rejuvenation?

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The desire to look younger is nearly universal among middle-aged and older adults, although not everyone who wants to look younger actually takes concrete actions to make that happen. As a double board-certified plastic surgeon who specializes in facial rejuvenation, I often see patients who have spent years considering a procedure, and have finally gotten that final push to go for it because they have a special event on their calendar—a wedding, a special vacation, etc. But in these cases, it’s important to plan ahead to make sure that, by the time your event approaches, your results have truly reached their peak, and this can take longer than some patients realize. When most patients think of their plastic surgery recovery time, they’re thinking about how long it will take before they can return to work, but that is simply one stage of the recovery process. In fact, even after you’re back at work, it can take significantly longer for all of the residual swelling, bruising, redness, and other effects to fully resolve. The chart below offers some insight into when that may be.

How Long Before an Event Should I Have Facial Rejuvenation?

It’s important to realize that these plastic surgery recovery times are all very general. Each patient’s body heals at its own pace, and recovery will depend on a number of external factors as well, like overall health, skin care, following your pre- and post-treatment instructions, not smoking, and more. Ultimately, it’s best to come in for a consultation as early as possible, so that we can discuss your aesthetic goals and medical history in order to make a personal plan. To get your consultation on the schedule, give my office a call today. Or, for more helpful plastic surgery tips and the latest news, follow me, Dr. John L. LeRoy on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+.

How a Facelift and Non-Surgical Treatments Work Together

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There are several different levels of facial rejuvenation procedures. The mildest tend to be injectables (like Botox®, Dysport®, Restylane®, Juvéderm®, etc.), then other non-surgical treatments (such as Band Aid Laser Skin Resurfacing and Band Aid Skin Tightening), followed by minimally invasive surgery (including my Band Aid Mini Facelift and Band Aid Micro Mini Facelift, both of which are performed in-office with gentle numbing), and finally traditional cosmetic surgery like face lifts, eyelid surgery, and neck lifts. This allows every patient to choose a procedure or combination of procedures that best fits their unique needs.

But it’s important to recognize that this isn’t a step-by-step process. In other words, patients don’t generally start with fillers, then abandon fillers in favor of laser treatments, then stop laser treatments to get a Band Aid Mini Facelift, and so on. Instead, each cosmetic procedure has its own focus and purpose, so getting your ideal results at every stage of the aging process typically involves a combination of a few different options to treat your individual concerns. For instance, you may get consistent filler injections in your 30s and 40s, but when you begin to develop sagging skin, you might choose a Band Aid Facelift to restore a firmer, younger-looking facial structure, then simply use Botox® and/or facial fillers to treat the few remaining fine lines, wrinkles, and lost volume that will appear over the coming years.

To find out more about how multiple types of facial rejuvenation can work together, check out my video below:

As a double board-certified plastic surgeon who specializes in facial rejuvenation, my ultimate goal is to help every patient be their most confident and beautiful self, whether that involves injections, non-surgical treatments, plastic surgery, or a combination of each. To discuss your cosmetic concerns and receive a treatment recommendation, schedule a consultation with me today. Or, for more plastic surgery tips, helpful videos, and more, follow me, Dr. John L. LeRoy on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+.

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