FACIAL REJUVENATION SURGERY-

DR. AMY BANDY

The tendency to acquire a tired, worn out appearance increases with each decade that we age.  With the descent of our soft tissues with gravity and the loss of elasticity to our skin turgor, our facial expressions tend to appear saddened, tired and even angry or sad.  The first areas that tend to give away our age are the soft tissues around the eyes.  The skin and muscles that surround the eyes loose their elasticity with time and the fat behind the muscles will bulge and create eyelid “bags” that add to the tired, aged appearance.  When the eyebrows are too low on the forehead, this adds to the heaviness of the upper eyelids.  The deep lines that some people have across the forehead are created from over use of the forehead muscle to lift the heavy eyelid tissues off of the eyes.  By lifting the forehead and elevating the position of the eyebrows, a more youthful refreshed look is achieved and the tendency to constantly lift the brows is eradicated, thereby eliminating the deep wrinkles.

An eyelid lift or “blepharoplasty” is performed to remove excess skin, muscle and fat as necessary, to rejuvenate the eyes and “turn back the clock” by giving a refreshed, open look to the eyes.  Through a combination of forehead and eyelid rejuvenation surgery, the optimal results for a natural and refreshed look can often be obtained in the upper face. 

The lower face, the area from the cheeks down to the neck, often shows the first signs of aging in the mid-face , or cheek area just below the lower eyelid, and the “jowl” along the border of the jawline.  The mid-face can be surgically addressed through the lower eyelid incision, where the cheek elements can be lifted upward to fill the hollow over the bony prominence of the lower eyelid.  By lifting the cheek area upward, this also helps in decreasing the depth of the naso-labial fold, or the deep crease that extends from the lower nose to the corner of the mouth.  The neck and jawline area is best treated with a cervicofacial rhytidectomy, or face and neck lift.  These incisions often start above the sideburn area, then follow the gentle curves in front and behind the ear, then fade into the hairline.  Through these incisions, the skin and soft tissues of the face are lifted, and contoured to create a more youthful appearance prior to excising excess skin and suturing the incisions closed. 

There are several methods for face-lifts ranging from strictly tightening the skin, to performing deeper plane elevation of tissues including muscles down to periosteum, or the covering over the bone.  The type of facelift performed will depend on the surgeon’s skill, choice and expertise in conjunction with the specific needs and desires of the patient.  Dr. Amy T. Bandy provides a detailed complimentary consultation for facial rejuvenation surgery during which she will individually address your specific concerns and desires and explain the type of facial rejuvenation that would best suit your needs.  For further information or to schedule a consultation, arrangements can be arranged by calling Dr. Bandy’s office