Not Quite Ready for a Facelift?

Often, patients come into our cosmetic surgery practice here in Missouri seeking facial rejuvenation. However, they are torn because they aren’t ready for a full facelift, but other non-surgical options won’t give them the results they want. I am one of a few board-certified plastic surgeons in St. Louis who offer a procedure called a “Next Day Lift.” This is a less invasive procedure that requires little downtime, but still provides beautiful results. Let’s look at what both procedures offer:

Traditional Facelift

Traditional facelift surgery actually lifts the skin, and sometimes the underlying fat and muscles, into a more youthful position. The facelift process begins with a thorough preliminary examination and customized surgical plan, with the goal of achieving natural-looking results. A facelift can correct issues like:

• Excess, sagging skin in the lower portion of the face
• A tired facial appearance
• Heavy lines and wrinkles in the mid and lower portions of the face
• Loss of elasticity and muscle tone of the face
• Lack of youthful chin and neck contours

A facelift can provide dramatic results, but patients must understand that this surgery require significant downtime and take their recovery seriously. To help expedite the healing process, our practice uses rapid recovery techniques. However, most people should expect to take off about 10 days from work and other daily obligations After the initial recovery period, many people continue to experience slight bruising or swelling for a time. Therefore, to receive optimal results, it is essential to allow yourself plenty of time to rest and recuperate.

Next Day Lift

While a full facelift can significantly improve the effects of aging, a Next Day Lift is good for people looking for more subtle changes that require less downtime. In particular, a Next Day Lift can help patients achieve a more youthful appearance by tightening and lifting the neck and lower half of the face, reducing sagging skin, and softening wrinkles. . When you come in for consultation, we will evaluate the condition of your face and neck and recommend a treatment plan that fits your needs.

The procedure itself is performed under local anesthesia. This means faster recovery time, decreased post-op nausea, and other benefits. Additionally, the incisions are shorter than the incisions for a traditional facelift, which helps them remain discreet.

On average, most individuals resume work and normal daily activities within 4 days. I advise my patients to carefully follow pre and post-op care instructions to reduce the possibility of complications and promote faster healing.

Patients often combine a Next Day Lift with injectable treatments like BOTOX® and dermal fillers for more comprehensive facial rejuvenation. If in the future you want further rejuvenation, you can opt for a full facelift. However, the results from your Next Day Lift will be long lasting.

We also offer something called a MACS lift, another approach to facial rejuvenation that involves shorter incisions. If you are interested in facial rejuvenation and want to discuss your options, request a consultation online or call our office at (636) 530-6161.