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The human face is a masterpiece of form and function. It conveys a wellspring of emotions and language while giving structure to our identity and style to our expression. But as the face ages, it loses definition. The underlying structures are deprived of collagen and elastin over time, allowing facial skin to deflate and sag.

A facelift surgery provides smoothness, support, and yes, a lift to maturing mugs. To better understand the parameters of the facelift procedure, we should discuss the intricate physiology of the human visage.

FACIAL FACTS

Muscles, skin, and soft tissue operate in conjunction with one another. Every time you smile, frown, or wink, the facial contractions pull at the overlying skin. As faces age, they develop wrinkles, known in medical circles as rhytids. The technical term for a facelift is a rhytidectomy since it targets unwanted wrinkles and smoothes them out.

But facial imperfections are more than skin deep. The delicate musculature that lines the face is called the superficial musculo-aponeurotic system, or SMAS for short. By carefully altering the declination of a patient’s SMAS, a surgeon can provide uplifting results, starting at the center and radiating outward.

MIDFACE MASTERY

The midface region is the fulcrum of your signature facial features. Cheekbones provide a shelf upon which to display your enthusiasm and youthful vigor. A vertical midface lift ensures that your facial enhancement will be subtle yet striking, avoiding the dreaded “deer in the headlights” look.

By gently and effectively repositioning the soft tissue that gives the midface its contours, your surgeon can celebrate your features while erasing the years that weighed them down.

NECK SUPPORT

The neck provides the face a majestic pedestal on which to rest. While many individuals spend a disproportionate time primping above the chin, the signs of aging are often most noticeable along the neck.

The major muscle that gives your neck its unique shape is called the platysma. A platysmaplasty, or neck lift, supports the platysma so that it can, in turn, support the soft tissue lining the contours of your lower face. The muscles beneath the skin must cradle the neck without constricting it. A neck lift provides natural-looking results that highlight a patient’s best features.

LOWER FACIAL ENHANCEMENT

As the years accumulate, so too do the effects of aging. Jowls may develop along the jawline, accompanied (unwelcomingly) by a double chin. Lower facial rejuvenation can address these issues and deliver replenishing results that slim and strengthen a patient’s profile.

Lower facelift techniques target and remove buccal fat deposits, the bulge that appears between the chin and throat. The surgeon can also use flaps of the patient’s own tissue to enhance the jawline, shrinking jowls while accentuating his or her natural contours.

THE EYES HAVE IT

To erase the bothersome creases that collect along the forehead, many patients crave the benefits of a brow lift. The surgeon conceals his incisions along the hairline, removing excess skin that contributes to a sagging, weary expression. After extracting unwanted fat deposits along the upper face, the incisions are skillfully closed to create an alert, smooth appearance around and above the eyes.

YOUR COSMETIC CHECKLIST

If you are considering the wide array of benefits associated with a facelift, take a step back and look at yourself in the mirror. Remember how you looked in your younger years and imagine how to recapture your joyful sense of verve.

If any of the following conditions stand between you and a youthful glow, then a facelift may be exactly what the doctor ordered.

• Deflated cheeks
• Parentheses flanking the nose and mouth (nasolabial folds)
• Unsightly lines along the forehead
• Deep creases extending down from the corners of your mouth (marionette lines)
• Sagging skin along the neck
• An overall disconnection between your outward appearance and your inner energy

A facelift is not a “one size fits all” procedure. Patients must feel empowered to customize the surgery to their anatomy and needs. After all, the above list is disparate but hardly exhaustive. You may identify conditions that bother you, but you may have your own list that details the many small imperfections you would like to address.

The journey of cosmetic improvement is your own. You just need the right co-pilot.

WHY BINDER IS THE BEST

Experience demands respect. When you need a service performed correctly, you seek the most seasoned veteran with the most years under his or her belt. Dr. William J. Binder has racked up a lifetime worth of achievements, all of which have conditioned him to become an unparalleled leader in his field. From his pioneering use of Botox as a remedy for migraines to his everyday commitment to cosmetic care and enhancement, Dr. Binder is your ultimate medical resource.  

If you are considering a facelift to address your aesthetic concerns, please contact our Beverly Hills office. Dr. Binder can assess your needs, examine your features, and help determine if a facelift is right for you. One of the most wonderful qualities about Dr. Binder is that he will also be sure to tell you if a facelift is not the best course of action for your appearance. Honesty is an essential ingredient in quality healthcare. If you feel pressured into receiving facial enhancement, then you are doing it for the wrong reasons. Dr. Binder respects your choices and reveres his patients.

To learn more about facelift procedures in Southern California, call (310) 858-6749. One of our attentive, knowledgeable staff members will direct your call and address your needs. Get ready to put your best face forward with the help of Dr. William J. Binder.