When individuals seek facial plastic surgery to improve their looks, they want to look younger and refreshed, not pulled and pinched. We often hear plastic surgeons promoting “natural” facial plastic surgery, such as facelifts, that seem imply that other surgeons’ facelifts don’t produce natural results. This is a very misleading marketing gimmick that can lead to confusion. When examining many before and after facelift photos one could almost say they “look so natural” one can barely tell anything has been done, and often times makeup, hair, and camera tricks can dress up an after photo to look better than it really is!
When investing the time and cost of a facelift one should expect dramatic yet natural results. The bottom line is that qualified surgeons know how to achieve a desired “natural” look by utilizing contemporary methods that yield long lasting results. Understandably, some patients don’t want to risk undergoing surgery, so they look for other options to achieve results. Many people turn to Botox and fillers to correct lines and wrinkles, but after a certain age, sagging skin is the main concern. It is important for patients to fully understand that a non-surgical procedure might be effective, but not for long. For example, Ulthera is a fairly new ultrasound technology that promises to tighten neck skin by using ultrasonic waves to stimulate collagen in skin and applying heat energy to the deeper SMAS layer of the face. The procedure can be quite painful, costly, and often only achieves a fraction of the results of surgery.
There are no secret shortcuts in facial plastic surgery. Natural results are produced when proper techniques are carried out correctly. Surgical results can be dramatic but subtle, natural, and effective. Using advanced lifting techniques, such as the deep plane facelift, allow patients to get the long lasting results with similar healing times to all other types of lifts such as “the lifestyle lift,” another marketing gimmick that has left patients dissatisfied and confused. Patients are often surprised to hear a deep plane lift does not present much additional risk to the patient when performed by well-trained surgeons and can last up to ten years. Consulting with a dual board certified facial plastic surgeon about your desired look is imperative to attaining the natural look you desire.
