23 Feb Upper, Mid Or Lower Rhytidectomy: Surgical Options For Severe Wrinkles
A Long-Term Solution For Wrinkles
Having severe wrinkles can negatively affect self-confidence. Wrinkles on the outside often do not reflect how someone feels inside. Facelifts have become more readily accepted in recent years and offer a long-term solution to signs of aging. A plastic surgeon can customize this surgical procedure to target the upper, mid, or lower part of the face. Each approach offers different benefits depending on the severity of the wrinkles and desired results.
What is rhytidectomy?
A facelift, or rhytidectomy, is a cosmetic procedure that helps reduce visible signs of aging. Over time, skin loses elasticity, sags, and develops wrinkles, adding unwanted years to the appearance. The procedure seeks to tighten and smooth the skin, creating a refreshed contour. The process involves making incisions along specific facial areas near or behind the ears. The surgeon adjusts the fat, tissue, and muscles, then tightens the skin. Excess skin and tissue are removed. The skin is finally reattached around the hairline to conceal any signs of surgery. Depending on individual needs, additional surgeries, such as a neck lift, may be combined with a rhytidectomy for a comprehensive facial rejuvenation.
Take it up a notch
When considering a facelift procedure, patients must understand how each procedure helps improve the appearance of aging. In some cases, the surgeon will suggest an upper rhytidectomy. An upper rhytidectomy reduces wrinkles and sagging skin in the forehead and midface region. This procedure targets the upper face or anything above the eyes. This includes drooping eyelids, eyebrows, and deep forehead wrinkles. Upper facelifts are sometimes called brow lifts or forehead lifts. This procedure is particularly effective on glabellar lines and severe forehead wrinkles, giving an alert, refreshed look.
Stuck in the middle?
A mid rhytidectomy, also known as a cheek lift, improves sagging skin in the middle part of the face. This procedure targets the site from the eyes to the cheeks and even the corners of the mouth. This is also the traditional facelift. Mid rhytidectomy surgery corrects deep creases between the nose and mouth, sagging cheeks, and jowls. The procedure also improves under-eye hollows and nasolabial folds.
How low can you go?
A lower rhytidectomy targets the mouth, chin, and jawline. Even parts of the neck can show improvement. Skin can sag to create jowls and sagging skin around the jawline. These changes make a face appear larger, sometimes even forming a double chin. A lower facelift provides that movie star-like jawline many people desire. This facelift also helps with bunny lines and other wrinkles in the lower section. Lower rhytidectomy is often part of a mini-facelift, meaning smaller incisions and downtime.
Which rhytidectomy procedure is best?
Choosing the best rhytidectomy procedure requires careful consideration and in-depth consultation with a surgeon. The type of rhytidectomy chosen depends on age, lifestyle, and desired outcome. People with mild to moderate sagging may benefit from a mini facelift, while those with more advanced aging may require a complete facelift. Surgeons want the final look to feel natural while improving the deep wrinkles and folds that form. Whether an upper, mid, or lower approach is taken, a rhytidectomy can rejuvenate the face, helping patients look and feel fantastic again.