When is it Time for a Facelift?

Though a facelift may be your first thought to make those lines disappear and make you look younger, it’s not always the best solution. Dr. Cliff Clark, a board certified plastic surgeon from Orlando, Florida, talks about when it’s the right time to get a facelift.  Often times, we assume a surgical procedure is the only answer, other times we rely on a doctor’s opinion to tell us.  Dr. Clark explains, “ultimately you know when it’s time; it’s not a question that your doctor should answer.”

By: Clifford P. Clark, MD
and Susan Kamyab
ThePlasticSurgeryChannel.com

Start with a Consultation

If you’ve been looking in the mirror and you think it’s time for a facelift, you should start by having a consultation.  “Choose someone you trust,” says Clark.  “Choose somebody whose artistic abilities and sensitivities are aligned with what you’re looking for.  In the end, you might fine out there may be better options for your scenario than a facelift.”

A Facelift isn’t the Only Option

Clark notes, “A skilled plastic surgeon has the ability to bring to the table a lot of different operations.”

• Eye Lift – reduces bags beneath the lower eyelids, as well as excess skin from the upper lids.
• Botox – used to treat muscle spasms and to remove wrinkles
• Enhancing Face Volume – a fat transfer procedure where tiny incisions are made to collect your own fat and re-inject it into areas in the face.

Either Side of the Spectrum

People fall on both sides of the spectrum. “There are patients that come in at an incredibly young age and say, ‘do I need a facelift?,’ and you almost want to laugh,” says Clark.  “On the other end, you see a patient whose been pushing the envelope with fillers or doing every kind of non-invasive laser based treatment, and really what they needed to do was a face lift a long time ago. The most interesting patients are the ones on either side of the spectrum.  Where the last thing in the world they need is a facelift, or the last thing in world they need are more fillers, botox and laser treatments.”

Time for a Facelift

“If you’re not getting the result that you wish ,and the non-invasive techniques or the fillers or the botox are not taking you where you want, that’s a very sure signal that it’s time for a facelift,” says Clark. “Most importantly, you know when it’s time. A doctor’s job is to guide you where you want to go.”