The mid-face lift is a new procedure that helps those that are bothered by sagging cheeks and the deep creases that develop between the cheek and upper lip as a result. In the past, if someone wanted to remove that crease, the stretch required in a facelift would leave the face looking overstretched. For this reason, collagen was often used to fix the cheek crease. The mid-face lift allows for this problem to be resolved without the face looking overstretched.
How Is the Procedure Performed?
The cheek fat pads are elevated by sutures, providing the appearance of higher cheekbones and smoother creases between the cheek and the mouth. Four small incisions are used to accomplish these results. Two of the incisions are in the scalp above each ear and each is less than one inch in length. These incisions are well hidden in the hair. The last two are about 1/8th inch in length and are near the crease on each side of the mouth. This procedure allows you to remain consciousness under an anesthesia called conscious sedation or “twilight” anesthesia.
How Long is the Recovery Time?
This procedure has a short recovery time. It has been called the “72 hour facelift” as some people can resume their daily functions within 3 days. However, most people would want to take a week off from work or from regular activities.
Comparison to the Alternatives
The mid-face lift allows you to target a specific area of your face so less is affected than a full face lift. This means that a mid-face lift will be less traumatic than a full face lift, as well as take less time to recover.
The mid-face lift is definitely a more serious procedure than injections to remove facial creases. However, injections are not permanent and are required periodically to retain the results that you enjoy from them. The mid-face lift allows you to remove the creases more permanently, with less trauma and recovery time than a full face lift.
If you are looking for a more permanent solution without that the serious down-time of the facelift, a mid-face lift might be the perfect solution for you.