Facelift surgery has been around longer than most prospective patients have been alive. The first cosmetic facelift was performed in 1901, more than one hundred years ago. The reason for its emergence was a request from a Polish aristocrat to have her cheeks and corners of her mouth lifted. Her surgeon complied, removing an elliptical piece of skin from the area above her ears and pulling the skin tighter to that area. This early technique became the foundation of the facelift procedure and remained popular for many decades.
The first facelift technique was good but not great. Because the skin needed to be pulled tight over the underlying facial structure, there was a good chance that a patient would look windblown rather than simply refreshed. This windblown look became the telltale sign that one had had a facelift. Fortunately, that era of facelift surgery is far behind us. The evolution began in the 1960s and hasn’t stopped since.
The Changing Direction Of Facelift Surgery
In the 1960s, scientific research discovered the superficial musculoaponeurotic system, or SMAS. This layer of fat and muscle was determined to be integral to facial aging and, thus, to facial rejuvenation. Surgeons began tightening the layer of muscle along with the skin to achieve better facelift results. In the 1970s, the technique evolved again to include the repositioning of fatty tissue for the best results in facial rejuvenation. Since that time, facelift surgery has been achieving outstanding, natural-looking outcomes in patients as young as their forties and well into their senior years.
The Modern Approach To Facial Rejuvenation
Today, surgeons like Dr. Shah perform traditional facelift procedures as well as several different modified techniques. Furthermore, thanks to medical advances, surgeons also have techniques to address signs of aging beyond the lower regions of the face. In addition to or as an alternative to a facelift, many patients choose to undergo procedures like a brow lift, eyelid lift, or cheek augmentation to restore a more youthful appearance. Patients sometimes choose to combine their surgical facial rejuvenation procedures with nonsurgical treatments like laser resurfacing, injectables, or other therapies.
The evolution of the facelift over time has been advantageous for patients of all ages. To learn more about this procedure and other options for facial rejuvenation, contact us. Call (702) 805-2058 to schedule a consultation at our Las Vegas or Henderson office.