A procedure has recently been developed
which addresses one of the most troublesome areas of
the aging face… the sagging cheeks and the deep creases
they leave between the cheeks and upper lip. I find
that this is one of the three biggest areas of concern
for patients who would like to rejuvenate their
appearance, along with their neckline and eyelids.
It is also one of the first areas of the face to begin
to show the signs of aging, sometimes many years ahead
of the neck and eyelids. The problem has been, however,
that in order to eliminate that crease, one has had to
pull the tissue back during a facelift to such a degree
that the face looks stretched or windblown. For this
reason, I have always told my patients that they would
look best if we just left those cheek creases to
collagen while concentrating on other areas of facial
rejuvenation with surgery.
The exciting news, however, is that there
is now a procedure designed specifically to address the
sagging cheeks along with those creases, without producing
the dreaded windblown appearance. The procedure is called
a percutaneous malar fat pad elevation but has also been
called the "72 hour facelift". The name "72 hour
facelift" comes from the fact that most patients are
recovered to their normal activities within 3 days.
The procedure has a low rate of complications, a nearly
bruise-free recovery, and produces minimal swelling.
This is the ideal procedure for many younger patients
who are not yet ready for a conventional facelift, but
who would like take a few years off of their appearance.
It is also an excellent procedure to combine with a
conventional facelift or eyelid lift.
The procedure uses sutures to elevate the
cheek fat pads, thereby giving the appearance of higher
cheekbones and smoothing the creases between the cheek
and mouth. This is accomplished through two incisions
in the scalp above each ear. Each incision is less
than one inch in length and is well hidden by hair.
There are also two very small incisions near the crease
on each side, which are only about 1/8th inch in length.
All of this is done under a type of anesthesia called
conscious sedation or
"twilight" anesthesia.
