About the Mid-Face Lift

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.