Will A Facelift Make Me Look Like I Did In 2000?

Q: Dr. Eppley, I’ve been reading about various types of facelifts and have a couple of questions and comments. 

Questions:

1)      Will he be tightening the muscles beneath the skin as well as cutting away skin?

2)      Where will the fat injections go? I don’t want to look like Kim Novak did at the Oscars this year—so bloated my head seems too large for my body.

3)      Can you send me pictures of previous facelifts you has performed on other people?

Comments:

1)      I am not wanting to look 25 or 30 but to  go back 10 to15 years would be nice.

2)      I’ve attached 4 pictures of what I looked like from 1985 through 2005. I hope you’ll  be able to get me back to 2000.

A: In answer to your queries:

Questions:

1) The only muscle that is tightened in a facelift is the plastysmal muscle in the midline of the neck. The SMAS layer on the sides of the face, which lies above the muscle, is lifted and tightened.

2) The only place fat injections go are in the nasolabial folds and the cheek pads.

3) There are many before and after pictures of facelifts on my website.

Comments:

1) Most facelift patients do turn the clock back by about p to 12 years. But it is important important to understand that a facelift only affects the neck and the jawline…and has not affect on the mouth area. To affect other areas of the face, other procedures needs to be added to areas such as the eyes and mouth. It is a common misconception that many people confuse a facelift with a more comprehensive total facial rejuvenation of which a facelift is just a part of it.

2) Whether you can get back to what you looked like in 2000 depends on an understanding of exactly the facial areas you want to improve and what procedures you want to do to get there.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana