Facial AgingFacial Aging and Rejuvenation

Facial aging involves a number of changes. These changes are progressive: the older you get, the more they show.

1. Skin changes, the most obvious of which is the development of wrinkles. Other skin changes include loss of skin elasticity, thinning and the development of age-related lesions and color changes.

2. Sagging of tissue resulting in jowls, an aged neck, a sloppy jaw line and deeper nasolabial folds.

3. Volume shifts typically with an increase in the neck, jowl and above the nasolabial fold, and volume deflation of the temples and around the eyes and mouth.

Briget BardotTherapeutic options for facial rejuvenation include:

Non-surgical options, while attractive because less invasive with less downtime also produce a lesser result and are more suitable for smaller problems and for maintenance. The non-surgical options which I offer in my practice include botox, fillers and occasionally chemical peel resurfacing or needle abrasion (collagen induction therapy). Resurfacing can accelerate the natural thinning of the skin which occurs with aging.

Surgical options: A facelift - I do a mini or short scar facelift - is only one component of a facial rejuvenation procedure. Volumetric correction with judicious liposuction of the neck, lower face and other areas combined with lipostructure (modern fat grafting) are essential parts of the procedure to add finesse and to truly obtain a younger appearance rather than an operated look. In addition, I will frequently add brow lifts, upper or lower lid surgery and procedures to improve the skin. All faces age in their own unique way and the correct facial rejuvenation procedure needs to be tailored according to the requirements of your face so as to effectively make it look younger.

Male facial rejuvenation: Men's faces have different challenges from women's faces and require, for the most part, different solutions. Find out more about male facial rejuvenation.

Facial Re-shaping

Rejuvenation is one aspect of facial surgery. The other aspect is re-shaping including pinning back or modifying ears to make them more attractive, nose re-shaping (which I no longer offer) and lip enhancement. Liposuction of the neck and face with or without fat grafting can be used to improve facial shape in some younger patients and is not just a rejuvenating technique.

Article written 5 October 2010. Updated 9 June 2012.