Face FAQs

Whether you are considering eyelid surgery or a facelift, your Vancouver area cosmetic plastic surgery treatment will require that you make important decisions. Dr. Mosher wants to help you feel educated about your choices and has provided a list of frequently asked questions below.

If you have additional questions for Dr. Mosher, request a consultation online, or call our offices at (604) 888-9378 to schedule your appointment.

Facial Surgery Questions

Does a face lift rejuvenate my entire face?

No. A traditional face lift addresses sagging, wrinkling and laxity in the lower half of the face. This procedure does not improve the signs of aging that occur in the forehead and eye areas. Some of these concerns can be improved with BOTOX COSMETIC® treatments or, in cases of more severe wrinkling and laxity, SmartXide fractional laser resurfacing, a brow lift or an eyelid lift (blepharoplasty).

Will I look “pulled” or tight after facial surgery?

An experienced plastic surgeon such as Dr. Mosher performs facial surgery in such a way as to create a subtle, refreshed appearance. By eliminating just the right amount of skin, repositioning sagging or displaced deeper tissues and making minor alterations to the muscles, Dr. Mosher will leave you looking rested and alert, with results that look natural but noticeable.

How can I look younger without surgery?

Surgical and non-surgical solutions are considered for every client wanting to look their best. This is one of the most important strategies that differentiates our approach. Dr. Mosher and our team of experienced professionals consider what is best for you and only make recommendations that are tailored to your needs. At Your Esthetic Solutions, Dr. Mosher will recommend a personalized strategy that may include BOTOX® injections for dynamic lines and wrinkles, dermal fillers for areas of lost facial volume, skin care treatments and laser skin rejuvenation techniques to revitalize tired and sun-damaged skin.

What is the appropriate age for facial surgery?

Many people assume that you must be older to have facial plastic surgery. However, by having surgery performed at an earlier stage, you can maintain your youthful look, rather than waiting until you’ve lost it. At Your Esthetic Solutions, the average age for a woman to have a facelift is about 50, with patients ranging in age from 38 to 80. Younger patients are requesting eyelid and brow rejuvenation surgery all the time. Newer techniques minimize recovery time and keep the surgery private. The only people who need to know are the ones you choose to tell. If you already have changes because of aging, then make sure your surgeon is capable of delivering natural-looking results that don’t rely on tight-looking skin. Improving your general health and skin health before surgery gives you the best opportunity for enjoying the results of facial cosmetic surgery for years to come.

What is endoscopic facial surgery?

Dr. Mosher often uses endoscopic surgery for facial rejuvenation. An endoscope is essentially 2 components: a hollow tube attached to an external camera and light source, plus a viewing screen to project images from the end of the tube. During the surgery, the surgeon watches the viewing screen while moving the endoscope and instruments in the surgical area. Advances in fiber optic light and precision instrument manufacturing have made all of this possible.

Some of the advantages of endoscopic surgery include a decreased risk of incision pain and external scarring. Smaller surgical incisions are needed for access, while the camera and lighting create magnified images of the anatomy and facilitate the precise handling of tissues.

With this technique, less cutting of the skin and underlying muscles is needed to see below these layers. Less cutting usually means less pain, shorter hospital stays and a faster return to our busy lives.

What’s the difference between an open brow lift and an endoscopic brow lift?

brow lift rejuvenates the upper third of the face by improving the shape and position of the brow as well as reducing the appearance of forehead creases and frown lines. Traditionally, this was done with an incision extending over the top of the head, roughly from ear to ear.

When performed correctly, a so-called “open” brow lift achieves the above goals in a predictable fashion. With an open brow lift, the forehead is lifted, and the excess skin and scalp are tightened. When the anterior hairline is receding, the incision can be placed along the front of the hairline. This prevents the hairline from moving higher when the excess skin is tightened. The main concern with this “open” approach is the long incision. The incision may leave a visible scar and altered sensation above the scar, and it can result in thinning of the hair in front of the scar. However, significant and lasting problems such as these are rare.

An endoscopic brow lift or “endobrow” is performed with 4 or 5 incisions, each about 2 to 3 centimeters long. This reduces the total length of the surgical scar. More importantly, incision placements can be customized to patients’ hair patterns to further minimize the risk of visible scarring, loss of hair, and permanent sensory loss. Lasting reshaping and positioning of the brow can be achieved in about 1 hour.

Do I need a facelift or an endoscopic facelift?

Just like brow lift surgery, endoscopy can be useful in selected facelift patients. In the rare situation when sagging occurs in the absence of loose skin, an endoscopic approach may be helpful. This is the most recent application of this technology in cosmetic surgery.

A traditional facelift remains the best choice for most patients, especially if there is loose skin or more significant tissue laxity in the lower face and neck. The customary incision placed in front of and behind the ear can be shortened or eliminated when the tissues are approached with an endoscope. One of the best applications appears to be in the younger patient with good skin tone but sagging cheek tissue. In this situation, an endoscopic mid-facelift is usually preferred. This is often done in conjunction with an endoscopic brow lift.

What are “jowls” and how can I get rid of them?

The term “jowls” is used to describe the lower jaw area or the flesh under the lower jaw. Often, a deepening crease extends from near the corner of the mouth downward to the lower jaw border, creating an aged, tired and sorrowful appearance.

There are several treatment options for this condition, including:

  • Fillers: You can have the folds in front of the jowls filled with any of the many soft-tissue-enhancing products.
  • Non-surgical skin tightening: Non-surgical devices pulse energy deep into the tissue, causing a tightening of the connective tissue and inducing a healing response that may increase the production of collagen and elastin in the area. The result may be some tightening, which is less effective than a facelift but more dramatic than other less-invasive techniques.
  • Facial surgery: Various types of facelift surgery can be helpful for reducing the appearance of jowls. Modern techniques allow for the jowl tissues to be lifted into a natural position while restoring youthful contours to the cheeks, jawline, and neck. With careful planning and execution, all of the stereotypical results of looking pulled or unnatural can be avoided.
  • Facial liposuction: Careful liposuction can improve the jowls, but beware of this as a long-term solution. Procedures that lift the jowls move soft tissue upward, while liposuction reduces volume. If your skin and tissues require a lift in the future, the hollow created below the jawline may look unnatural when lifted surgically.

Can I have multiple facial surgeries performed simultaneously?

Yes. It is not uncommon for patients to combine a facelift, eyelid surgery and a brow lift during one surgery for multiple benefits. This often produces the most pleasing results because it allows for full facial rejuvenation.

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