Is there a right or wrong way to add facial volume with a face lift?
As an expert in this field, I have people asking for my advice on multiple topics in cosmetics. Many times, they find themselves confused by the different options and want to know what is the right or best way to address their concerns.
I recently had a patient looking to undergo a facelift with the addition of facial volume. After having visited multiple doctors she was left with two options a facelift with fat grafting or a facelift combined with injectable facial fillers like Restylane or Perlane.
The reality is, that in plastic surgery as in many other things in life, there are many ways to accomplish the same task! Not all doctors do the same type of surgery but many doctors get the same ultimate result. In this particular case, they're both right!
The reason that fat grafting may be more advantageous over facial fillers is that it tends to be permanent. Fat grafting is done by suctioning out fat from either your stomach, your thighs, and/or your hips. The fat is treated in such a way as to remove dead cells and oil so that when it is injected into your face it can survive better. Approximately 60 to 80% of the fat that is grafted survives. Because not all of the fat survives, fat grafting is over injected by approximately 20 to 30%.
Your doctor may choose to use Perlane, Restylane or any other non-permanent filler to give you a flavor for how you might look. I often inject those products prior to a facelift so that the patient can feel comfortable with the new look. Some people are not comfortable with adding facial volume, as many patients don't realize that the reason they look tired or haggard is because of the loss of volume. Volume replenishment is a relatively new aspect of plastic surgery that has revolutionized the way doctors look at their patients, and can help achieve a refreshed youthful look. Because of this relatively new view of volumizing the face, facial fat grafting has become a very common theme in many facial plastic surgeons and plastic surgeons face lifting technique.
So here is the answer, to your underlying question which you never really asked.
You should pick your surgeon by picking one that is board-certified, you feel comfortable with in your consultation, and shows pictures of results that you would like if you were the patient.
For more information or to schedule your consultation with board-certified facial plastic surgeon, Dr. Carlos Wolf please call 305.595.2969 or e-mail info@miamiplasticsurgery.com
