Washington, D.C. and Fairfax County - Facelift and Other Facial Procedures

At the Fairfax County offices of plastic surgeon Dr. Roberta Gartside, serving the Washington, D.C. area, patients can undergo facelift, eyelid surgery, browlift, and other procedures to undo the effects of aging.

• Facelift
• Endoscopic Facelift
• Ear Pinning and Chin Surgery
• Non-Surgical Procedures

For many people, the structure of the face, including cheekbones, begins to weaken with age, causing the facial tissue to sag. Bags can appear under the eyes, and wrinkles can form in the forehead or around the smile. All of these not only make a person appear older, but can also create the appearance of anger or fatigue. For these structural problems, no superficial skin treatment can help. However, the facelift procedure can lift the face and reinforce its structure.

In consultation with Dr. Gartside at her offices in the Washington, D.C. area, you can decide whether the facelift procedure is for you. If your problem is bags or wrinkles around the eyes, eyelid surgery, or blepharoplasty, might more effectively target your aging worries. Also, if creases or sagging in the forehead is a problem, a browlift could be a better choice. Both of these procedures can be performed in conjunction with facelift surgery to fully rejuvenate the facial structure.

Though or Washington, D.C.-area surgeon performs both browlift and eyelid surgery, these procedures differ significantly from the facelift procedure. In both procedures, the surgeon will make incisions and smooth skin, giving the face an overall younger appearance. Patients can choose to undergo either or both of these procedures in conjunction with the facelift for complete facial rejuvenation. Contact our Washington, D.C.-area office for more detailed information on browlift or eyelid surgery.

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The Facelift Procedure

From our Fairfax County and Washington, D.C. area practice, a facelift procedure is performed on an outpatient basis and generally takes several hours. During the facelift procedure, the patient is put under general anesthesia. Then, the surgeon makes one incision on each side of the face, extending from the temples, just behind the hairline, in front of the ear, and then following the hairline down to the lower scalp. The length and placement of these incisions will vary depending on the procedure you choose to undergo and your desired results, as well as the judgment of the surgeon.

Working from the incision, the surgeon separates the skin from the underlying facial tissue. Fat underneath the skin may be removed using liposuction or trimmed, and the underlying muscle is smoothed and tightened. Then, the skin is pulled back over the new structure, excess skin is removed, and remaining skin is stitched into place, lifting the face and giving it a smoother, younger appearance.

After the Facelift

For Washington, D.C.-area patients who have undergone facelift or eyelid surgery, swelling, bruising, pain, and distortion of facial features are common in the days that follow. However, these side effects will fade in several weeks. Patients should avoid strenuous activity for several weeks following facelift surgery.

The facelift procedure does not completely halt the facial aging process. A second procedure may be necessary in later years to maintain the original facelift results. Regardless, the face will look better at any point in later life than if the patient had not chosen to undergo facelift surgery.

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Endoscopic Facelift

We also offer a less invasive alternative to the traditional facelift procedure at our Washington, D.C. area offices. The endoscopic facelift uses smaller incisions, through which the surgeon inserts a small endoscope, or camera. Using this technique, the plastic surgeon can lift and rejuvenate the under-layers of tissue without pulling back the facial skin to reveal that tissue. Because this is a less invasive procedure, the endoscopic facelift requires less time for healing and will cause less scarring.

 

 

 

Ear Pinning and Chin Surgery

Patients also come to our offices expressing dissatisfaction with the structure of their face, whether it is the shape of the jaw or the position of the ears. For these patients, we offer procedures that change the structural makeup of the face, such as otoplasty or chin surgery. If you are interested in changing the structure of your face, contact Dr. Gartside for more information on our structural procedures.

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Microdermabrasion, Chemical Peels, Collagen, Tissue Fillers, and Retin-A®

Often, more superficial problems caused by sun damage or aging, such as fine lines, wrinkles, or flaws in pigmentation, can be a source of anxiety. These problems cannot be remedied through our Fairfax County facelift procedures, which target structural problems. To get rid of fine lines, patients can try a number of treatments that target the outer layer of skin, such as microdermabrasion and chemical peels.

In addition to these procedures, our offices offer less invasive methods of facial rejuvenation, such as collagen injection or tissue fillers. Like the facelift, these procedures cannot get rid of age or sun spots, but both collagen injections and tissue fillers can smooth the outer layer of skin by providing a firm, smooth underlying surface. These techniques can also be used to augment the lips, giving patients larger, more supple lips.

Fairfax County and Washington, D.C. residents interested in facelift or blepharoplasty procedures might be better served by collagen or fat injections, chemical peels, or even prescription creams, like Retin-A®.

To schedule a consultation in the Fairfax County or Washington, D.C. area for facelift, blepharoplasty, ear pinning, or non-surgical facial rejuvenation treatments, contact plastic surgeon Roberta Gartside today.