How to do a circular facelift (English)

Celebrities demonstrate by their example the trends and possibilities of modern plastic surgery. But what actually happens to their faces when a doctor with a scalpel in his hands touches them?

Jennifer Lopez

Jennifer Lopez: left - 2008, right - 2018

It's hard to believe that J.Lo will soon be 50 years old. The actress and singer looks so fresh and moves so energetically that one can only envy her. At 48 years old, Lopez looks really good, and all thanks to excellent genetics: she has a vertical, pronounced oval face and a sharp chin. However, there are not many age-related changes on her face, so the surgeons claim that the scalpel definitely touched her skin.

Demmy Moor

Demi Moore: left - 2008, right - 2018

Demi Moore is an example of a woman who only looks more beautiful and sexier over the years. The actress found a good plastic surgeon and ended up with a clear oval face. At 55 years old, it’s simply impossible to look like this without a circular lift!

We asked an expert about how a circular facelift is performed, what the risks are and when it should be done.

Dmitry Mikhailovich Saratovtsev, plastic surgeon, candidate of medical sciences, full member of the Russian Society of Plastic, Aesthetic and Reconstructive Surgeons.

What are the latest facelift techniques?

Today there are a huge number of lifts on the market: mini lift, short lift, endoscopic lift, SMAS lift. And all these are varieties of SMAS-lift, that is, tightening of the muscular aponeurotic layer, because facial aging is expressed precisely in sagging tissue. And without tightening the muscular aponeurotic layer, we cannot fix anything.

Among the aesthetic proposals there is the so-called French lift, when the tissue is not touched, but the skin is simply tightened. Let's say they remove one centimeter in a circle. There is an effect from such a procedure, but it will last a maximum of a year, while a deep lift guarantees a longer lasting result.

Posted by Anna Stokolos (@stokolos_anna) Mar 12, 2018 at 3:19 PDT

What indications exist for this type of operation?

My youngest patient was 35 years old, and the oldest was 79. The indications for surgery are the same for everyone: severe sagging of soft tissues, so-called jowls, wrinkles, nasolabial folds, flabby neck. Of course, age and genetics play a role in these matters. It happens that sudden sagging occurs due to significant weight loss. For example, a woman weighed 130 kilograms and lost weight to 70. Everyone’s skin is different, some people don’t tighten on their own. Therefore, a visit to the surgeon can happen both at 35 and at 80.

At what age is a facelift usually done?

The average age of treatment is 45–50 years, but there are exceptions. The advantages of early intervention are long-term results and quick rehabilitation (largely due to age). But in general, the subjective factor plays the main role here. Every woman has her own ideas about when she is “nothing yet” or “even worse than ever.”

How do you know that injections are no longer enough?

Posted by Yulia Nakonechnaya (@dr.nakonechnaya) Mar 13, 2018 at 1:54 PDT

It's worth looking honestly in the mirror. If you have found your cosmetologist, you are satisfied with the results of the proposed procedures and the effect lasts for the stated time, then everything is in order. For example, fillers or threads should last about a year. Obviously, if after a couple of months everything returns to its previous state, then these methods no longer work. You can try them again and again, but in the end it will be very expensive and unlikely to be effective.

What are the contraindications to a facelift?

As with any other aesthetic surgery, the general health of the patient plays a role. A lift is contraindicated in case of low hemoglobin, poor blood clotting, high sugar, hypertension, oncology, exacerbation of chronic diseases, ARVI.

How is the rehabilitation period going?

The main problem during the rehabilitation period is swelling. After the operation, each surgeon gives his patient a list of recommendations. The more carefully you follow it, the better the result will be. With a facelift, the rehabilitation period lasts 10–14 days. After two weeks you can go back to work. You will need to sleep on your back for at least the first week. Bath, sauna, sun, sports are prohibited for a month. Many people are interested in alcohol - it should not be consumed precisely because of possible edema.

What risks might there be?

Posted by Natalya Skurikhina (@skurikhina_natalia_) Mar 2, 2018 at 6:43 PST

A negative result is an exception to the rule. Negative consequences usually mean possible damage to the nerve ending, stretched skin, which can cause tissue necrosis, and subcutaneous hematomas. There is a myth that the SMAS facelift is a lottery in which everything depends on luck. This is wrong! The result depends entirely on the skill of the doctor.

Does facial skin require special care after a facelift?

Nothing special. You can start visiting a cosmetologist two months after the procedure. You can speed up the healing process with the help of physiotherapy: microcurrents, magnetic therapy, ultrasound, cold laser will help you recover faster. For the effect to last for more than ten years, you definitely need to hire a good cosmetologist. Recently, at one of the congresses in America, this was convincingly proven. Two groups of patients with similar facial features and ages were followed for many years. The effect in the group that maintained the results of the facelift with cosmetic surgery was impressive.

Is it possible to do a lift several times?

Of course you can. There is an opinion that any repeated surgery has slightly greater risks. But for an experienced surgeon this is not a problem.

Madonna

Madonna: left - 2007, right - 2017

Passion for sports, yoga, proper nutrition and even serious cosmetology cannot defeat the force of gravity. And an appearance like that of 59-year-old Madonna is hardly possible without the intervention of a professional surgeon. There is a lot of controversy and rumors about the singer's appearance, but most surgeons admit that Madonna had a circular facelift several times.

Melanie Griffith

Melanie Griffith: left - 2007, right - 2017

The actress, at 60 years old, seems to look good (we would even say better than in 2007): her skin is smooth, her features are preserved. It just feels like the skin has been pulled too tight. Is this the kind of effect that careful surgery should have? We are sure not. Now it’s clear why fans of Griffith’s work are so indignant after her plastic surgery - Melanie overdid it.

Kim Basinger

Kim Basinger: left - 2007, right - 2017

Plastic surgery is not always successful. Kim Basinger is an example of surgery gone wrong. Her face changed beyond recognition. Maybe at 64 you shouldn’t try to lose 20 years at once?

Due to the harmful effects of the environment, age-related changes, and poor lifestyle, signs of aging appear on the skin of the face: clearly defined wrinkles, flabby cheeks and chin, loss of freshness. When it is no longer possible to cope with such signs with the help of cosmetics, a circular facelift will come to the rescue.

This is a plastic procedure that allows you to correct the oval of the face as a whole, as well as smooth out wrinkles. You can see the results of the procedure using before and after photos, the changes in which can be seen with the naked eye.

What is a circular facelift and cost?

The essence of the operation is to tighten the entire muscular aponeurotic layer, including the skin and soft tissues.

Circular facelift surgery allows you to achieve a long-term effect of facial rejuvenation, namely:

removal of deep folds of the skin;
returning a clear contour to the face;
smoothing out wrinkles of medium depth;
restoration of the aesthetic angle between the neck and chin;
Particular attention is paid to wrinkles in the eyes, lips, forehead and cheeks.

In general, the face visually becomes 5-10 years younger, depending on the primary condition of the skin and individual anatomical features. It is important that in addition to the rejuvenating effect, a circular facelift (before and after photos) slows down the appearance of new wrinkles and other signs of skin aging.

The cost of the procedure depends on the complexity and volume of the upcoming procedure, as well as on the pricing policy of the plastic surgery center itself. Taking into account all the nuances, the price variation scale is quite high: from 190 to 360 thousand rubles.

Indications for the procedure

These are the following appearance flaws:

the appearance of pronounced nasolabial folds;
drooping corners of the eyes and eyelid tissue;
unclear contours of the chin, the appearance of a double chin (its presence is manifested in the appearance of a seal between the chin and neck when lowering the head);
sagging cheeks and neck (this problem can appear not only due to skin aging, but also due to sudden weight loss);
pronounced wrinkles;
floating oval face;
sagging skin, which occurs due to the loss of elastin and collagen reserves in the epidermis over time).

Contraindications

There are a number of contraindications for carrying out a facelift:

Pregnancy. This contraindication is largely due to the fact that the procedure will be a waste of money: during pregnancy, women gain weight, and after the birth of a child, the total body weight begins to decrease sharply, which may result in the problem of sagging cheeks. Which will reduce the effectiveness of the operation to zero.
Presence of cancer.
Poor blood clotting functionality.
Severe illnesses associated with infections.
Reduced elasticity of the skin.
Acute diseases of the cardiovascular system.

Possible negative consequences of a facelift

A circular facelift, photos before and after which clearly demonstrate this, can lead to the following complications:

Swelling of the face. As a rule, swelling goes away after 2-3 weeks after surgery, but in some cases this period may increase. Most problems associated with swelling occur due to fluid stagnation, and are solved by a doctor using various tools: drainage tubes, a compression mask, lymphatic drainage massage. However, increasing swelling that is accompanied by pain may be the cause of more serious problems, such as internal bleeding.
Formation of hematomas. During the operation, the surgeon may touch a vessel, from which blood spills and forms a hematoma. In most cases, these problems resolve on their own and go away in 3-8 days, like a normal bruise. However, in some cases, when the hematoma does not go away on its own, medical intervention may be required to remove blood clots and seal the damaged vessel.
Deadening of skin areas (necrosis). This complication can occur both due to the individual characteristics of the patient (poor blood circulation, diabetes) and due to poorly performed surgery (excessive skin tension). Signs of necrosis can be seen by a change in skin color and loss of sensitivity. Treatment is either medicinal or surgical, depending on the stage of the disease.
Nerve damage. The blame for the occurrence of this problem falls entirely on the shoulders of the surgeon. The consequences of nerve damage can vary: from loss of sensitivity to paralysis of a particular area of the face. Treatment may be surgical or medication.
Pronounced scars. A similar problem arises from the individual characteristics of the patient’s skin. Therefore, before prescribing surgery, you should consult with your doctor for reasons that could cause this complication. Scars can also appear due to improper skin care after surgery. Depending on the size, scars can be removed using special creams or laser removal.
Loss of hair. Often those hairs that are located at the seams weaken and fall out, but other areas of the integument can also suffer losses. To treat a problem, it is necessary to identify the cause of its occurrence: scars, stress, etc.

At what age can you have a facelift?

Often this operation is recommended for women whose age exceeds 35-40 years. At an earlier age, there are still no prerequisites for carrying out the procedure that could not be solved with the help of cosmetic preparations.

Types of circular facelift

Circular facelift can be divided into 2 groups, depending on the area of intervention and the technique of the procedure. Photos before and after the procedure will clearly demonstrate their difference.

Place of operation

Upper face. This type of operation includes lifting of the upper eyelids, forehead and eyebrows. An endoscope is used to carry out the procedure, which allows the operation to be performed with the least risk of any consequences. The doctor’s goal is to rid the patient of excess skin using special tools and tighten the muscles, with their further fixation with self-absorbing threads. Complete healing of the sutures occurs in 2-4 weeks, after which virtually no traces should remain.
Middle part of the face. The area from the lower eyelid to the upper lip is affected here: the area around the eyes, nose, cheeks and corners of the mouth. This type of operation requires tissue movement along a vertical axis.
Lower face and neck. To this area, surgeons include everything that is located below the corners of the mouth, including the chin, partially the cheeks and neck. With this type of operation, the doctor works not with the skin, but with the muscular aponeurotic layer. Its implementation is justified in the presence of pronounced sagging of the skin. The surgeon’s task here is to make several incisions (under the chin, slightly below the ears along the hairline), thread fixing threads through them, which are then pulled up and fastened together.

Operation methods

The operation is carried out:

Threads. The procedure takes from 30 minutes. up to an hour, depending on the complexity of the problems. It is carried out in a day hospital setting. You are allowed to leave the hospital 3-4 hours after the operation. Using special threads, the surgeon forms a frame that is necessary to hold the tissues in the desired position.
Laser. The procedure time is usually limited to 60 minutes. To protect the patient, he needs to equip himself with special glasses from radiation. Waves of different lengths help solve various problems: destruction of adipose tissue, sealing of blood vessels, lifting effect. Most effective for surgery on the lower part of the face.
By radio waves. This operation is carried out in up to 3 sessions of 30 minutes each. every. The essence of the procedure is as follows: radio waves of various lengths penetrate under the skin, heating the skin and strengthening the collagen layer.

Preparing for surgery

The patient does not need to carry out any special preparatory procedures; it is only necessary:

2 weeks before surgery, avoid:

alcoholic drinks;
tobacco products;
drugs of medicinal origin.
solarium, baths and saunas (for laser surgery).

One day before surgery:

do not eat heavy food;
do not apply any cosmetics to your face or hair;
eat dietary foods in small quantities.

On the day of the actual operation, the patient should not consume liquids or food at all.

Is anesthesia used?

A circular lift (before and after photos) involves all types of anesthesia, except for the procedure using radio waves. Since it does not cause any pain and does not require punctures or incisions of the skin. As a rule, only the surgical procedure is performed under general anesthesia; other types of surgery are performed under local anesthesia, which is administered using injections.

All methods of circular facelift, except radio wave, require local or general anesthesia

However, in some cases, for example, if the patient has increased sensitivity, other types of circular facelift can be performed under general anesthesia.

Technique of the operation

Technique for performing a circular facelift with threads

Sequence of the operation:

Administration of anesthetic. To do this, the surgeon puts special injections in the area where the operation will be performed. The injection lasts from 5 to 10 hours, protecting the patient from discomfort and pain.
Disinfection. In order to avoid contamination and microorganisms getting into the punctures, the patient’s face is treated with special substances.
Marking. At this stage, the doctor determines in which areas of the face punctures will be made.
Introduction of threads. Using thin needles, the surgeon pulls the threads through the punctures, after which he adjusts the tension and fastens them together.

Laser procedure

Sequence of the procedure:

Accommodation. Before starting the procedure, the patient must take the required position. It is laid facing the ceiling so that the body is at an angle of 30-40 degrees. In this case, the muscles should be completely relaxed.
Administration of anesthetic. With this technique of performing the procedure, local layer-by-layer anesthesia is usually used. However, in some cases, general anesthesia may be used.
Cleansing the skin. To do this, the facial skin is treated with products with a degreasing and antibacterial effect. Then you need to wait until the substance dries completely.
Dividing the face into sections. Before the procedure, the doctor draws the necessary lines and points where the incisions will be made. This stage allows you to make the procedure more accurate.
Application of gel. This substance has a heating effect and is used to obtain the greatest effect from the laser.
Direct use of laser. This stage of the procedure is the main one. The laser is directed to the required areas of the skin, with different wavelengths.

Tightening with radio waves without surgery

This method of circular facelift is the only one where no incisions are made. However, as you can see from the before and after photos, this does not make it any less effective.

Sequence of the procedure:

Cleansing and toning of the epidermis. To do this, a special gel is applied to the surface of the face, which activates the cells responsible for the production of elastin and collagen - fibroblasts.
Lifting effect. At this stage, the patient's face is covered with a special substance that has a lifting effect. Covering areas are selected based on the criteria for exposure to microwaves. Then you need to wait until the product is completely absorbed.
Heating of the skin. For this stage, 13-20 minutes are allocated. The temperature is selected depending on the complexity of the problems. It is worth considering that by choosing an incompetent doctor, at this stage you can get burned. Therefore, you should not rely on the cheapness of the procedure when choosing honey. center.
Moisturizing the epidermis. Each specialist chooses moisturizing products in his own opinion. However, as a rule, various vegetable oils are used for these purposes.

Carrying out the procedure surgically

Subsequence:

Anesthesia. Since this operation is the most painful compared to others, it is performed under general anesthesia.
Cleansing the epidermis. In this case, all tissues of the face and those close to them are processed, including the chin and neck.
Direct execution of the operation. The stages of the operation include peeling off the skin using incisions. They are done as follows: first, an incision is made in the temporal region, which is continued to the ear. Then the incision is brought to the back of the head, which promotes detachment of the dermis of the cheeks, neck, temples and chin. The surgeon then redistributes the muscles, epidermis and fat deposits into the required positions. Next, tightening is used, with the help of which the skin is fixed in the desired position. The final steps are to remove excess fat and secure the result with sutures. The incisions are sutured with special threads, which prevent the appearance of scars.
Applying a bandage. It needs to be changed every few days.

The duration of the procedure varies from 60 minutes to 1.5 hours.

Rehabilitation period

A circular facelift (before and after photos) affects patients and the rehabilitation period differently, depending on the chosen method of the procedure.

How is the rehabilitation going:

Thread lift. The most difficult period lasts 3 days. At this stage, it is necessary to exclude active movements of the oral cavity, including chewing food. It is best to avoid solid foods at this time and cut the rest into as small pieces as possible. Punctures should be treated with peroxide at least three times a day to avoid infection. The patches should be removed no earlier than after 13 days. Complete rehabilitation takes place on average in 4 weeks.
Laser tightening. Swelling in the areas affected by the laser disappears on average after 3 days, and feelings of stiffness and discomfort – after 13 days. To avoid complications, it is necessary to avoid alcoholic beverages and hot showers, and also monitor blood pressure. When severe hematomas appear, special gels can be used.
Tightening by radio waves. With this method of skin tightening there are no consequences or restrictions - the patient can immediately return to their normal lifestyle. Redness of the skin may appear for 3 days after the procedure, but it will soon go away on its own.
Surgery. During the first three days, the patient is recommended to remain under the supervision of doctors in case of complications. For a week after the operation, it is prohibited to use any cosmetics. Every few days you should remove the bandage and replace it with a new one. The stitches are removed after 2 weeks, and the total rehabilitation period takes up to 1 month.

The general rules for any type of facelift are:

limiting exposure to UV rays;
do not engage in heavy physical labor;
Avoid visiting saunas and steam rooms.

Proper skin care after the procedure

There are no special recommendations in this regard: the main thing is to follow the recommendations for the rehabilitation period. After the recovery period has expired, skin care can consist of the usual procedures: cleansing, toning, moisturizing and nourishing.

How long does the effect last?

The duration of the effect depends on the selected area and method of surgery. In general, the average duration is 3 years. However, the radio wave method has the shortest retention time of the effect.

Modern technologies provide several methods for a circular facelift, most of which involve minimal surgical intervention.

With such a variety, everyone can find the best option, and before and after photos will help you decide on their choice.

Video about facelift (circular facelift)

How is the circumferential facelift surgery performed?

Circular facelift today and 10 years ago:

What is face lifting and skin tightening? The lifting procedure is designed to tighten the skin of both the face and the entire body. Today, this is one of the most popular cosmetic procedures, but also the most effective for skin rejuvenation.

There are dozens of lifting methods. These can be either simpler, non-surgical methods of skin tightening in a salon or at home, or surgical plastic surgery. They all differ in the way they affect the skin.

The main task of lifting is not just to hide, but to remove all imperfections and age-related changes in the skin. Using such procedures you can achieve the following results:

deep healing and rejuvenation of the skin;
smoothing of superficial wrinkles – facial or age-related;
increased elastin production;
double chin removal;
activation of the production of your own collagen, which will lead to increased firmness and elasticity of the skin;
get clearer and more pronounced facial contours and their design;
remove yellowness and grayness of the face;
get rid of age-related pigmentation;
eliminate dryness and sagging, irritation and flaking, drying out of the skin.

Like any cosmetic procedure, lifting has its own indications and contraindications, and you need to be careful about this.

Face lifting is appropriate in the following cases:

the appearance of wrinkles and folds;
loss of skin elasticity;
sagging skin;
age-related decline and aging;
fuzzy and blurry jawline;
presence of a fatty bag under the chin;
weakness of the subcutaneous neck muscles;
weakness of the fat layer in the chin and submandibular region.

Contraindications to this method of rejuvenation include:

age under 25 years;
allergy to one or several components of the lifting product;
excess weight or cellulite;
rehabilitation period after facial plastic surgery (not earlier than 6 months);
scratches, open wounds;
dermatological and vascular diseases of the skin.

Among the most common lifting methods are the following.

Ultrasound is a non-surgical procedure for those who do not want to “go under the knife.” It is ultrasonic lifting that affects not the surface layer, but the underlying muscular aponeurotic layer, which is responsible for the elasticity of the skin and the firmness of the facial contour.

How to do a circular facelift