November 14, 2016
If you are showing signs of aging in Austin, including wrinkles and saggy, droopy skin, you may be considering getting a facelift. But if you’re in your 40s or younger, you might be wondering, “Am I old enough to get a facelift?”
A facelift is a plastic surgery procedure that makes you look younger by giving you a natural-looking, more youthful face. During the procedure, Austin Dr. Tjelmeland of Meridian Plastic Surgery Center will rejuvenate the lower third of your face and neck. He will lift the skin of your face and add volume either with a fat transfer or facial filler injections. Next, he’ll remove some of the age telling, sagging skin from your face and neck. To make your results as natural looking as possible, Dr. Tjelmeland will hide all incisions either in folds or creases of your skin or hairline.
Am I Too Young for a Facelift if I’m in My 40s?
It wasn’t too long ago that plastic surgeons would turn away Austin patients in their 40s interested in a facelift, believing they were too young for the procedure. But new technologies in facelift surgery and a recent study by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons are changing views.
The study followed patients ages under 50 to over 60 at the time of a “maintenance facelift” surgery. They followed up with the patients both immediately after their facelifts, and 10 years later, and found that:
“The younger patients had higher and more consistent satisfaction scores at both short and long-term follow-up. Those subjective ratings were supported by expert analysis of follow-up photos, which showed that patients who underwent facelift surgery before age 50 had “remarkable maintenance of their youthful appearance.””
Data like this is proving that even if you’re in your 40s if you have signs of aging that you’d like to change, not only are you an eligible candidate for a facelift, you’re likely to be happier with your facelift results for years to come.
A Facelift Alternative – Injectables and Fillers
Another alternative to a facelift that younger Austin patients might consider are injectables. BOTOX® is a widely popular solution for smoothing out wrinkle lines such as crow’s feet, frown lines, and forehead wrinkles. Though not a permanent solution, recovery time is typically just waiting for the redness and/or bruising to dissipate after treatment. Additionally, fillers like Voluma, Vollure, Volbella, Juvederm, and Restylane are other temporary solutions that can hide wrinkles. Finally, fat injections or fat grafting can provide a more permanent solution for wrinkles. During a fat injection, fat is taken from your stomach or hip and injected into the areas that need volume, such as your nasolabial folds, marionette lines cheeks and lips.
I’m in my 40s, and I want a Facelift. What Do I Do Next?
Deciding to get a facelift is a very personal decision, one that is best made by visiting with an experienced plastic surgeon like Dr. Tjelmeland of Austin’s Meridian Plastic Surgery Center.
If you’re in your 40s and are seeking a more youthful appearance, contact Dr. Tjelmeland today at (512) 617-7500.