Indianapolis Institute for Plastic Surgery

Dr. Short's Philosophy on Facelift Surgery

My intent for patients considering facial surgery is to analyze how the patient has aged and attempt to reestablish his/her normal anatomy of youth. By doing this, I cannot perform only a skin lift because this is not the normal anatomy. I must reposition the underlying tissue to recreate a normal contour of the face prior to aging. In other words, attempting to pull the tissue into place with the skin alone only results in further laxity of the skin, distortion of the normal contour flattening of the lateral face, and recurrence of the previous facial appearance within months to a couple of years. The best analogy I relay to patients is that when you are making a bed, you first arrange the sheets, and then you finish by arranging the comforter. This explanation identifies how my facial procedures are a bit different than others. By repositioning the underlying tissues so the skin can be redraped and not pulled, the patient appears more rejuvenated and has a very natural look. I like for my patients to appear younger and rejuvenated without it being obvious that they had a facelift.

When should I consider a facelift?

Loss of skin elasticity causing a deep fold running from the corner of the nose to the corner of the mouth
Loss of muscle tone of the face neck causing jowls or a loss of a well-defined neckline
Loose skin and wrinkles located in the face and neck area creating an "aged" look or tired facial appearance

Anticipated Results:

Appear youthful and refreshed without indication of surgery
Correction of jowls and facial sagging
Good contour of the face and neck region

The incisions are made within the hairline and in the natural contour of your ears. The incision continues behind the earlobe and into the hairline behind the ear. The underlying facial layers are repositioned and lifted, restoring a more youthful contour to the face. The neck muscles are tightened and the excess skin is then removed. Incisions usually heal rapidly and can be concealed by your hair. There is usually a small incision hidden beneath the chin as well.

Facelift/Necklift Examples:

Patient 1 had a facelift/necklift procedure combined with lower lid eyelid surgery and a hairline browlift. The patient also had a dermal filler, Radiesse^TM, injected into the lips and lower face. The patient's preoperative jowl formation, heaviness, and sagging of the tissues have been re-lifted to provide a natural, youthful appearance. The patient pictured below is before and approximately one year after surgery.

Patient 1

Before	Before	Before

After	After	After

Patient 2 had a facelift/necklift with emphasis on fat grafting to the face to provide fullness to the cheeks and plump out the heavier folds in the lower face. As you age or lose weight, you lose a significant amount of fat causing the face to look older. If you compare your pictures to when you were in your 20's and early 30's, you will notice a fuller contour to the face. Therefore, a common adjunct procedure to the facelift/necklift procedure is fat grafting. This patient was thin, so fat in surgery was taken from the inner knees and inner thighs. The fat is harvested and processed and re-injected into the face to provide ample fullness and a more youthful appearance. This patient has more subtle changes but note the fullness to the cheeks and smoothness to the lower regions of the face. This patient below is pictured before and 6 weeks after surgery.

Patient 2

Before	Before	Before

After	After	After

Patient 3 had a facelift/necklift. This is also a common procedure for males especially with the competitive marketplace environment. The incisions are very well concealed, not showing even with men wearing their hair in short hairstyles. As the picture demonstrates, the facelift procedure provides a natural contour after surgery. This patient pictured below is before and 4 weeks after surgery.

Patient 3

Before	After

Before	After

Next