The life expectancy of Americans keeps lengthening — in 1900 it was around 50, today it’s 81 for a woman and 76 for a man — but that doesn’t mean our faces don’t show those extra 20 or 30 years. Facial skin is some of the thinnest on the entire human body, and it takes a beating from the sun, other environmental factors, and from personal habits such as smoking. Plus, the declining production of collagen, the protein that provides structural support for the skin, that is a part of aging causes the facial skin to sag and allows wrinkles and creases to form.
A traditional facelift or a ProLift™ with Dr. Mark Beaty or Dr. Celeste Nagy can turn back the clock on facial aging by a decade or more. Here’s information about both methods.
What is a Facelift?
Because of the name, some people assume a facelift addresses aging on the entire face, but that’s not the case. A facelift is a surgical procedure that addresses the visible signs of aging in the mid and lower face and the upper neck. Dr. Nagy and Dr. Beaty use a variety of methods to smooth and tighten the skin of the cheeks, the chin area, and the upper neck. These include the ProLIFT™ technique, developed by Dr. Mark Beaty, which is described below. During the procedure the skin is lifted and underlying muscle and tissue is repositioned to its former higher position. Excess skin is then trimmed.
What issues does a Facelift address?
These visible signs of aging respond well to facelift surgery:
- Mid-face sagging
- Jowls
- Fatty, loose areas below your cheekbones
- Banding, fatty tissue, and loose skin on your upper neck
- Deep nasolabial folds
Who can benefit from a Facelift?
Since the ProLift™ is customized to the needs of each individual, it can be beneficial to a wide variety of patients who are concerned with their degree of facial aging. Whether you’re looking to correct early signs of aging, or have significant drooping or skin laxity concern, the ProLift™ procedure is the ultimate solution for a new and rejuvenated you.
Facelift Before & After Photos
*Individual results may vary!
Would I be a good candidate for a Facelift?
Thanks to declining collagen, sun damage, and the natural slackening of our skin and support tissues that comes with aging, many people over the age of 45 could benefit from a facelift. Your healing will proceed more effectively if you don’t smoke. Plus, you need to realize that a facelift will take 10 to 15 years off of your facial age, but it won’t stop the aging process, which will continue its inexorable march.
Are there different Facelift procedures?
Facelift terminology can be confusing for patients, with many terms used which can have various meanings such as mini-lift, SMAS Lift, S-Lift, etc. Dr. Beaty is a widely recognized facelift expert, regularly lecturing on technique. He believes the most important concept in facelift is that each procedure should be matched to the individual patient, there is no cookie cutter approach. There is little role in modeled facial surgery for skin only techniques, effective and natural results can only be achieved by repositioning the supportive tissues of the face called SMAS. The broad category of facelifting used by Dr. Beaty and Dr. Nagy are primarily aimed at improving the contour of the cheeks, jawline and neck include:
- SMAS lifting techniques first elevate loose skin using incisions hidden around the ear and in the hairline. The SMAS is expertly repositioned by Dr. Beaty or Dr. Nagy to restore natural and youthful facial contours.
- Deep Plane techniques position SMAS and skin as a single unit. This may offer advantages for patients whose healing may be compromised from smoking or diabetes or those who require extra tightening.
- The ProLIFT technique incorporates features of several types of facelift to best individualize results.
What is a ProLift™?
The Progressive Limited Incision Facelift Technique, also known as ProLift™, was developed over the last 10 years by Atlanta and Alpharetta’s leading facial plastic surgeon, Dr. Mark Beaty. ProLift™ is a facelift and neck rejuvenation procedure that involves a progressive analysis of the patient’s problem areas all the way through the time of the surgery. The result of this approach is a perfect matching of surgical technique to the individual needs of each patient for beautiful results.
To read more patient testimonials, click here!
What is a Liquid Facelift?
You may hear liquid facelifts touted as an alternative to surgery. While injections of dermal fillers to return volume to areas such as sunken cheeks can show some improvement, they obviously can’t remove excess sagging skin and they can’t reposition muscle fiber. Plus, dermal fillers only last roughly 9-12 months, so the effects are fleeting. Dr. Nagy and Dr. Beaty believe dermal fillers make a great addition after a facelift to fill out areas such as the lips. And they can help to maintain a facelift when you have some sagging in the future, but there really is no comparison between a surgical ProLift™ or facelift and a liquid facelift.
ProLift™ vs Traditional Facelifts
The ProLift™ facelift procedure allows Dr. Beaty or Dr. Nagy to identify specific problem areas for each patient, and develop a tailored solution that meets each patient’s exact needs. The entire procedure is customized to meet the individual goals of each patient through an analysis of their supportive tissue that is not visible from the outside.
As a result of the progressive analysis of the patient’s specific needs, ProLift™ provides phenomenal, natural-looking results that may be difficult to obtain from a typical facelift and neck lift procedure. In addition, there will be a limited set of incisions, offering minimal downtime and a quicker recovery.
How does the ProLift Technique get me the best Facelift results?
Dr. Beaty developed the ProLIFT to ensure each procedure was matched to the specific anatomy and tissue consistency of the patient. This means that all aspects of your procedure, from incision length and placement to how the facial tissues are repositioned and anchored, are designed specifically for you. Natural appearing rejuvenation with maximal improvement is the result!
How long will my results from a Traditional Facelift last?
The results created by Dr. Beaty or Dr. Nagy with your facelift surgery are permanent. You’ll have to be patient waiting to see your final results, as swelling can come and go, especially in the evening, for a few months. Most people think a facelift takes from 10-15 years off the age of their face.
Of course, the aging process won’t stop. But your face will begin aging from a younger starting point, analogous to reseting a clock. To keep up with the process, many patients have a more limited second procedure in 5-10 years after having a full facelift.
Why did Dr. Beaty create the ProLift Technique?
During training and in his early years of practice Dr. Beaty discovered that it was very difficult to know with certainty how a patient’s facial tissues would need to be repositioned prior to the time of surgery. He was fortunate to have mastered a full compendium of facelift techniques under several different mentors. The ProLIFT is the result of Dr. Beaty’s ability to apply intraoperative analysis and technical excellence in any required surgical technique to achieve great results with minimal downtime.
How does the ProLift minimize the Facelift recovery?
Because the surgeon evaluates each tissue plane during surgery and determines at that time what is needed to release and reposition tissues, no extra dissection is done. This means that only tissue which needs to be repositioned or modified must go through the healing process, minimizing swelling, bruising and total healing time.
Facelift Incisions vs ProLift Incisions
The initial incisions for the ProLIFT technique are minimized to allow access to the deeper supportive tissues of the face, which are the key areas repositioned to restore facial contour. Incisions can then be lengthened to only the extent necessary to re-drape the skin properly which means no extra incision length is created.
Is the ProLift™ a Mini Facelift?
The ProLIFT is a facelift that Dr. Beaty designs specifically for each patient. In some cases that may mean that incisions are shorter or dissection is more limited. Most so-called mini lifts are limited operations which yield limited results. The ProLIFT is NOT a mini lift in this sense. Each procedure is custom designed from consultation through surgery to give the best possible result for each patient.
Facelift & Neck Lift Procedure
The ProLift™ / facelift procedure will begin with a consultation with Dr. Beaty or Dr. Nagy. You can expect a comprehensive assessment of your facial skin, supportive tissue, and volume needs. Dr. Beaty and Dr. Nagy will explain the recovery expectations as well as how you will be impacted by each step of the treatment to achieve your desired results. During the procedure, each step will be carefully evaluated to deliver maximum efficacy.
ProLift Recovery
Since each procedure is tailored to the individual, this progressive approach to facial and neck rejuvenation ensures minimal incisions and no unnecessary maneuvers. Therefore, patients will experience less swelling, less bruising, and an overall easier recovery.
What is recovery like after Facelift Surgery?
Facelift surgery involves a good deal of tissue lifting and repositioning, and this creates tissue swelling and bruising. Your first week or so you’ll need to sleep with your head elevated, making sure not to roll over onto your face. The first few days will be the most difficult, but then you’ll feel better quickly. As you recover, there may be some numbness in the lower face and neck. This is normal and is a result of the facial nerves adjusting to the re-draped skin. Most patients can return to work by the second or third week after surgery.
What are the risks of Traditional Facelift Surgery?
The risks are the same as with most cosmetic surgeries, including excessive bleeding, hematoma, and swelling. With facelifts, nerve injury due to re-draping is also possible but very rare. Usually this is temporary.
What will my scarring be like?
This depends on the method Dr. Beaty uses. For facelifts, Dr. Beaty is very successful hiding the incisions in the hairline and behind the ears. Initially during your recovery your incision scars will be pink, but this will pass and they will turn white and then become less and less noticeable. To help this process along, you need to protect your incision lines from sun exposure during your recovery.
Find out more about a custom FaceLift and Neck Lift in Atlanta, Georgia
For a facial and neck rejuvenation treatment that will maximize your results and take years off your face, choose ProLift™. This revolutionary anti-aging procedure is only available at Beaty Facial Plastic Surgery.
Learn More about Dr. Beaty’s ProLift™ Technique:
*individual results may vary
Our providers specialize in non-surgical procedures, facial plastic surgery options and more.
If you would like to learn more about our services, please contact us to speak with one of our experts.
