Procedures: Face
The first thing people notice about you is your face. Whether your eyes or your smile, your face makes a constant impression on other people. When sagging, wrinkles, sunspots and other evidence of aging become more noticeable, cosmetic plastic surgery may be the answer. Let us help you feel more confident and vibrant. Please read more about some of the procedures Dr. Vaniver offers that can help you look and feel years younger.
Blepharoplasty (Eyelid Surgery)
Blepharoplasty can rejuvenate puffy, sagging or tired-looking eyes by removing excess fat, skin and muscle from the upper and lower eyelids. It may be performed for cosmetic reasons or to improve sight by lifting droopy eyelids out of a patient's field of vision. Blepharoplasty can be combined with BOTOX® treatments to raise the eyebrows or reduce the appearance of wrinkles, crow's feet or dark circles under the eyes.
The procedure is usually performed in an office with local anesthesia and lasts 45 minutes to a few hours depending on how much work is done. Incisions are made along the eyelids in inconspicuous places (in the creases of the upper lids, and just below the lashes on the lower lids). The surgeon removes excess tissue through these incisions and then stitches them closed with fine sutures. In the case that no skin needs to be removed, Dr. Vaniver will likely perform a transconjunctival blepharoplasty, where the incision is made inside the lower eyelid and there are no visible scars. Often, tightening of the lower lid is also required. Browlift may also be recommended.
Stitches are removed after three or four days and most people return to work in seven to ten. Contact lenses may not be worn for two weeks. The effects of blepharoplasty can last for years.
Browlift (Forehead Lift)
Browlift surgery can revitalize drooping or lined foreheads, helping you to look less tired, angry, or sad. Using either traditional or minimally invasive (endoscopic) methods, browlift includes freeing and repositioning brow skin as well as alteration of the muscles above the eyes to smooth lines and raise the eyebrows for a more youthful appearance. The procedure is often combined with other operations such as blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery) and facelifts to improve the look of the eyes and other areas of the face.
While browlifts are typically performed on patients aged 40-60 to counteract the effects of aging, anyone with lined or inelastic skin on the forehead - whether it's caused by muscle activity or inherited conditions - is eligible. The procedure is usually performed in a surgery center under local anesthesia and sedation or general anesthesia. Combined with eyelid surgery, the procedure takes approximately 3-4 hours. Bruising and swelling my persist for several weeks, but the final outcome is quite durable, and may last for many years.
If you aren't sure whether a browlift is for you, try standing in front of a mirror and place the palms of your hands at the sides of your eyes above the eyebrows. Then pull the skin back from the eyes, raising the forehead. This approximates how the procedure will make you look.
Browlifts may be performed in one of two ways: with classic methods, in which the incision is hidden just in front of, or within the hairline, or with an endoscope, in which a tiny camera and instruments are inserted through a few small incisions. Both techniques produce similar results. Dr. Vaniver will help you determine which approach will provide you with the best results and the least side effects.
Facelift
With time, gravity, sun exposure, and the stresses of daily life take their toll on our faces: deep creases appear beside the mouth, the jaw line slackens, and folds and fat deposits appear on the neck. Facelifts counteract these problems by removing fat and tightening skin and fascia, giving your face a fresher, youthful look. After surgery, some patients appear 10-15 years younger.
A facelift can be combined with a browlift, eyelid surgery or nose reshaping for more dramatic results, or it can be restricted to the neck (necklift) if the patient's problems center there. Incisions are made in inconspicuous places such as behind the hairline and in natural folds of the face and ears, and scars fade to near invisibility in time. Newer techniques use smaller scars, or concentrate on specific areas. They will also provide more minimal results. A classic facelift is done under general anesthesia or sedation, and takes 4-6 hours. Swelling in the first week can be quite significant, and this slowly resolves. Results typically last 5-10 years.
Rhinoplasty (Nose Surgery)
Surgery to reshape the nose is among the most common plastic surgery procedures. Rhinoplasty can be performed to reduce or increase the size of the nose, remove an unwanted hump, change the shape of the tip or the bridge, narrow the width of the nostrils, or change the angle between the nose and the upper lip. The procedure restores an improved balance between the nose and other facial features. Rhinoplasty is usually an outpatient procedure performed under either local or general anesthesia and lasts one to two hours, unless more extensive work needs to be done. The incision is made across the columella (the vertical strip of tissue separating the nostrils), where scars are small and well hidden. The skin is lifted, the bone and cartilage sculpted, and the skin replaced and stitched closed. For a short time after surgery you may experience puffiness, nose ache or a dull headache, some swelling and bruising, bleeding or stuffiness. Most patients feel like themselves within two days and return to work in about a week. Results depend on the patient's nasal bone and cartilage structure, facial shape, skin thickness and age.
Dr. Vaniver takes great care to achieve a natural result and to avoid a "surgical" look. She will work closely with you to determine the changes that will result in the best outcome for you.
