Botox or a Facelift: Which is Right for Me?
There are many different facial plastic surgery procedures, both surgical and non-surgical, that can help men and women look younger, but perhaps the most well-known are Botox® injections and facelifts. However, even though these two techniques are designed with similar goals in mind, they work in very different ways and are geared towards different underlying concerns. Many of the patients who come in to our Atlanta Plastic Surgery offices are trying to decide whether they should undergo a Botox® treatment or a full facelift procedure, and understanding exactly how the two approaches differ can help them to decide which one is the right one for them.
Botox® Cosmetic Injections
Many of the most common signs of facial aging can be attributed to repeated facial movements. While younger skin will naturally spring back to its original position no matter how much it may be stretched or moved, older skin gradually loses much of this elasticity. As a result, even the small, subtle movements that faces make every day can leave the skin creased and wrinkled. Many begin to notice these lines as early as their late 20’s or early 30’s, but they can be significantly reduced or softened through the use of injectable cosmetic treatments, such as Botox® and Dysport®. These medications will temporarily relax the facial muscles, making the wrinkles fade and preventing their return for an average of three to six months. Botox® is generally most effective when used on patients who are just beginning to experience the earliest signs of facial aging. On patients whose aging is more extensive, the effects of Botox® are often less noticeable and so it is better used as a supplemental treatment to maintain plastic surgery results.
Facelifts and Mini-Facelifts
Although non-surgical facial rejuvenation treatments can be extremely effective in addressing a variety of facial aging concerns, their effectiveness tends to gradually wane as the patient grows older. In some cases, the loss of skin elasticity and facial volume eventually reaches a point where more long-lasting solutions are required. A facelift, or rhytidectomy, is a plastic surgery procedure where excess, sagging skin is removed, fat deposits repositions, and the underlying facial muscles lifted to give the entire face and neck area a more youthful look. For those who are concerned about long post-surgical recovery times, mini-facelift procedures that focus exclusively on the mid-face (from the check bones to the jawline) are also available. Unlike more extensive procedures like surgery of the chin, a facelift or mini-facelift can provide superior rejuvenation without fundamentally changing the shape of the face, so that people will see a definite improvement but will not be able to pinpoint exactly what you might have had done. These kind of subtle, natural looking plastic surgery and facial rejuvenation results have proven to be extremely popular with Atlanta Plastic Surgery patients of all ages.
If you have questions about what cosmetic treatments and procedures might be able to do for you, please contact Atlanta Plastic Surgery, P.C. so that we can schedule an appointment for a consultation with one of our board certified plastic surgeons. Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+ for the latest plastic surgery news.
