Over time, concepts in facial rejuvenation change as new technologies and surgical advancements occur. The facelift operation has been around for many years as it provides a substantial improvement in facial appearance with minimal risk and downtime. The results can be remarkable.

There are various forms of facelift procedures that are available. Any procedure that does not address the underlying SMAS layer in the face – a tough, fibrous covering of the facial muscles – and the extension of the SMAS in the neck, which is the platysma muscle, is unlikely to last for the duration that we strive to achieve. Both our in the operating room facelift, which is performed under IV sedation anesthesia, and our in office facelift procedure, which is entitled the Activelift^® and is performed under local anesthesia, address the SMAS and platysma muscle. In fact, the facelift performed in the OR is the same that we perform under local anesthesia in the office, only the form of anesthesia and location of the surgery is different. The Activelift^® is not a “weekend” or “mini” facelift.

For treatment of the midface, I prefer non operative techniques to replace the loss of facial volume in these areas with Voluma^® or Artefill^®. We have recently had a series of seminars on these newly available volumizers and will cover them in future seminars as they become a very important addition to our practice for use in patients either with or without a facelift being performed.

I encourage you to check out our website douglasstevensmd.com and to attend one of our seminars. I look forward to seeing you there.