How Facelift Works
As people age, the effects of gravity, exposure to the sun, and the stresses of daily life can be seen in their faces. Deep creases form between the nose and mouth; the jawline grows slack and jowly; folds and fat deposits appear around the neck. A facelift (technically known as rhytidectomy) can’t stop this aging process.
Dr. Lacerna’s office in Sarasota & Bradenton can help set back the clock, improving the most visible signs of aging by removing excess fat, tightening underlying muscles, and redraping the skin of your face and neck. A facelift can be done alone, or in conjunction with other procedures such as a forehead lift, eyelid surgery, or nose reshaping.
Individual results may vary. Consult with our staff in choosing the best procedure that suits your needs.
Trifecta Facelift: Next-Level Face and Neck Rejuvenation
The trifecta facelift, Dr. Lacerna’s signature surgery, is a safe and effective procedure that combines three great cosmetic techniques for long-lasting, transformative rejuvenation.
The first component is classic facelift and neck lift. Dr. Lacerna customizes a surgical plan using advanced techniques that best address each patient’s goals and anatomy.
The second component is a treatment of helium RF plasma. This deep resurfacing technology resets the facial skin by eliminating years of lines, aging and sun damage. Furthermore, it tightens the deepest layers of the skin. Combined with VASER’s gentle ultrasound technology, this treatment also breaks down fat cells around the jowls and neck.
The third component is regenerative medicine, where Dr. Lacerna uses the latest information about the body’s own healing powers to enhance the results and accelerate the recovery. Two of the most effective treatments are platelet rich plasma (PRP), derived from the patient’s own blood, and fat grafting, which borrows mesenchymal stem cells (which are rich in regenerative properties) from adult fat cells. Finally, serums with exosomes (used in cell communication) are applied to the skin immediately after the treatments to enhance healing and improve overall skin quality.
Benefits of Facelift
Facelift can make a series of aesthetic upgrades to the face and neck, including:
- Tightening lax skin
- Minimizing lines and wrinkles
- Removing fat deposits under the face to restore definition to the chin and jawline
- Eliminating sagging skin and folds on the neck
- Repositioning soft tissue that has drooped to the bottom of the face
- Restoring the “INVERTED TRIANGLE OF YOUTH” shape to the face, from a square
Dr. Lacerna utilizes advanced techniques to avoid creating a “pulled” look on the face. This allows patients to enjoy facial rejuvenation without it being obvious that they have had surgery performed.
Facelift Candidates in Sarasota County
The best candidate for a facelift is a man or woman whose face and neck have begun to sag, but whose skin still has some elasticity and whose bone structure is strong and well-defined. Most patients are in their forties to sixties, but facelifts can be done successfully on people in their seventies or eighties as well. A facelift can make you look younger and fresher, and it may enhance your self-confidence in the process. But it can’t give you a totally different look, nor can it restore the health and vitality of your youth. Before you decide to have surgery, think carefully about your expectations and discuss them with Dr. Lacerna.
Planning Your Facelift
Facelifts are very individualized procedures. In your initial consultation the surgeon will evaluate your face, including the skin and underlying bone, and discuss your goals for the surgery. Dr. Lacerna will check for medical conditions that could cause problems during or after surgery, such as uncontrolled high blood pressure, blood clotting problems, or the tendency to form excessive scars. Be sure to Dr. Lacerna know if you smoke or are taking any drugs or medications, especially aspirin or other drugs that affect clotting.
If you decide to have a facelift doctors, Dr. Lacerna will explain the techniques and anesthesia she will use, the type of facility where the surgery will be performed, and the risks and costs involved. Don’t hesitate to ask Dr. Lacerna any questions you may have, especially those regarding your expectations and concerns about the results.
Facelift Options and Additions
Deep plane facelift is a technique that allows Dr. Lacerna to manipulate underlying tissue in a composite fashion, precluding the need to pull the skin tightly (and therefore avoiding an unnatural or pulled look) and decreasing tension and visibility of the scars.
Dr. Lacerna may choose an MACS facelift (short scar or mini facelift), combined with Renuvion helium RF Plasma minimally invasive tightening of the neck. This less-invasive combination decreases surgical time and recovery.
Although most facelift surgeries address signs of aging on the neck, patients who are only concerned with their neck rather than the lower half of their face may want to choose neck lift. Dr. Lacerna can add platysmaplasty to minimize the appearance of vertical neck bands for further rejuvenation.
Aging and severe weight loss can result in hollow areas of the face that make us look tired, aged and haggard. These are commonly in the tear troughs, lid/cheek junction, nasolabial crease, lips, temples, cheeks and marionette lines. Dr. Lacerna performs fat grafting enhanced with platelet rich plasma, in order to restore volume to these areas while maintaining a more youthful glow without looking overdone.
A rhinoplasty or nose reshaping procedure can be performed for a full face refresh.
Finally, “the eyes are the window to our soul,” so we cannot neglect to rejuvenate the upper face or periorbital area. Dr. Lacerna’s special technique for a minimally invasive browlift procedure, utilizing helium RF plasma to permanently tighten and elevate the forehead area in a natural way, along with an upper and lower eyelid surgery, can also be performed.
The facial and neck skin quality also must be addressed at the same time, in order to produce the most youthful and natural rejuvenating results. Dr. Lacerna will recommend different options for skin resurfacing such as helium RF Plasma, C02 laser, erbium lasers, IPL or RF Microneedling, depending on the patient’s skin type and condition.
Facelift Recovery and Results
Facelift is an outpatient procedure, which means that patients return home a couple of hours after their surgery. Dr. Lacerna safely performs these procedures under IV sedation at her private, state-of-the-art ambulatory surgery center. Bruising and swelling are typically significant at first, but usually subside after a week or two. Most patients feel well enough to return to work in that same timeframe. Patients can take prescription painkillers to manage discomfort. In follow-up appointments, Dr. Lacerna checks on progress and removes the sutures.
Dr. Lacerna deliberately makes her incisions within the hairline and around the ear where these scars are easy to conceal. Thanks to her advanced technique, they usually fade from visibility altogether.
Full facelift results are visible after a couple of months. While the aging process continues, most patients can enjoy their results for 10-15 years or more. Results can be maintained by patients who avoid the sun and smoking, and take care of their skin and overall health. Dr. Lacerna will recommend a specialized medical-grade skin care regimen so patients can maintain their excellent results.
Facelift Costs
The price of facelift depends on the extent of aging that is being corrected with surgery. During a consultation, Dr. Lacerna can provide a complete cost breakdown so that patients can make an informed decision. Because facelift is an elective procedure, it is not covered by any insurance plans. However, LA Plastic Surgery & Dermatology accepts financing through multiple providers for patients who would have an easier time making payments toward the total cost of the surgery.
Why Patients Choose Dr. Lacerna for Facelift
Dr. Lacerna is a double board-certified surgeon with over 19 years of experience in all aspects of plastic, reconstructive and aesthetic surgery, with specialization in facelifts, neck lifts, rhinoplasties, browlifts and plasma skin resurfacing. Her passion for combining the latest technology with classic surgical techniques enable her to achieve superior results on behalf of her patients. She is a Key Opinion Leader for APYX Medical/Renuvion and a teacher and instructor for other plastic and cosmetic surgeons for helium RF plasma techniques. She is co-author of “Helium Plasma Dermal Resurfacing: Consensus Guidelines” and is currently working on the “Non-Surgical Facial Rejuvenation and Skin Resurfacing” chapter for the 9th edition of “Grabb and Smith’s Plastic Surgery,” a plastic surgery textbook used worldwide. She is dedicated to trying new techniques to make operations better and safer for patients, such as her “Minimally Invasive Browlift with Helium RF Plasma.” She has been invited to present at plastic surgery conferences nationally and internationally. When you choose to have your facial rejuvenation procedure with Dr. Lacerna, you are choosing a surgeon who is respected by her peers in the aesthetic industry.
Testimonials from Dr. Lacerna’s Patients
“I was nervous about looking “pulled” or unnatural, but my results are incredible! I couldn’t be happier: so smooth and so natural looking!”
- Venus B.
“Dr. Lacerna did my mini-facelift about four years ago and I am still thrilled with my results. She is supportive, meticulous and charming. Her staff provided the amazing info and care.”
- June L.
Make an Appointment
If you are interested in having Dr. Lacerna evaluate your candidacy for facelift and explain more about what kind of results the surgery can realistically achieve for you, please call (941) 954-4500 today.
