Lifting Your Face

Do you have options other than surgery for lifting your face? Yes you do!

Take a tour of what happens with aging, and how we use a systematic analysis and treatment approach at Pulsar Health to combine the best in science and the art of beauty in restoring lift to your face. Below we talk about the pros and cons of the most effective treatments for this.

To get more advice on what would work best for you, feel free to book a consultation with us at Pulsar Health in West Palm Beach, FL!

"Do I need a face lift, or a brow lift?" Has that thought crossed your mind? Do you pull at your face and see if it looks better, or even tape it up tightly as some stage performers have perfected?

One of the first areas we notice "aging", is the lines around the mouth deepening. These nasolabial folds and marionette lines are the first obvious sign, but earlier than this, facial volume is lost in the inner upper cheek, which then leads to sagging and the start of the nasolabial folds appearing. 

In addition, without good skincare and proactive treatments, the skin gradually loses elasticity, resulting in semi-permanent "cracks" in the skin which eventually, if ignored, deepen into folds and wrinkles. The skin can also develop uneven pigmentation and a rougher texture with more obvious pores, making you look older. For more details on skin aging, see the section on "Aging Skin" in Smooth Skin and Happy Hair Days.

The deeper layers beneath the skin also change with time. Deep fat pockets like the upper inner cheek shrink, whilst more surface layers tend to fall, resulting in jowling and changing the whole facial shape from a more oval or diamond shape to a bottom-heavy shape. Also, as if that's not bad enough, the brows can sag, forehead increase in height, and the distance between the nose and red upper lip increase. The neck skin often gets lax prematurely as people do not tend to give it the same loving treatment as the face.

Addressing these changes isn't as simple as pumping the face full of filler - that is what gives the unnatural looks associated with poor quality med spa treatments - or stretching thinned out skin tightly over the face which is a hallmark of plastic surgery that does not reflect today's standards of beauty.

At Pulsar Health, our goal is beauty based on health, and returning your face to a more naturally youthful lifted appearance. This requires working at multiple levels to get the best results correcting what bothers you. 

• We may need to work on tightening the outer "envelope" by restoring skin elasticity - we use treatments such as radiofrequency microneedling (RF-MN) with the Virtue SMART machine or simply microneedling with Stem cells / PRP (platelet rich plasma) to help regenerate the skin's strength and elasticity.
• Skin texture and color may need to be addressed with peels and lasers as well as medical grade skincare - see the relevant sections in Smooth Skin and Happy Hair Days for tips.
• Volume loss is best treated with fillers - either traditional ones like Restylane or more natural ones based on PRP with or without hyaluronic acid, termed here as "bio-fillers". The bio-fillers (PRP based) are less comfortable to put in but do help regenerate your own tissue over time. They don't last as long as the traditional fillers. A newer traditional filler we are loving at Pulsar Health is Restylane Contour as it is versatile in being used in both deeper and more superficial areas. However, be careful not to overfill the face as not all traditional filler dissolves and it can start holding on to excess water five years later. In addition, be sure you know what filler is being used and where it is obtained from, as some fillers can cause long term irritation to the tissues and other problems that can be challenging to fix.
• Fall of surface layers of the lower face / tightening of the jawline can be reversed nicely with facial lifting Threads. There are pros and cons to this procedure which should be discussed with your provider. Dr. Gill has taught scores of practitioners from plastic surgeons to nurse practitioners how to place Threads for a noninvasive face lift using MINT PDO Threads (she was the South Florida trainer for MINT for years), and can advise you on whether you would be a good candidate for this. Be careful to avoid overfilling the lower face using fillers as that can look heavy / be aging especially over the long term. Check out the Snatched Jawline section for more tips on lower face definition.
• Fat grafting represents a somewhat more invasive option to restore facial volume and appearance in a more lasting fashion. The Lipocube allows more precise sizing of fat such that larger pieces can be placed near the bone and smaller pieces of fat nearer the surface. The fat grafting tends to not only improve volume but also blood flow to the area (like PRP) helping with local rejuvenation. 
• If there is a lot of excess skin, it is best removed in a face lift (rhytidectomy). The layer under the skin, called the SMAS (superficial musculoaponeurotic system) is typically also tightened for longer-lasting results. Face lifts can be done at different depths from the bone. At Pulsar Health we generally do face lifts near the surface as these layers need help the most!

If you're thinking of a brow lift, check out the section on Expressive brows, also in our Facial Features collection. 

The entire facial shape can be changed using surgery. Bones can be narrowed or augmented with implants or advancing the bone itself. Sometimes we use computer simulation to get the best results as models may be helpful for precision movements of the jaws or facial bones. We perform craniofacial surgery of both children and adults, although a craniofacial team approach is always best for children with congenital anomalies. Dr. Gill is an expert in balancing the face as well as lifting it surgically.

At the other extreme, for a quick "pick-me-up", try facial lymphatic drainage in the spa using the Hydrafacial machine. Although the results are temporary, it shifts excess fluid in the face, and sculpts higher cheekbones. It also leaves your breathing improved and face feeling fantastic!

Finally, using contouring and highlighting can be done to create a more attractive aesthetic or show off your new contours. We like to use the original clean mineral makeup line that is skincare in disguise, Jane Iredale. The three-part base provides coverage that feels super light but is effective and calming as well as hydrating for your skin. Results last all day, even in the jacuzzi! Come play!