I have read on blogs that when a person has a lower facelift and neck lift the cheeks are always «repositioned without being undermined.» What exactly does this mean?
Answer:
You are reading about a specific type of facelift. I will start by saying that there are various types of facelifts and they all vary in what is done. The type of facelift you are describing is one in which the lower face and neck are lifted surgically and the «midface» or cheeks, are lifted by «pulling» them up with sutures. Unfortunately, these types of «suture» lifts do not have any permanent effect, and any elevation achieved during the surgery will be lost in several months. The reason for this is that the midface is difficult to elevate surgically and impossible to so by running sutures through it. I personally use the deep plane facelift technique. This technique treats the neck, lower face, and midface exceptionally well. The midface is «undermined», meaning that the malar fat pad is lifted off of the facial muscles and elevated. This allows cheek to be placed in a higher position, thereby achieving an elevation of the midface. This allows for an improvement of the nasolabial fold and the cheek contour. When combined with a lower blepharoplasty, or lower eyelid lift, the improvement in the midface and lower eyelid region can be exceptional. The curvature of the cheek and the smoothness of the lower lid can dramatically improve the rejuvenation process for patients.
Posted by Dr. Bustillo