The First Signs of Facial Aging: Surgical Treatments and When Are They Needed?
In the previous blog, we discussed the biology of facial aging: facial aging is a process that continues throughout adulthood. In practice, it begins already in the early twenties, but visible signs usually start to appear from around the age of 30.
When aging changes lead a person to consider surgical treatment depends greatly on genetic and structural features, lifestyle, skin type, and also, for example, profession.
For the first changes and descent in the skin and facial fat pads, the best option, often providing a long-lasting and natural result, is facial fat grafting using the patient’s own fat. When performed on its own, fat grafting is a procedure done under local anesthesia and can also be performed on slimmer patients, as the amount of fat needed for the face is only around a couple of tablespoons. The fat is most commonly taken from the abdomen or one of the thighs.
Facial fat grafting can typically smooth tear troughs at the junction of the lower eyelid and cheek, as well as fill the patient’s own mid-cheek and the upper part of the nasolabial folds very naturally and subtly. Fat retention in the lower eyelid area is very good, with around 90% of the fat cells becoming a permanent part of the skin’s own fat layer and developing their own blood supply. Other common areas for fat grafting include the temples, the area in front of the ears, the lips, where fat retention is poor and the treatment is more about skin quality than filling, and the tip of the chin. However, the areas are planned individually based on each patient’s wishes and structural features.
The most common plastic surgery procedure around the eyes is upper eyelid surgery, or blepharoplasty, which treats excess skin folds above the mobile upper eyelid. An excess skin fold, or hooded eyelid, often creates a tired appearance even when the person has slept well, and as it begins to approach the eyelashes, it may also cause a feeling of pressure and irritation in the eye. In addition, the constant raising of the eyebrows, with which the brain tries to compensate for the excess eyelid skin, may cause headaches, a heavy sensation in the forehead muscle, or even migraines in some people.
If the upper eyelid skin fold is bothersome, it is important to book an appointment with a qualified doctor, such as a plastic surgeon or ophthalmologist/oculoplastic surgeon. If the root cause of the problem is in fact drooping of the brows and forehead, the correct treatment is often an endoscopic brow lift performed under general anesthesia. This is a medium-sized surgery, and recovery is somewhat more demanding than after a small upper eyelid surgery. Recovery from blepharoplasty takes approximately one to two weeks, and the worst swelling and any bruising usually improve by the time the stitches are removed at around one week.
Other common surgical treatments performed under local anesthesia for aging changes include lower eyelid surgery, which is used if there is a swollen under-eye bag and/or a more significant amount of excess skin on the lower eyelid, and lip lift, in which the upper lip that has stretched and lengthened with age is lifted through a skin incision placed under the nostrils. This allows the red part of the upper lip to roll outward, for example in patients who wish to stop using upper lip fillers after many years. The above-mentioned procedures are often also combined with each other and with laser treatments, allowing several concerns to be corrected at the same time.
When the shape of the face becomes more square, meaning the facial balance shifts downward, the cheeks begin to sag as “jowls”, and the folds between the nose and corners of the mouth become more pronounced, the best and most effective treatment is a face lift and, if needed, a neck lift. This may mean a facelift, face and neck lift, or a so-called mini-facelift if the changes are mainly in the face. You will receive more information about this individually planned procedure, which requires a more demanding recovery period of 2–3 weeks of sick leave, during an appointment with a plastic surgeon specialized in facial procedures.
The most important aspect of correcting aging changes is an individually planned treatment that takes the patient’s unique features and wishes into account. Usually, the optimal treatment result requires combining and utilizing the expertise of different treatment methods and different professionals, such as a plastic surgeon, dermatologist, and aesthetic nurse, over the years and decades. Muotosairaala provides excellent conditions for this multidisciplinary approach!