Facial rejuvenation for all ages

Traditional and social media education efforts are leading the desire to age gracefully, being prioritized starting at a younger age. Millennials and Generation Z are budgeting time and money for prevention, such as micro Botox (small mounts injected for more natural results and prevention of future wrinkles), medical-grade skin care, sun precautions and overall increased awareness of the importance of a healthy diet and exercise. Self-care is taking a front seat.

Younger patients are also approaching me about removing the fat that accumulates under the chin and jowls, as well as tightening the loose skin along their jawline and neck. The benefit of visiting a facial plastic surgeon is that in my office, education can extend past dermal fillers and involves a number of options, including minimally invasive procedures and surgery.

For most, though, a “facelift” instantly evokes a very negative connotation and images of the late Joan Rivers or Kenny Rogers walking on a very windy day. I can assure you that those are the faces of facelift past. With advancing technologies and the latest surgical techniques, facial plastic surgeons today can obtain results that last longer and are more natural. Early intervention also allows smaller procedures designed to maintain that desired ageless appearance.

One of the most innovative technologies currently available on the market is FaceTite. It’s an advanced contouring system designed to treat a patient’s face, ideally under the chin, jawline, jowls and neck. With the smaller Acutite, it can even be used to tighten the skin around the eyes. FaceTite is minimally invasive and uses Radio Frequency (RF) technology. I have been using RF technology in my office for years with great results, but nothing like this!

It allows me to work safely in the sub-dermal plane as I contract and contour tissues.

• Directional thermal field provides fat coagulation and tissue remodeling that melts fat and tightens skin at the same time.

• Dual temperature technologies provide greater safety and control than other technologies with real-time temperature feedback of the treatment area to help prevent complications.

• 100% energy concentration in the treatment zone for very specific control of where the energy is directed, which is necessary when treating particular areas of concern or delicate areas like around the eyes.

It’s fantastic and yields excellent results in the correctly chosen patients. I find it ideal for my patients in their 30s-50s, who aren’t ready for a traditional facelift yet but need tightening, contouring and definition. It also has the added benefit of minimal downtime and can be performed in the office with minimal to no sedation. It’s a way to get dramatic results without going under the knife.

It’s not going to be perfect for everyone, though. Nothing will ever replace a well-performed facelift by a skilled facial plastic surgeon. Even though rhytidectomy, facelift surgery, has been around for over a hundred years, it continues to have advances in technique as we gain more knowledge about how tissues age.

The evolution of the deep plane facelift is one of these. It’s a procedure initially described by Dr. Sam Hamra in 1990 but really refined and popularized over the last 20 years by Dr. Andrew Jacono. Having learned this technique from Dr. Jacono in New York City, I have found this comprehensive deep plane facelift technique creates natural results that lift drooping cheeks, jawline and neck without the pulled and operated look that can occur with other face-lifting techniques. Most commonly, my facelift patients are in their 40s-60s, but have ranged from their mid-30s to early 80s. They are still very active, feel amazing, and they all just want to look how they feel.

There is no exact right time, but starting sooner can help prevent the need for more invasive procedures with increased downtime. So if you aren’t sure what you want or need, I recommend undergoing a consultation with a board-certified facial plastic surgeon who sits down and listens to your needs and concerns and helps you come up with a personalized plan that works for you and your lifestyle.

Dr. Lindsey Pennington is a double board-certified facial plastic surgeon with an office at 6030 Line Ave. in Shreveport. She is the only female facial plastic and reconstructive surgeon in solo private practice in Louisiana. Dr. Pennington is known for her refined, natural results. All cosmetic consults are complimentary. Website: www.penningtonfacialplastics.com or Phone (318) 216- 5366.Follow them on FB and IG @penningtonfacialplastics for special offers and for examples of their work.