There’s no doubt that choosing to undergo any form of cosmetic surgery is a massive decision, and one that should not be taken lightly. There are inherent risks with every procedure, and it is always advised that you make yourself aware of any potential risks to health or aesthetics before you make any decision.
However, if you have made an informed decision and feel, for you, that the potential positives outweigh the potential negatives then the next step is to decide exactly what you want to achieve. I am not trying to scare any off cosmetic surgery! The advancements in technology, techniques and consequently safety have exponentially increased over the last decade, with it now being safer than it ever was (and more affordable to).
Facial cosmetic surgery procedure
In this article I’m going to focus on two cosmetic surgery options there are within the field of head and neck surgery that focus mainly on anti-aging techniques; procedures that help one to look younger. If you want to improve your aesthetics in this area, there are some great procedures you want to look up, much more than I will detail here. Research is key in this field, from types of procedures to surgeon and clinics who perform then. A quick tip before I go on – if you are interested at all in delving into cosmetic surgery the best thing you can do to research is to find bloggers! There will be hundreds, if not thousands, of people just like you out there who have been through it all before, the good and the bad! Use this as a resource, and you’ll learn lots.
The Neck Lift
The first procedure that I will focus on is the neck lift (also known as the lower face lift). Sagging skin in the neck area is one of the most obvious signs of aging. Loss of neck contour, neck bands and ‘double chins’ are all tell tale signs of aging, though they can be caused by other factors. Many believe that fat is the cause of all of these but this is not always the case; in fact it is only attributable to a minority of cases. Consequently, liposuction is not the answer. Doing so will only create skin irregularities, and lead to an unpleasant look, i.e. a retruded chin, which is not the desired outcome!
There are a number of neck lift procedures available but I’ll only describe the one I feel is most effective and value for money. This is ‘Platysmal Plication’. Here, three incisions are made – one below the chin, one just below that and then one behind the ear lobe. This brings the muscle out of play whilst the surgeon inserts sutures (corset-type stitches) that are strategically placed to improve the position (and appearance) of the platysmal muscle. The benefit of this procedure is that it can be performed under local anaesthetic and usually only takes around an hour. It does sound a bit intrusive and graphic I know, but relative to other procedures it’s actually rather simple!
The Mini Face Lift
The next procedure I’ll speak about is the mini face lift (also known as the lunchtime lift). Again this procedure is performed under local anaesthetic and takes up to 2 hours, so downtime and potential risks are minimised – no lengthy lay outs. Not sure I’d have it done during my lunch time, but I can see where they get the name from – even if it is a bit optimistic! Like a neck lift procedure, 3 to 4 small incisions are made strategically in order to tighten the muscles and tissues, and remove any excess sagging skin. This procedure is great for those looking to tighten up their appearance, maybe those with a particular area of loose skin that just want a tuck up. For 2 hours, the price can be rather expensive; ranging from £2000 to £4000.
As noted previously, if you are interested about either of these procedures then do some research not only into what type would be best suited to yourself, but also to where best to get it done. There’s no doubt that if performed by a great surgeon the above procedures can have a great effect on your appearance, without being too invasive.
