3 minute read

Plastic surgery is a serious commitment, one that unfortunately involves surgical risk, cost, discomfort, and time away from work and some of your favorite activities. Because of this, everyone hopes that their treatment will offer permanent results. Sadly, this is not always true, especially when it comes to facial procedures. While facial plastic surgery can provide long-lasting results, they are not necessarily going to be with you forever.

Portrait of a woman demonstrating potential results that can be achieved with facial plastic surgery and non-surgical cosmetic treatments.

Long-Lasting, Not Permanent

Most men and women opt for facial plastic surgery and facial non-surgical procedures to turn back the hands of time. Anti-aging techniques make up the large subgroup of all facial cosmetic treatments. Wrinkles, skin laxity, and volume loss are all inevitable signs of aging that can be treated with a facelift, eyelid, and brow lift surgery. Procedures help to slow down the clock, not stop it.

Facelift

Facelift surgery targets wrinkles, skin laxity, and volume loss from the cheeks to the jawline. This procedure tightens and secures the underlying facial tissues that may have dropped, and it trims away any extra and unneeded skin on the region. Facelift surgery offers natural results that can help patients look years younger than they did before the procedure.

Eyelid Surgery

Blepharoplasty, or eyelid surgery, targets the aging around the eyes. This procedure trims away excess skin and addresses fat pockets on the upper and lower eyelids to restore a more youthful facial appearance. This procedure not only targets natural aging but also the lines and wrinkles caused by repeated muscle movements.

Brow Lift

Brow lift surgery, or a forehead lift, enhances the area above the eyes. A brow lift raises brows that are drooping and contributing to a heavy appearance and reduces the depth of creases on the forehead.

Unfortunately, your skin and tissues will continue to break down with age and sun damage. That is why these anti-aging procedures are not permanent. Facelift, blepharoplasty, and brow lift can restore youthful contours, but it cannot stop the natural breakdown of skin and tissues.

Before and after photos of a patient who underwent facelift surgery with Dr. Schlechter.

The Exceptions to the Rule

While many surgeries will not be permanent, there are exceptions to the rule. Facial augmentation like rhinoplasty, otoplasty, and chin implants should provide you with lifelong improvement. This is because these procedures alter your facial structure, which does not naturally change with time.

Are These Procedures Ever Temporary?

The only reason that you may encounter the need for additional surgery to the nose, ears, or chin is if a revision procedure is necessary. The need for revision is rare; however, it is not impossible. Occasionally, patients do not heal the way they are expected to, and sometimes additional complications may result in an outcome that is less than that anticipated. Revision procedures such as a revision rhinoplasty can repair or enhance a previous surgical procedure that may have left you with unsatisfactory results.

How to Maintain Your Results?

As the longevity of plastic surgery results is not guaranteed, it is up to you to prolong the quality of them. To lengthen your results, you need to prevent new signs of aging from quickly forming. This can be done with a few simple practices.

Wear sunscreen every day (a broad-spectrum SPF 30 is usually sufficient).
Avoid peak sun hours (between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.).
Keep your skin hydrated (apply moisturizers and lotions and drink water).
Do not smoke.
Eat a healthy diet.
Follow your surgical procedures with non-surgical injectable treatments, chemical peels, facials, and laser resurfacing.

To learn more about these procedures in the Northbrook or Chicago areas, contact Dr. Schlechter at North Shore Aesthetics by calling (847) 393-4770 or by filling out our online contact form.