There is perhaps nowhere on the body where the signs of ageing occur more noticeably than the face. The natural ageing process, lifestyle and the environment contribute to unwanted facial lines, wrinkles and uneven skin tones. Face-lift techniques have evolved beyond the concept of lifting and now include incorporating superficial and deep filling of facial fat compartments to address volume deflation and ageing. In addition to traditional face-lift methods involving the excision and skin tightening and the underlying soft tissues, ancillary procedures have become paramount in achieving an optimal result.

‘Facial aesthetic procedures’ is a broad definition that includes all the surgical treatments of the face, from blepharoplasty to lip lift and direct brow lift. In this article, doctor Rozina Ali shares with us the most important information about 3 of the most popular ancillary facial aesthetic procedures.

Lip lift

When it comes to making your lips look fuller — if that's a look you happen to love — lip fillers or plumping products are some of the most common tools. They're not the only options, though — in fact, right under everyone's noses, the lip lift has become a popular alternative.

A lip lift procedure can improve lip and smile aesthetics in several ways. First and foremost, it shortens the lip. Younger patients usually have shorter lips that are plump and curvaceous, while older patients frequently have elongated upper lips and tend to lose volume in their lips with advancing age. The goal of the lip lift procedure is to shorten the upper lip and evert the vermilion, which results in a more volumized “rolled-out” lip. When measuring the lip from the bottom of the philtrum to the top of the vermilion, excessive length is generally considered more than 20mm.

Blepharoplasty

Blepharoplasty is a kind of surgery performed on the eyelids. It removes excess skin from the upper eyelids and reduces bagginess from the lower eyelids. It’s also called an eye lift. The skin loses its elasticity and our muscles slacken with age. For the eyelids, this results in an accumulation of loose skin which collects as folds in the upper lids and forms deepening creases in the lower lids.

Do keep in mind that even if eyelid surgery can improve your appearance and help build your confidence, it may not result in your ideal look or alter your facial structure. Think carefully about your goals and discuss them with your surgeon prior to the surgery.

Direct brow lift

A direct brow lift is a forehead lift surgery to create a permanent enhancement to the brow and, indirectly, the eyes. This procedure can eliminate deep brow furrows, smooth brow fine lines and wrinkles, and correct brow ptosis. While the results are permanent, they will be subject to the effects of natural ageing as time goes on.

Direct brow lifting has many advantages such as achieving minor adjustments in brow height and contour and it offers exquisite control over brow shape, height, and contour.

Although a traditional face-lift will rejuvenate the face, it primarily addresses lateral facial skin laxity when done alone. With the advent of newer autologous fat grafting techniques and detailed knowledge of the soft tissue anatomy of the face, ancillary procedures in facial rejuvenation improve the results of a facelift by filling and volumizing regions of the face that have undergone fat atrophy and soft tissue deflation. The key is to be honest with your goals for this procedure and what you hope to achieve. You are unique, so your plastic surgeon should be able to personalise each facelift procedure to your specific needs.

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