In a person’s early to mid-thirties, the cheek tissue begins to sag and droop by the constant pull of gravity. The result is that the area below the eye appears hollow, the bone of the orbit may become visible, and folds that extend from the corner of the mouth up toward the corner of the nose thicken. These folds are called “naso-labial (literally, nose-lip) folds.” Doctors refer to the entire sagging/drooping process as the “descent of the mid-face” with the term “mid-face” describing the portion of the face that lies above the mouth but below the eyes (middle of the face…midface).
The mid-facelift is a procedure generally considered the biggest advance in facial plastic surgery in 15 years. Prior to the mid-facelift, surgeons had nothing to offer patients to help address aging in the middle of the face but tried to achieve improvement through a traditional facelift, a procedure best suited to rejuvenation of the lower face and neck. In someone with a lot of mid-facial aging, a traditional facelift creates somewhat of a mismatch if they have a youthful neck and jaw-line but the middle of their face is aged. In a patient with both mid and lower facial aging, a better approach is to combine a mid-facelift with a traditional facelift to achieve harmonious and total facial rejuvenation. In a younger patient with just mid-facial aging and maybe early lower facial aging, a mid-facelift may achieve the desired result, even correcting mild jowling, without the need for a lower facelift.
The mid-facelift requires an expert knowledge of facial anatomy and advanced surgical training. Not all surgeons offer the mid-face lift. Dr. Marotta performs an endoscopic mid-facelift (minimal incisions, using a camera) and completed his training in facial plastic surgery with one of the pioneers of this procedure. Dr. Marotta has published scientific papers and given lectures on the endoscopic mid-face lift.
Reasons for getting a Mid-Facelift
- Deepening crease lines that extend from the sides of the nose to the corners of the mouth; these are technically called nasolabial folds.
- Hollowing of the area below the eye.
- Sagging cheeks and early jowling.
- You like the results that were achieved with the “thread-lift” but want a more permanent solution without any permanent sutures.
General Procedure
At our facility, the anesthesia for a mid-facelift is deep sedation. A mid-facelift may take several hours or longer depending on whether other cosmetic procedures are completed at the same time. It is most frequently combined with an endoscopic forehead lift and/or a facelift. Dr. Marotta is able to perform a mid-facelift endoscopically using a camera and incisions that are entirely hidden behind the hairline. The mid-facial cheek tissues are restored to their natural (higher) position using absorbable sutures. As these sutures dissolve, the cheek tissues naturally adhere to the underlying bone and remain in a youthful position.
Recovery
Immediately after surgery, your face will be fitted with bandages and surgical drains in order to speed recovery and reduce swelling. The bandages and drains are removed on the first postoperative visit. We recommend head of bed elevation and light activity in the immediate postoperative period. Patients generally report little pain with mid-facelift surgery, but may have some mild pain with chewing that lasts for a few days. You will have frequent postoperative visits with Dr. Marotta to monitor your progress and remove the stitches. Facial swelling is more pronounced with a mid-facelift than with a facelift alone and may persist a bit longer. Most patients return to work after 2 weeks with makeup easily covering any residual bruising.