Midface Lift (Cheek lift) Los Angeles, Torrance, South Bay California How does the midface age? The face is often times described in “thirds”. The upper third of the aging face involves the forehead and eyelid region, the middle third comprising the upper cheek and lower eyelid region, and the lower third as the lower cheek/jowl/jaw region. Each third of the aging face is dealt with separately to restore a youthful appearance. While blepharoplasties and brow lifts target the upper third of the face and face lifts target the lower third, midface lifts target the middle third area. One of the telltale signs of aging is the loss of fullness over the cheekbones. As we age, our cheeks seem to droop which inevitably creates a flattened appearance of the cheeks. This produces a droopy fold of skin and fat between the nose and the cheek (the nasolabial fold) and results in less prominent cheekbones. However, in a recent scientific article published in July 2009 Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, many misconceptions regarding the midface region was discussed. Contrary to popular thought, the midface/cheek area does not descend vertically as much as we were led to believe. The noticeable aging changes are largely due to the loss of volume under the skin (ie/ fat and collagen) that create an appearance of cheeks dropping vertically downwards. Understanding this concept helps surgeons address this area much more effectively. Also already baggy or saggy lower eyelids become more apparent after the fat of the upper cheek begins to sag. Due to this very reason, many patients get lower belphoraplasty in conjunction with a midface lift. What can be achieved with a Midface/Cheek Lift and who is a good candidate? A cheek lift or mid face lift can significantly reduce wrinkles, sagging skin or a depressed appearance in the cheeks. A cheek lift repositions the cheek frame in an upward direction. The cheek fat is repositioned along with underlying fascia and muscle, creating more youthful cheeks and softening the smile line. The incisions for the cheek lift are made beneath the lower eyelash line (similar to an eyelid tuck or Blepharoplasty surgery). It can restore a more prominent youthful contour, improving the tear trough and bagginess of the lower lids, and softening the undesirable cheek fold. Some people develop sagging of the cheek and midface structures in their late 30s and 40s before sagging begins in the lower face and neck. The mid-face lift is a perfect solution for this as it is minimally invasive, offers fast recuperation, and lasting results. What procedures may be combined with a Cheek Lift? During your consultation, Dr. Liu will assess the loss of volume and downward descent of your midface. He will also evaluate excess skin/fat you may have in your lower eyelid area to determine whether that area needs to be addressed concurrently along with the midface region. Dr. Liu is very careful about maintaining the balance of your facial features as to not over-accentuate one feature over the other. Natural beauty is ensuring a proportional balance in one’s facial features. Many patients elect to have their cheeklifts in concurrence with other facial procedures such as eyelid surgery, facelift, and rhinoplatsy as to recover from healing all at the same time. What type of anesthesia is used for this procedure? The surgery is performed under light sedation with local anesthesia and takes about 1-2 hours to perform. It is a relatively shorter surgery without need for general anesthesia (unless combined with other procedures such as a facelift). What is the recovery like? Most patients experience minimal discomfort after the procedure. Discoloration is minimal. Majority of the swelling will generally improve over 5-7 days, but it will take several weeks for all the swelling to resolve. Most individuals will be able to return to work and social activities within 7 days although some swelling will still be present. Why should you choose an Oculoplastic Surgeon? Although many (plastic, dermatological, cosmetic, oral-maxillary, otolaryngologist) surgeons today perform facial surgery, very few actually limit their practice to specialize in the eyes and surrounding face. Dr. Liu limits 100% of his facial plastic surgery to this area. This is why Dr. Liu was voted (Daily Breeze, BestofLA) one of the top Oculoplastic and cosmetic surgeons. Dr. Liu has a global patient base, attracting patients from all over the country and internationally. Additionally, the midface/cheeklift procedure has been popularly used by Oculoplastic surgeons to help correct ectropion, a misalignment of the lower eyelid. This is a very common problem of the lower eyelids where Oculoplastic surgeons specialize in taking care of. I am interested! What do I do next? If you are considering this procedure we encourage you to schedule a consultation with Dr. Liu. During this visit he will listen to your concerns and discuss your options. He will tell you whether you are a suitable candidate for this procedure and inform you of the potential risks of the procedure. There is a great variety patients’ faces and features and each procedure must be custom tailored for the patient to get the best possible result. As a cheeklift procedure can change a person’s appearance, it is important to be properly evaluated to make sure that a person’s features still stay balanced and symmetric to their face. You will also have a chance to view before and after photo albums of his patients who have undergone procedures similar to what you are considering. To view before and after photos, please click here Mid Face Lifts and Lower Face Lifts Helpful Links to learn more about the brow lift procedure: www.wikipedia.org www.emedicine.com