San Diego Face Lift - A Patient's Guide

Have you been considering a San Diego face lift as a way to achieve a more youthful appearance? If so, we encourage you to take a few minutes to read this article and watch the informative video that goes with it. We are not surgeons, but rather a consumer-education website that provides unbiased information on San Diego face lift procedures and other aspects of cosmetic surgery.

So without further ado, let's talk about what you can expect from a face lift surgery.

Is a Face Lift Right For You?

The first questions you must ask yourself, about this or any other type of San Diego cosmetic surgery, is this: "Is a face lift right for me, at this time in my life?" In other words, have you made an informed decision on the matter, or have you rushed into it?

It's important to start with a bit of soul searching like this, because a San Diego face lift is a serious procedure with serious risks. It's not a "bit of the old nip and tuck" the way some plastic surgery "veterans" describe it. It is an actual reshaping of the face and removal of skin. I don't mean to scare you away from your decision here -- I just want to make sure you've given it the proper consideration.

What Kind of Face Lift?

It's also important to understand that you have more options today than ever before, when considering a San Diego face lift procedure. For example, in addition to the full surgery approach, you could have what is being referred to as the "mini" face lift. In the latter procedure, smaller incisions are made in the face, which means a quicker recovery in most cases.

With the mini option, your San Diego surgeon will use small instruments and cameras to perform your face lift surgery. This is known as endoscopic approach, and it's a less invasive way to perform the procedure. Granted the results won't last as long with the mini lift as they will with the traditional approach. But it's a less severe procedure, and is therefore a good option for some people.

These days, there are also a variety of products referred to as dermal fillers that offer some of the face lift benefits without any surgery whatsoever. There are many cosmetic surgeons in the San Diego area who specialize in these injections, so you should have no trouble finding one to further your research. The newest of these products include Radiesse and Restylane.

How Does the Surgery Work?

Before having a face lift or any other type of surgical procedure, it's a good idea to learn how it works. I've scoured YouTube for videos (produced by surgeons) that explain the face lift process in detail. I could not find any useful videos by San Diego area surgeons, but I did find one that does a good job explaining the process:


Note: There are some "dead spots" in this video... where the narration stops in between segments. It will pick back up if you let it run.

Choosing a San Diego Surgeon

So let's assume that you have (A) thoroughly educated yourself on all aspects of face lift procedures and (B) decided to go ahead with the surgery. What's next? Well, now you need to find a San Diego cosmetic surgeon who can perform your procedure. Here are some tips for making a wise choice.

When you start researching surgeons, make sure they are board certified by a professional organization such as the American Board of Plastic Surgery. When you choose a board-certified professional, you'll have the comfort of knowing the surgeon has completed a certain amount of training to earn the certification -- five to seven years of training in most cases.

It's also important to choose a surgeon who takes the time to answer your questions in a clear and straightforward manner. If you ever feel rushed by a cosmetic surgeon, of you feel as if he is glossing over important information, keep looking!

Don't be afraid to ask plenty of questions. You have every right to know about such things as the surgeon's credentials, experience, success rates, patient recovery trends and more. So ask these questions.

Conclusion and Going Forward

I hope you have found this guide to San Diego face lift surgery useful, and I wish you the best. Remember, you still have a lot of homework to do before making your final decision. This website is by no means a comprehensive lesson on the subject. You have more to learn about the different procedures available, the potential risks, the cost and more.

Los Angeles Facelift - Patient FAQ

Have you been considering a facelift in the Los Angeles area? Not sure if it's the right procedure for you? If so, you'll find this article helpful, for it explains the things you need to know before making a final decision on facelift surgery.

How a Facelift Works

Let's start with the basics of how this type of cosmetic surgery works in the first place, just so we are all on the same page. When talking about a Los Angeles facelift procedure it's important to note that there are different kinds. As a potential patient, you obviously want to know about your options. So let's talk about those options.

The full surgery -- The full surgical option for a facelift is also known as rhytidectomy. Don't worry, you won't have to spell or pronounce that word. It's a medical term for this procedure, but most people just call it a facelift. With this process, your Los Angeles surgeon will actually remove portions of excess / sagging skin. This makes the face appear "tighter" and therefore more youthful as well.

The mini facelift -- There are actually two different procedures that are collectively known as the mini facelift surgery. With this option, the surgeon uses smaller incisions than a traditional surgery and relies on a thin camera device and small instruments to perform it (endoscopy). While the results of a complete facelift can last up to 12 years or so, the results of the "mini" surgery typically last only half that long. Ask you Los Angles cosmetic surgeon about this option as well.

Non-surgical facelift -- There are certain dermal fillers in use today that are collectively being positioned as a "non-surgical facelift" (mostly by the media). With this alternative to a full facelift procedure, your Los Angeles cosmetic surgeon will inject a "filler" product such as Restylane or Radiesse. These temporary procedures give the face a fuller, more youthful appearance while also helping with wrinkles.

Here's a short video that explains what a facelift does for patients, how it works, how it compares to a mini lift, etc. It's not a Los Angeles surgeon in the video, but it's one of the most informative I could find on this subject:


Click the arrow button above to view this video tutorial. It only takes about two minutes to watch and is well worth the time.

Choosing a Los Angeles Surgeon

I probably don't need to tell you how important it is to choose a Los Angeles facelift surgeon who is well qualified for the job. If you've been researching this process for any length of time, you've probably encountered a few horror stories of plastic surgery gone wrong. In nearly all cases, these stories are the result of an unqualified surgeon botching the surgery.

The good news is, you can minimize such risks by choosing a qualified physician to perform your facelift procedure. For starters, you should choose a Los Angeles plastic surgeon who is board certified by a professional organization such as the American Board of Plastic Surgery (ABPS). When you start with this criteria, you know you're getting a surgeon who has undergone a certain amount of training and certification.

It's also important to ask plenty of questions before choosing a facelift specialist. Find out how long he or she has been performing cosmetic surgery in general, and facelift procedures in particular. Ask about their past success rates, their credentials, patient satisfaction, etc.

Don't be shy about asking for this information -- you have every right to know this information. In fact, a first-rate Los Angeles surgeon will offer this kind of information before you even ask for it. Many of them proudly post their credentials, testimonials and more on their websites. This is the kind of person you want performing your facelift surgery!