Donaldson Plastic Surgery welcomes guest blogger Dr. William F DeLuca, a plastic surgeon in Albany NY who specializes in facelift surgery.

There are several different techniques available to those considering a facelift. Men and women have several options to consider, including the type of incision used, the number of tissue layers that will be lifted or affected, targeted regions of the face, and the degree of invasiveness.

There are also concerns about the long-term effects of facelift surgery. You may be concerned about whether fat will gradually disappear from the path of the lift. Depending on the invasiveness of your surgery, you could have adverse effects, such as loss of volume in your cheeks, showing up years after the initial procedure.

Fat re-absorption can happen in the cheek area when your doctor utilizes liposuction in the cheek area during surgery. After the post-operative swelling has subsided, then areas that were aggressively treated may become noticeably hollow. Hollowness can also occur if the skin was improperly re-positioned. At my practice, I do not lipo the cheeks for this reason, but focus my attention on the neck and the jowls. The SMAS evaluation, part of the procedure, fills in the depression in the upper cheek below the orbit.

When considering revision surgery to replace the volume, I would recommend two options. Injectables work to replace lost collagen and are perfectly suited for this area of the face and provide you with longer-lasting results. The process will take at least four sessions spaced three weeks apart. Fat grafting is another option, requiring a second surgery. This will also effectively lift the face to fill out this hollowed area.

For prospective face-lift patients, it will be important to choose a surgeon that will perform your surgery with aesthetic precision. I carefully assess each patient’s unique needs in order to plan a successful facelift. Post-op patients have revision surgery with the aforementioned options but through a consultation we discover what is best for you.

For more information, please visit my website at https://www.delucaplasticsurgery.com.