Over their lifetime, women shell out an estimated $225,360 on their appearance. Men, on the other hand, spend $175,680.
Those figures prove just how critical physical appearances are. And for a good reason: they affect one’s psychological wellbeing, after all.
So, it’s also no wonder that facelifts remain popular in the US, with more than 200,000 procedures done in 2020 alone.
If you have plans to get one yourself, it’s best to learn more about the most common types of facelifts first. Don’t worry, though, as we’ll tell you all about them below, so read on.
Traditional Rhytidectomy
Rhytidectomy is the technical term for facelift procedures.
A traditional rhytidectomy, in turn, involves the entire face. It aims to improve skin aging signs by lifting the area around the ears, hairline, and chin.
A traditional facelift procedure may also include the neck and jowls. In that case, the surgeon removes extra fat in those areas and then trims excess skin.
Superficial Musculoaponeurotic System (SMAS) Rhytidectomy
The SMAS is the muscular layer of the face comprised of fat cells, collagen, and elastin fibers. It’s a long sheet of tissue that starts from the forehead and extends to the neck.
However, a SMAS rhytidectomy only focuses on the lower two-thirds of the face. That includes the cheeks and the lower face, but not the forehead.
If you don’t have severe forehead wrinkles but have sagging cheeks, a SMAS facelift may be an ideal option.
Deep Plane Facelift
A deep plane facelift involves lifting the entire SMAS, fat, and skin in one go. That makes it different from a traditional rhytidectomy, which separates those layers.
As a result, a SMAS facelift reduces trauma in the superficial tissues. It also tends to cause less bruising.
Mid-Facelift
A mid-facelift is a rhytidectomy that only treats the cheek area. It involves repositioning or removing some of the fat in the cheeks. The surgeon then lifts and tightens the skin on the treated area.
Mini Facelift
A mini facelift targets the lower face down to the neck area. Since it treats a smaller portion, it’s quicker and less invasive. However, that’s also why surgeons often perform it only on people with minor skin sagging.
Cutaneous Facelift
Cutaneous means skin. So, when you get a cutaneous facelift, only your skin undergoes treatment. That makes this procedure even less invasive than a mini facelift.
You can get a cutaneous facelift on your face and neck. It’s only effective for superficial skin aging signs, though, as it doesn’t go deeper than the skin.
Ultrasound Facelift
Also known as ultherapy, ultrasound facelift replaces scalpels with ultrasound energy. There are no cuts involved, making it a non-surgical alternative to rhytidectomy.
With ultherapy, the goal is to tighten the skin’s foundational and support layers. Doing so helps address premature skin laxity and lift sagging jowls.
Feel Younger With These Types of Facelifts
As you can see, there are over half a dozen types of facelifts you can choose from today. And while most are invasive, they can all help minimize the signs of skin aging.
So, if you’d like to get rid of excess facial fat or sagging skin, consider investing in a facelift procedure.
Are you looking for other beauty tips or guides on achieving optimal health? If so, then feel free to check out our recent posts for more nuggets of wisdom!
