During almost every facelift/face lift consultation, I am asked how I developed my 3 Dimensional Facelift where I repair the facial elements underneath the skin before I gently lift the skin around the face. This muscle lift, also called a mid-face lift is a technique I developed almost 20 years ago. I was the first to present my technique in video form at the National Plastic Surgery Meeting at the American College of Surgeons in Orlando in May, 1998. This innovative procedure is what distinguishes me from other plastic surgeons.

The common understanding of a facelift is to cut the skin around the face and pull the skin tight. Unfortunately, pulling the skin tight can damage the skin tissue and may result in a wind tunnel unnatural look. From the beginning, I was dissatisfied with this approach and wanted to develop an approach with better results, less damage to the skin tissue, and results that looked natural.

The inspiration came when I was a pediatric trauma plastic surgeon. During this time, I would often see young patients whose face was severely damaged. While I was able to repair their injuries at the time of the accident, there was an added dimension of complexity because the patient’s face was still growing and changing as the child aged. At the time, the medical industry lacked the proper suture to address this problem.

A similar problem occurs during our adulthood as we age. Muscles and tendons on our face sag over time giving us that tired, sad look. For both cases, I needed a specific type of suture that could grab the muscle and attach it the bones. As a result, I developed the CoApt Endotine Suture to reattach the muscles to the face. This suture dissolves over time while letting the muscles heal. Through this revolutionary suture, I was able to provide my patients an optimal result where facial elements were repaired, the skin did not have to be unnaturally pulled, and patients regain their youthful look.

Above is an example of a successful facelift combined with a mid-face lift. Subtle changes make the patient look at least 10 years young. Bags under her eyes have disappeared, her brow has not been unnaturally lifted, and her jowl lines are significantly reduced. Best of all, it is her same face. The patient’s eyes are the same shape, her lips are not stretched or elongated, and her cheeks have been restored to the natural position.

Due to the complexity of working on the midface area, it was once considered a no man’s land for most if not all plastic surgeons. Some plastic surgeons have embraced my approach but it still takes an expert board certified plastic surgeon to perform this delicate surgery. I have performed thousands of facelifts and face related procedures over the years. My goal is for my patients to get the highest level of medical care along with best natural looking results.

Due to the growing popularity of plastic surgery and the large number of plastic surgeons, some may incorrectly assume that one plastic surgeon’s skill and ability is the same as long as they are board certified. I recommend more than one consultation, learning each surgeon’s approach, and carefully looking at the before/after pictures for those subtle differences that lead to dramatic results.