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Midface lift:

This procedure is carried out to lift up the facial skin and the layer investing the facial muscles to give the face a less tired look and younger appearance, effectively setting back time.

It must be taken into consideration that the face does not age in one or another component; however, it ages at one time in all its components and must be treated accordingly. The aging process involves the skin especially if it is sun damaged. Hence, it is not unusual that facelift and mid facelift with eyelids surgery are carried out at the same time to achieve the best outcomes.

As we age our facial muscles and the investing layer slacken and loose elasticity, thus creating lines and folds. The effect of gravity, exposure to the sun and stress also show on our face, causing folds and lines to deepen.

The bony skeleton of the face losses volume and so do the fat pads of the face. One such fat pad is in the midface and is called the sub-orbicularis oculi fat pad (SOOF). These changes also cause drooping at the sides of the mouth occurs also occurs as a result of this.

The mid facelift has more focus on improvement in the area from the lower eyelids, cheekbone to the upper lip area including the angles of the mouth and also to a lesser extent the jowls.

Due to ageing the fullness of the cheeks are lost, with skin and underlying fat starting to sag from the lower eyelids. This procedure can be carried out with a lower eyelid blepharoplasty, (eye bags reduction), and also in conjunction with a standard facelift. Another benefit is that there may be some decrease in the creases, which extend from the side of the nose to the corners of the mouth (nasolabial folds).

Mid facelift is intricate surgery and must be carried by a qualified and experienced plastic surgeon. I continue to enjoy performing such surgery over the last 14 years of my 18 years career as a consultant plastic & reconstructive surgeon with very good and reproducible outcomes with many happy patients.

The mid face aging in some patients can be treated also with non-surgical treatments. One such treatment is facial fillers using hyaluronic acid facial fillers such as Allergan Vycross range and the advanced techniques, the MD-Codes.

Skin treatments for aging skin must be considered as tired looking skin will mar the results of surgery and can cause less pleasing patient outcomes. Hence, supplementary treatments are a must discussion in the pre-surgery consultations.

WHAT TO EXPECT:

A midface lift is normally performed under general anaesthetic; however, local anaesthetic with/without sedation may be contemplated in selected patients.

A 1-night stay is required in hospital with postoperative recuperation period of 3-4 weeks is advised. The face feels stiff to begin with after the operation and will appear puffy, which will improve over the next 2-3 weeks following the surgery. After approximately 2-3 weeks social activities and work can begin again in the majority of patients. Bruising is likely to occur in some patients.

In some patients recovery may take longer as the surgery carried out was to cater for a more aged lower eyelids and midface aging too. Hence, these patients can take 4-6 weeks to recover and may suffer red and watery eyes over that period of time and a tighter lower eyelid warranting closer monitoring and support.

There is scarring after a midface lift, which is an extension of the lower eye bag reduction surgery; and it runs just under the eyelashes of lower eyelids and few millimetres to the side of the lower eyelids. In the majority of patients these scars will significantly fade away in the first 4-6 months and will continue to improve over the period of scar maturity, which is in the first 12-18 month.

Wrinkle relaxing injections and dermal facial fillers maybe contemplated as supplementary treatment at a later date in some patients for maximum effect and also to increase longevity of outcomes and its maintenance.

Fat transfer can also be contemplated in some patients to use during surgery or at later date to fill the midface and give a more youthful look with improvement to the skin as fat carries stem cells. It is important that in 20-30% of patients fat transfer may warrant another stage due to fat resorption. Further information can be obtained on the day of consultation.