Midfacial Lift
Who should consider a midfacial lift?
What happens during the procedure?
What is the expected outcome of the procedure?
Initial consultation and testing
Preparing for surgery
Day of surgery
Follow-up care
Who should consider a midfacial lift?
Anyone who has
- Excessive sagging of the cheeks
- Deep creases between the nose and cheek
- Concavities between the eyelid and cheek
The midfacial region extends from the lower eyelid to the upper lip. In a midfacial lift, the entire cheek, facial skin, muscles, and fat are elevated and tightened to form a continuous, smooth midfacial contour. The incisions are hidden inside the lower eyelid and/or within the hairline of the temple. There are no visible scars.
What is the expected outcome of the procedure?
A midfacial lift restores the natural shape of the lower eyelid and repositions the cheek fat pad that has descended with age. This creates a more youthful appearance due to a smooth unified contour suture in the lower eyelid and the cheek. The procedure reduces the folds between the nose and cheek and the creases between the lip and the cheek. In a traditional facelift the skin and the muscles of the lower face and neck are pulled back, leaving these creases largely unchanged. The result is a softening of the facial creases and an elimination of the hollowing that may occur at the junction of the lower eyelid and the cheek.
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Initial consultation and testing
Plan to spend approximately two hours at the Facial Cosmetic Surgery Clinic during your first visit. This will allow you to have a comprehensive discussion with the surgeon.
- This is the time for you to get answers to your questions and for the surgeon to describe the procedures that may be available to you.
- An examination of the face, eyelids, and the surface of the eyes will be performed at this initial visit. This is necessary because so many facial cosmetic surgeries influence eyelid position and its function of protecting the eye. The information gathered during these tests will allow the surgeon to take whatever precautions are necessary to avoid complications that may result from cosmetic surgery of the face, especially in individuals with dry eyes.
- After these tests, your surgeon will be able to give you a clear-cut assessment as to whether this procedure is a good option for you.
- This also is the time to discuss the limitations and potential risks of the procedures. You should be prepared to discuss all major and minor medical conditions and provide a complete list of the medicines you take and their dosages. At this time, your surgeon will review exactly what will happen on the day of surgery.
- This is the time to establish realistic expectations of what the surgery will accomplish.
Please refrain from taking any blood thinners like aspirin, ibuprofen and Vitamin E for 10 days prior to surgery. In addition, there should be no smoking two weeks prior to and two weeks following surgery, as smoking affects blood flow and healing.
Day of surgery
You should plan to spend 4–6 hours at the Kellogg Eye Center on the day of surgery. It is performed on an outpatient basis, allowing you to return home the same day. Before going into surgery, your medications and recent health history will be reviewed. A family member or friend can be with you until you are brought to the operating room. As part of your preparation for surgery, you will be given either local or general anesthesia. Normally, the procedure takes approximately 2–3 hours and, before going home, you will be given complete postoperative instructions.
Follow-up care
Depending on the details of your surgical procedure, you will be seen either one day or one week after surgery, and then again as determined by your surgeon. You should be able to resume normal activities in 1–2 weeks. Should you have questions or concerns during your recovery period, please call the Facial Cosmetic Surgery Clinic at 734.763.9142.
