Aging is part of life and nothing to be ashamed of. Skin gets less supple and loses resilience over time. Why not just embrace this course of nature and accept it? The short answer is that we do not have to.
Facelift surgery in Houston, Texas has never been safer, more effective and less obtrusive. Furthermore, it brings new confidence to patients who must navigate professional and social cultures that prize a youthful and vital appearance. Achieving this level of results requires a high amount of medical competence from an expert medical professional such as Dr. Leo Lapuerta, a popular cosmetic facelift surgeon in Houston, Texas.
The Consult
Before undergoing any surgical process like a facelift, experienced cosmetic surgeons like Dr. Lapuerta in Houston, Texas will have an initial consultation with you, to learn your goals for the surgery, medical history and current medications, and your current health profile. Discussion with your primary care physician might also be required. Then, you and Dr. Lapuerta will determine together if facelift surgery is the right solution for you. Patients should know all their options, including those that are less invasive and lower in cost.
The Procedure
A facelift, or rhytidectomy, is not a recently developed operation, though techniques are always improving. In fact, this procedure is over 100 years old. From simply stretching the skin and removing any loose remainders to the skin graft inlay technique (whereby skin is actually transplanted), this sort of surgery has become popular and more common than you might think. Present-day facelift surgery in Houston, Texas offers results that are both pronounced and subtle, as surgeons can now use advanced techniques such as rearranging and re-orienting fat and muscle in addition to skin.
The Mini Lift
A patient can opt for a mini-facelift in which the facelift surgeon, such as Houston-based Dr. Lapuerta, makes modest incisions at the hairline and over the ears. From these openings, the doctor can then lift and contract facial tissue around the cheeks, sharpening the jawline and eliminating jowls. Such a procedure is sometimes preferable when dealing with sagging skin. A facelift surgeon will determine whether local or general anesthesia is applicable for any given patient. Your facelift cosmetic surgeon will help you decide on a mini-facelift or more extensive treatment such as a standard lift.
The Standard Lift
If the facial skin is maturing at a more advanced rate, a standard facelift might be the optimal choice. More incisions are involved, including near the temples, in front of the ears, in naturally-occurring folds and behind the hairline. These additional slits allow the surgeon to manipulate more deep-seated tissue-untethering it from the skin–in order to eliminate creases, remove sagging beneath the chin and restore vibrancy to the face. Surplus skin is extracted as the remainder is spread back over the underlying muscle and connective tissue.
What About Insurance?
In most situations, facelift surgery in Houston, Texas is considered elective cosmetic surgery by medical insurance companies, and therefore is ineligible for reimbursement or direct coverage by most providers. However, Dr. Leo Lapuerta can advise patients if there are any reasons that would qualify facelift surgery as a health-related procedure. Individual insurance providers can often answer this question as well.