Looking NATURAL or Looking FAKE after Facelifts:
What Determines Good and Bad Results ?
What is DRUM FACE, and how do we avoid that look? It’s almost universal that patients don’t want to look fake after a facelift or a neck lift. No one wants that windswept appearance or to look like a “deer caught in headlights.” Too many cosmetic surgeons make big and unnatural lips and cheeks. These are real problems and are feared by patients regularly. What determines these bad results? How can patients avoid unnatural looks and bad cosmetic surgery? This educational writing explores what factors are involved to become fake looking, and how we can get natural rejuvenation and good cosmetic surgery. This educational writing was done at the request of a patient from New York City, NY. The paragraphs below will review essential factors and reasons that could lead to fake results. When a surgeon is skilled and knowledgeable about these factors, as I am, then we can avoid these problems and never get fake results, only natural ones. I specialize in cosmetic facial rejuvenation and facelifts. I have vast experience for over 30 years, and my LAVVNDR LIFT is one of my favorite and best operations. This educational writing will help you learn about important concepts about looking younger.
Elastance:
You only have so many facial operations before you start to get fake looking. This is because of the physical characteristics of the skin. It’s called ELASTANCE. It’s the stretch of the skin, and it is determined by youth and the physical qualities of the skin, such as elastic fibers and collagen fibers. Skin has a natural stretch and snap back. It’s a huge part of why we look young and normal. Young skin looks young and youthful because of this elastance and elasticity.
First, it’s important to understand what’s involved in a rhydidectomy or a facelift or neck lift. Essentially, the skin is elevated with incisions around the ears and pulled back. Excess skin and tissue is cut out and removed. It’s more complicated with the deeper layers and the muscles, but it’s the skin part of the surgery that often leads to fakeness with too many operations. You can read more about how it’s done and my specialty the LAVVNDR LIFT, which is a trilaminar, composite, and deep plane facelift. You can link there now.
When a facelift is done, the remaining skin has enough residual elasticity and elastance to look normal. Smiling and other facials movements are normal because the skin has this “give and take.” However, perform the operation 3 or 4 times and things can get unnatural. Imagine a tight drum. The drum is leather pulled tight. It has no stretch. Too many facelifts, and your face can be like this drum. It can get that type of bad result. The windswept appearance is commonly worried about after surgery. I have coined the term the DRUM FACE.
There’s a limit to how much cosmetic surgery a face can have an still remain natural. It’s not a specific number of operations. It varies from person to person. It’s definitely not two facelifts. But operations 4 or 5 have a greater likelihood of causing DRUM FACE. It’s an ascending line. Fake results and DRUM FACE goes up statistically with the number of facelifts you get done.
Fat:
Fat transfer is a fabulous technique to look natural and younger. It’s a big part of many of my facelifts. With my LAVVNDR facelift, fat is often transferred to the cheeks and folds to enhance the results. We lose fat as we age. Think of a 90 year old lady with almost no facial fat, and she is basically skin and bone. She might appear gaunt. Fat can help make this patient and other patients look younger, better, and healthier – but still natural.
However, too much fat and you can look ridiculous and unnatural. It’s a common error by inexperienced plastic surgeons. This is one of the main reasons to look fake. Big and unnatural lips and cheeks can look so weird or grotesque. Some fat is good. Too much is horrible. The appearance can be very distorted and unattractive. In my practice, this never happens. Why? Because I have 30 years of experience and know what is too much. It’s the volume. Too much volume equals bad and fake results. Too little doesn’t do anything. The artistic part of the operation includes the surgeons experience to use the correct amount to rejuvenate beautifully, but stay natural. For those who are interested in further information on fat transfer for facial rejuvenation, you can link there now.
We Are a Team:
The patient and the doctor are a team. Fake facelift results can also come from the patient and the doctor who are a “bad” team. Patients can ask for unusual goals. The doctor should educate the patient and stop this from happening. Think of Michael Jackson or Joan Rivers. They wanted unusual results and had unusual desires. Michael’s nose became ridiculously small and weird. He wanted this result and the doctor for some reason wasn’t saying NO! Some doctors have poor esthetic skills or bad training. Some are just inexperienced. Maybe some just want your money. It doesn’t matter the reason honestly. If a patient wants something fake, it’s the doctors responsibility to say no and instead discuss options that are natural.
Weird goals:
Some patients have unusual and unnatural wishes with cosmetic surgery. They want to look like a cat or something totally strange. I won’t do this type of surgery, so I won’t get fake results because of a patient who has weird desires. I once had a patient who had 4 facelifts by other doctors. If you saw her, you might cringe. She probably had body dysmorphia. She wanted another facelift and neck lift. I explained why she shouldn’t do this, and I educated her on the situation. Many patients are actually happy if you take the time and explain to them the limitations of cosmetic surgery. It’s part of the concept of “realistic expectations“ that I emphasize. By learning and discussing how surgery works, we can avoid fake looks or weird goals that some patients want.
Summary:
Cosmetic surgery can give youthful and natural rejuvenation to most people interested in facelift surgery. Many people have fears of looking fake or unnatural. They are scared of looking windswept and weird. I call it the DRUM FACE. Fake results like these are actually not common, and in my hands will never occur. Reasons that some doctors make these bad results are the patient has had too many facelifts, excessive fat, and weird patient desires. There is a limit to the number of facelifts you can have because of elastance issues of the skin. Excessive fat transfer is another common cause of fake results. A little fat is good. Too much fat gives fake changes. In my consultations, I review your options in detail. The consultation is thorough and complete, and I will help you on your journey to a younger and natural result.
