The weekend facelift
By Sande Snead CONTRIBUTING WRITER

For many people, a facelift is an enticing idea with two obstacles thatstand in their way: recovery time and expense. While a traditional comprehensive facelift takes about two weeks of recovery and can cost up to $5,000, a facelift with limited and smaller incisions takes less recovery time and money. Dr. Joe Niamtu calls this "the weekend facelift."

"A patient can come in for surgery on a Thursday and be back at work on Tuesday," Niamtu said. "Most of the healing occurs over the weekend, and the cost is about $3,500."

The weekend facelift involves a small incision at each ear at the hair line. It is a much smaller incision than that used for a comprehensive facelift.

With a weekend facelift, women can dramatically improve their appearance in just a few days.

The outpatient surgery takes about one and a half hours, and involves dissolvable stitches; there are no bandages. It can be done under local anesthesia, though Niamtu said most people prefer light sedation. "Afterwards, there is mild swelling and mild discomfort," Niamtu said. "It is an ideal procedure for people who are active and have minimal to moderate aging and can't take time off from work for a comprehensive facelift." While traditional facelifts involve more surgery, recovery time and cost, results also last 10 to 15 years. In comparison, weekend facelift results last five to six years on average. "In some respects, the results last forever," Niamtu said. "It doesn't stop the clock; you do continue to age, but by having cosmetic surgery, you do turn back the clock."

While some men have facelifts, the vast majority of Niamtu's patients are women, and they are getting younger. In the past, most women waited until they were in their 60s and looked old before seeking cosmetic surgery. Today, the average age for women seeking facelifts is 48.

"The thought of a facelift conjures fear and loathing," Niamtu said. "Most people think it's surgery all over the head and neck, but it is really focused on the lower part of the face. It improves the jowls, the bottom of the checks, the jaws and neck."

While Niamtu and other cosmetic surgeons off er a number of alternatives to surgery for achieving a more youthful appearance, nothing can achieve the dramatic and lasting effects of a facelift.

"Botox, Retin-a, and Restylane are examples of improved technology that allow excellent results with minimal or no downtime," Niamtu said. "You hear a lot about 'miracle' facelifts that are so minimal that they sound too good to be true. If they sound too good, they probably are. It is impossible to get true and lasting results without surgery or recovery."

"Facelift surgery has been around for a century and to date there is no procedure that has replaced it," continued Niamtu. " I like to say that you are not going to see a horse on the highway because the combustion engine is so superior. Likewise, if there were a viable replacement to facelift surgery, all cosmetic surgeons would be using it. A facelift is still the standard for lower face rejuvenation, but the good news is that it has gotten a lot easier."