The mid-face area helps to communicate emotions.
Traditional full face lifts do little to add a tighter, younger look to the center of the face, between the eyes and mouth, according to CosmeticSurgery.com. This region, known as the mid-face, requires its own separate procedure to correct drooping fat, skin and muscles. This relatively quick and affordable procedure appeals to people who just want to look a few years younger with resorting to a full face lift.
Purpose
A mid-face lift concentrates on tightening the area in the center of the face between the eyes and the corners of the mouth. This area contributes most of the face's range of emotional expression, and drooping mouth corners can make a person appear inappropriately sad, tired or angry, while drooping cheekbone skin adds puffiness around the eyes. Improving the skin and muscle tone in this area makes the patient look younger, healthier and happier. Some institutions such as the Mayo Clinic also refer to the procedure as a "cheek lift."
Candidates
People who would like to appear more youthful but cannot afford a full face lift may opt for a mid-face lift instead. The surgeon can complete the procedure in about an hour, appealing to time-pressed individuals who want a convenient outpatient procedure. Prospective patients who have deep folds or lines in the area between the nose and mouth, or who suffer from sagging jowls or wrinkles, can pull the skin away from the corners of the mouth slightly to see what a mid-face lift would look like.
Procedures
Surgeons shift the underlying muscle and fat as well as the facial skin to re-anchor the mid-face for a more youthful appearance. This procedure requires cutting more deeply than for an ordinary full face lift, starting either around the mouth or up near the eyelashes. The surgeon relocates the cheek and nose muscles and the fat in the cheeks, then reattaches the muscles in their new position and sews the incisions closed. In some cases, the surgeon may use a tiny camera called an endoscope to view and work underneath the skin through a tiny incision.
Recovery
Because a mid-face lift involves a smaller area than a full face lift, patients usually recover more quickly and with less pain, though bruising and swelling may take one to two weeks to subside and itching may accompany the healing process. The surgeon will usually advise the patient to avoid strenuous activity for several weeks after the procedure.
Considerations
While a mid-face lift procedure costs considerably less than a full face lift, patients may still have to pay several thousand dollars out of their own pockets, because health insurance does not cover the operation or anesthesia costs. Patients can expect five to 10 years of improved appearance, depending on factors such as health, age, the extent of the surgery, sun exposure and individual recovery powers. People considering this surgery should acquaint themselves with the procedure's benefits and limitations to develop a realistic picture of the final outcome.
Tags: full face, full face lift, mid-face lift, face lift, between eyes