Announcement
FACE LIFT RECOVERY
Seattle, WA - Face lift recovery. Most patients are pleasantly surprised to hear that recovery from a facelift can be quite brief. Seattle facial plastic surgery expert, Dr. Sam Naficy, performs a number of innovative and minimally-invasive face lift and neck lift procedures with recovery times as brief as just a few days. Read more about the recovery here......
Announcement
THE FEATHERLIFT TECHNIQUE - As seen on Oprah
Seattle, WA - Facial plastic surgery without the scalpel!?
See how you can turn back years in just minutes with the exciting Featherlift procedure. "The Featherlift (also known as Feather lift, Thread lift, Suspension lift, and Contour lift) is quicker and more predictable than Thermage", states the Seattle Plastic Surgeon. "Combined with Botox, Restylane, Fat injections, or Sculptra, you can get the younger face you want without the down-time or expense of facial plastic surgery." Read more about the Featherlift procedure......
Announcement
DR. SAM NAFICY VOTED TOP FACIAL PLASTIC SURGEON
Seattle, WA - Face lift, neck lift specialist.
Voted "Top Doctor" by his medical peers in facial plastic surgery
Seattle Magazine
Facelift & Neck Lift
How do the face and neck age?
As we age, our skin loses its elasticity and gives in to gravity. This causes
sagging of the neck and jaw line as well as loose folds of skin around the mouth.
Some people may also develop fatty collections under the chin, and others get
thick cords under the skin of the neck. Today, men and women in their 50s and
60s are healthier, more active, and more productive than ever before. More and
more people are choosing to age gracefully by setting back the clock a few years
through facial cosmetic surgery. The truth is that most people seeking facial
cosmetic surgery want to look better, but they don't want to look radically
different. We also feel strongly that the outcome of facial cosmetic surgery should
be very natural in appearance. A great result is both in what you see and what
you don't see.
What can a facelift and neck lift achieve?
A facelift (or face lift) and neck lift can reverse many features of the aging face
and neck. The most dramatic improvement is seen in the jaw-line and the neck.
A facelift (or face lift) may be combined with other procedures to help maintain
facial balance and harmony.
Upper and lower blepharoplasty, face and neck lift, neck
liposuction, and lip augmentation by Sam Naficy, MD, Seattle, WA
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How is the surgery performed?
Incisions are typically made in hidden locations around the ears, in the temple,
and behind the ears. Following this step, the skin is carefully elevated from the
lower face and neck region and the muscles of the face and neck are tightened
to produce a natural, long-lasting effect (deep plane facelift). Older facelift
techniques, did not involve this critical step of addressing the lax muscle and the
results were not as natural or long-lasting.
After adequate tightening of the deeper layers, the skin is redraped and excess
skin is carefully trimmed and meticulously sutured along the incision lines. This
results in improvement of the laxity of the jaw-line and contour of the neck.
Facelift and neck lift photo gallery
You may wish to browse through the gallery of representative before and after
facelift and neck lift pictures. Click on any of the thumbnails to enter the slide
show. All procedures were performed by Dr. Sam Naficy and some patients may
have had more than one surgical procedure performed. The text accompanying
the photos describes the details of the procedures performed.
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Click on thumbnail to begin viewing slideshow.
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Where exactly are the incisions made and how visible are they?
Facelift and neck lift incisions are carefully placed within the natural creases in
front, within, and behind the ear. After adequate tightening of the deeper
structures, excess skin is removed from both sides and the incisions are carefully
repaired. Dr. Naficy uses the most meticulous technique and the finest sutures
for closure of his incisions, which in most individuals will usually fade to a barely
visible thin line.
The incision photo gallery below shows pictures of some of the healed incisions
(typically around 2-3 months following surgery) of face and neck lifts performed
by Dr. Naficy. During the first few weeks, the incisions will be more visible and
may require use of concealers for better camouflage.
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Click on thumbnail to begin viewing slideshow.
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What technique is best for me?
Perhaps one of the most confusing aspects of facial surgery for patients is the
terminology used by doctors and patients to describe different facelift techniques.
For example, here is a partial list of some of the terminology used to describe
facial plastic surgery procedures:
Facelift (face lift), neck lift, face and neck lift, full facelift, complete facelift, partial
facelift, vertical facelift, quick lift, mini facelift, S-lift, weekend facelift, weekend
neck lift, mini tuck, jaw-line tuck, SMAS facelift, deep plane facelift, laser facelift,
feather lift, cheek lift, midface lift, subperiosteal facelift, tri-plane facelift, bi-plane
facelift, and endoscopic facelift!
When discussing the procedure with your surgeon, make sure that you are
"comparing apples with apples". As a general rule, procedures that are shorter,
less invasive, and easier to perform, also result in a more limited degree of
improvement. Make sure that your surgeon is trained in all aspects of facial
plastic surgery and does not have a "cookie cutter" approach. Some suggestions
for questions to ask your surgeon:
- The technique that you are proposing, how well does it address my area
of concern (jowl, neck, midface, etc)?
- Is this the most effective technique to address my area of concern?
- Do you use this technique for all of your facelifts or are you suggesting it
because of my unique features?
Remember that not all faces are created equal and no single technique can be
effective in all individual seeking facial rejuvenation surgery. Dr. Naficy is
experienced in all modern techniques of facial surgery and always custom tailors
the procedure to the specific needs of the patient.
Choosing a facelift surgeon
It is very important to realize that in addition to the variety of techniques that are
available, the results of your facelift may vary greatly depending on who is
performing your procedure much more so than
what technique they are using. Many doctors offering facelift surgery are not
trained as facial plastic surgeons! They may actually be dermatologists, oral
surgeons, or ophthalmologists.
Also make sure that your surgeon has hospital privileges to perform the facelift
procedure, even though the procedure will be performed in an office setting. For
instance, Dr. Naficy has privileges for all facial plastic surgery procedures at all
major Seattle area hospitals. In contrast, a dermatologist, oral surgeon, or
ophthalmologist who offers facelift surgery will only be able to
do so by performing the surgery in his or her own back office. Ask your doctor
whether they have hospital privileges for the procedures you are considering to
undergo.
What is the best age to have a facelift?
One of the biggest questions our patients ask is about timing of this procedure.
Some worry that if they have the procedure too soon they may want to repeat it
again later in life, while others worry that if they wait too long they may be beyond
help. Most of our patients coming in for face and neck lift procedures are in a
range of late 40s to late 50s. They have started to show early sagging of the face
and neck and are trying to be proactive about maintaining their youthful
appearance. Typically, face and neck lift procedures can set back the clock by
about 8-10 years. Although aging will continue, you will always look better for
your age than if you had not had the surgery. Face and Neck lift procedures can
be safely repeated in 8-10 year intervals.
What is a deep plane facelift?
This is the type of facelift most commonly performed by Dr. Naficy. It is ideal for
most individuals who wish to have a long-lasting improvement of their aging face
and neck. The procedure involves a thorough tightening of the sagging muscles
of the lower face and neck, and can be custom tailored to the specific needs of
each person. The recovery time for a deep plane facelift is the same as a mini-
lift or S-lift, and bruising is often less, since the work is being performed at a
deeper level. This type of facelift may also be combined with other facial
procedures such as blepharoplasty, brow lift, or laser resurfacing.
Brow lift and deep plane face and neck lift by Sam Naficy,
MD, Seattle, WA
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What is a mini-lift or S-lift?
An S-lift or mini-lift is a technique of lifting the face with limited incisions and
minimal skin removal. Patients with relatively minimal laxity (typically early to mid
40s) may be good candidates for this procedure. However, because of the limited
incisions and more conservative tightening and skin removal, this technique is
not as effective as a deep plane facelift for rejuvenation of more advanced
sagging of the lower face, jowls, and neck. Most individuals in their 50s and 60s
with more advanced laxity are therefore not good candidates for this procedures
as they will not receive the lasting benefits of a facelift. Because of its relative
technical ease and minimally invasive nature, the S-lift or mini-lift is popular
among many non-surgeons who perform plastic surgery.
Upper and lower blepharoplasty, S-lift, neck liposuction, lip
augmentation, and rhinoplasty by Sam Naficy, MD, Seattle, WA
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What is a 'weekend neck lift'?
This procedure allows the sagging neck tissues to be tightened through a very
small incision under the chin. Excess fat can be removed and neckbands can be
improved. Because no skin is removed, there is no need for incisions around the
ears. This procedure is ideal for individuals with excess fatty tissue of the neck
but with relatively good skin tone. The recovery time is generally quick, and many
of our patients can return to work or social activities in 2-3 days.
Weekend neck lift by Sam Naficy, MD, Seattle, WA
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What is the featherlift?
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The "featherlift" is an innovative non-surgical technique that gives a gentle lift to
the sagging tissues of the face using threads. It has been widely popular in
Europe and South America, and rapidly gaining attention in the United States.
The featherlift procedure offers quick and relatively painless lifting for patients
needing only little to moderate rejuvenation. The featherlift is also known as the
APTOS lift, the APTOS thread lift and suture suspension facelift.
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APTOS thread used for feather lift
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The threads used in this procedure are called APTOS threads. These fine
threads have small barbs or "cogs" along the length of the thread, much like
barbs on a fishhook. These cogs provide lift and contour by forming a permanent
support structure for the facial tissue. The threads are introduced with a fine
needle so the puncture sites heal very quickly, usually without any marks.
What type of anesthesia is used?
We use "twilight anesthesia" which is a new and innovative method of anesthesia
for facial plastic surgery. Twilight anesthesia is extremely safe compared to the
standard general anesthesia techniques used today. The main advantages of
twilight anesthesia are that it does not require putting a breathing tube in the
throat, it does not require a breathing machine, the recovery is much faster, there
is much less "hang-over" from anesthesia, and there is much less nausea. All
these elements translate into greater comfort and safety. Dr. Naficy has used
this technique of anesthesia in several thousand plastic surgery procedures
without a single anesthetic complication.
During twilight anesthesia a small flexible IV (intravenous) needle is placed into
one of the veins of the back of the hand. Through this IV line, relaxing
medication is given to make you fall sleep. The amount of medication given is
adjusted to the specific needs of each person. After you are sleeping, some
numbing medicine is also placed in the skin to numb the area that is being
operated on. The beauty of twilight anesthesia is that during the procedure you
are unaware of anything going on and cannot hear anything, yet you are still
breathing on your own.
When the procedure is finished, the relaxing medication is discontinued and you
begin to wake up. Because the medications used in twilight anesthesia clear the
system rather quickly, most of our patients are able to go home in less than 15
minutes after the procedure is completed.
Anesthesia guidelines [21kb PDF]
What is the recovery like?
There is usually some tightness around the ears and jaw-line after the surgery.
This can be controlled with prescription pain medication, although it is often mild
enough to treat with just Tylenol. A fluffy bandage dressing is worn for 1-2 days.
Discoloration and swelling around the face and neck, when present, will usually
improve over 7-10 days at which point most people can return to work and social
activities.
Post-operative care instructions [17kb PDF]
Why choose a facial plastic surgeon to do my facelift?
Although most plastic surgeons in Seattle perform facelift and neck lift surgery,
very few actually limit their practice to specialize in the face. In fact, most plastic
surgeons spend the bulk of their time performing liposuction, breast procedures,
and tummy tucks. With his practice being 100% limited to facial plastic surgery,
you can be assured that Dr. Naficy will offer you the best specialized plastic
surgery available today. This is why Seattle doctors voted Dr. Naficy one of the
top plastic surgeons for the face, and many of Dr. Naficy's patients are
physicians themselves. Dr. Naficy draws his patient base not only from the
Seattle area, but also from Alaska, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Utah, California,
and as far away as New York City.
I am interested! What do I do next?
If you are considering this procedure we encourage you to schedule a private
consultation with Dr. Naficy in our office. During this visit he will listen to your
concerns and discuss your options. He will tell you whether you are a suitable
candidate for this procedure and inform you of the potential risks of the
procedure. There is great variety in features of the aging face and neck so that
each procedure must be custom tailored for the best possible result. You will also
have a chance to view before and after photo albums of his patients who have
undergone procedures similar to what you are considering.
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