Juvederm in Conjunction with a Facelift

Many patients ask why they would want a facelift when injectable fillers can do the same thing? Actually, fillers are quite versatile and can truly help revitalize your face, but they cannot do everything. At the Little Rock Cosmetic Surgery Center, I have found that injectable fillers, such as Juvéderm®, enhance the lower and mid face rhytidectomy (the technical term for a facelift) by helping to maintain that youthful volume.

Hyaluronic acids like Juvéderm® add volume and plump the skin. Neuromodulators such as BOTOX® prevents fine lines by relaxing contracted facial muscles. When these two products are added together they can essentially produce a “liquid facelift.” However, a “non-surgical facelift” cannot produce the same results as a surgical facelift. Nor can fillers be considered lasting help with the effects of aging.

As we age, the face appears to lengthen because we lose fat and volume in our cheeks and what fat is left is pulled downward by gravity. A facelift alone will not restore volume, just as fillers alone cannot help with surgical recontouring. Basically, fillers do not help with sagging skin, deep creases, or excess or displaced fat subject to effects of gravity. However the combination of volume replacement and lifting can provide a much longer lasting result.

There are many types of facelifts. The Smartlift surgical procedure that we perform at the Little Rock Cosmetic Surgery Center includes not only redraping the skin, but also lifting of the underlying layer of connective tissue called the SMAS (Superficial Musculoaponeurotic System). This is what gives your facelift longevity. It is these underlying tissues that hold the repositioned skin in place. Remember, fillers can last for up to year, but they are not permanent and merely repositioning the skin may last a year or so more. The deeper the correction is, the more lasting the results.

Using fillers, such a Juvéderm®, in conjunction with the rhytidectomy allows me to create the effect the patient wants structurally, as well as replace that lost volume in the cheeks. The facelift has become one of the most popular facial surgeries because the effects of aging can be improved so dramatically.

Ultimately whether you choose fillers or a facelift, the most important thing is to decide which procedure is appropriate for you. We can help at the Little Rock Cosmetic Surgery Center.

Call Melinda, my Patient/Surgery Coordinator, at the Little Rock Cosmetic Surgery Center to set up your appointment.

—Dr. Branman