Do I need a Facelift or Blepharoplasty?

When it comes to facial rejuvenation there are two surgical options to alter the appearance of ageing. Facelifts or blepharoplasties are two types of facial surgery that can help restore a youthful appearance. When it comes to choosing between one or the other ultimately your surgeon will be the one to make the decision, but sometimes it may be suggested that both would benefit you.

Facelift

A facelift (less commonly known as a rhytidoplasty) is a surgical procedure that aims to tighten the skin not only around the face but also the jawline and the neck. The results should be a fresher, youthful and more rejuvenated look rather than a complete change in appearance.
There are actually 5 different types of a facelift to target different areas of the face these are the mini facelift, full facelift, forehead lift, cheek lift and a combined facelift and blepharoplasty procedure.

Blepharoplasty /Eyebag Removal/Eyelid Surgery

A blepharoplasty is slightly different to a facelift in that it only focuses on the eyes hence why it is also referred to as eyelid or eye bag surgery.  The procedure aims to remove or re position excess skin around the eyes in order to achieve a younger appearance. Sagging skin around the eyes can affect your upper eyelids causing hooded eyes, and your lower eyes resulting in eye bags and drooping. Your blepharoplasty procedure will be tailored to you, some find themselves only needing an upper or lower procedure but some may benefit better from an upper and lower procedure.

When it comes to having your consultation with your surgeon about the best procedure for you, it may be suggested that both a facelift and a blepharoplasty would be required to give you the results you desire.

Combined Facelift & Blepharoplasty

It is common for a facelift and a blepharoplasty to be performed at the same time and there are many benefits to this including;

• Only having to go under anaesthesia once
• Better and more uniformed results
• Combined recovery time
• Better financial value
• Less time off work (compared to having the procedures at separate times)

But for some this may not be an option and you may find yourself in the midst of trying to decide what is going to give you the best result.

If you have been suggested a combined procedure then it is probably likely that the biggest cause for concern is your eyes. Sagging around the eyes is enough to age anyone and opting for blepharoplasty surgery over a facelift is sometimes enough to give you that restored youthful appearance that you so desired.

The eyes are the focal point of your face and when it comes to interacting with others, it is the eyes that you will always find yourself focusing on. So any enhancement to this area would be much more beneficial than a subtle lift to the face. In the majority of cases the face will look much younger and more rested if you have an eyelid/eye bag surgery without a facelift than if you have a facelift without a blepharoplasty procedure.

In some cases, once you have had a blepharoplasty you may find yourself being able to treat any additional ageing skin issues with some of our non-surgical treatments such as a thread lift, laser skin resurfacing or even an 8 point lift, which is when dermal fillers are injected into certain points of the face to contour and revitalise the mid and lower face.

One Stitch Facelift/Temporal Facelift

As time advances, new techniques are often discovered such as our ‘One Stitch Facelift’ procedure. This procedure is much less invasive than a full facelift and can be safely carried out under local anaesthetic which will greatly reduce your recovery period.  The one stitch facelift targets the mid-face and can also improve the jaw line whilst the temporal one stitch facelift focuses on the eyebrows to the mid face.  It is possible to have a blepharoplasty performed at the same time as a one stitch or temporal facelift to help give you an overall improved facial rejuvenation treatment.

The Private Clinic

The Private Clinic has a second-to-none reputation for working with the best plastic surgeons in the UK.
Our plastic surgeons are highly educated, have thousands of hours of surgical experience, training and medical experience and many of which hold memberships with key bodies in healthcare such as;

• The British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS)
• The British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons (BAPRAS)
• Royal College of Surgeons (RCS)

To find out which treatment is going to be best for you, book a consultation where our experienced surgeons will be able to listen to your concerns, assess you and provide you with their advice on which procedure is going to give you the results you are expecting to achieve.

Our clinics are located in; London Harley Street, Birmingham,  Manchester, and Northampton

If you would like to arrange a consultation please call 0333 920 2471 or click here to use our online contact request form.