The Georgia Center for Facial Plastic Surgery
613 Ponder Place Drive
Evans, GA 30809
Phone: (706) 210-2625
Fax: (706) 210-9882
Monday–Friday: 9 a.m.–5 p.m.
Mid-Facelift
Although the facelift is extremely effective at reducing signs of facial aging by restoring the youthful jawline and neck, the facelift is not so effective at treating the middle third of the face or the mid-face. A mid-facelift performed at our Augusta, Georgia-area practice by Dr. Achih H. Chen is designed to provide enhancement to the middle area of the face, eliminating skin sagging around the cheeks and diminishing the nasolabial folds or the parentheses around the mouth.
Dr. Chen, an experienced facial plastic surgeon, sees mid-facelift patients from Columbia and Charleston, SC, and the metro Atlanta area. Request a consultation to meet with Dr. Chen using the online form, or call our Evans practice at (706) 210-2625 to schedule an appointment.
What is a Mid-Facelift?
The mid-facelift is a procedure designed to treat the middle third of the face. In youth, the cheek fat pads sit high on the cheekbones. As the aging process occurs, they begin to sag and to sit lower on the cheek bones. This results in a longer, flatter-appearing face. Associated with this inferior descent of the cheek fat pads is a deepening of the laugh lines, or the nasolabial folds. These are the creases that run from the corners of the nose to the corners of the mouth. This lower cheek fat pad position may also create a hollow area between the fat pad and the lower eyelid called a “tear trough deformity.” This middle-third area of the face has been difficult to treat because the traditional facelift treats an area below this, while a brow lift treats an area above this. A mid-facelift addresses the area in between and can provide significant aesthetic improvement.
Mid-Facelift Procedure
To begin the mid-facelift procedure, the cheek fat pads are elevated off the underlying bone. They are then suspended with a dissolvable suture in a higher, more desirable position in which they will heal in place. The result is not only higher-appearing cheek fat pads, but softening of the nasolabial folds, filling-in of the “tear trough deformity,” and, to a smaller extent, softening of “jowling.” The procedure is completed through 2 small incisions hidden in the temporal scalp along with an incision under the lip, on the inside of the mouth. Hair is not shaved for the scalp incisions. The small incisions in the temporal scalp are the same as 2 of the incisions used in an endoscopic brow lift, making it an ideal procedure to perform in combination with the mid-facelift.
Mid-Facelift Recovery
The mid-facelift procedure is usually completed under deep sedation, but some individuals may elect to have local anesthesia. There is typically a minimal amount of discomfort.* Bruising and swelling are variable from individual to individual, but usually it resolves over 1 to 2 weeks.* The clips in the scalp are removed at 7 days after surgery. The sutures in the mouth are dissolvable. Patients can typically resume normal daily activities after about 10 days.*
*Individual results and recovery may vary.
Achih H. Chen MD, FACS
Award-winning facial plastic surgeon
Dr. Chen is a double board-certified, fellowship-trained facial plastic surgeon who's been chosen for Castle Connolly's Top Doctors® Award, a prestigious honor recognizing the top 1% of physicians in the U.S.
Contact Us
A mid-facelift can go a long way toward reducing signs of age and stress in the eyes and cheeks. For more information on mid-facelift please contact The Georgia Center. Our staff looks forward to helping you meet your aesthetic enhancement goals!