Mid-Face Rejuvenation Enhances Facelift Augusta, Evans, Georgia-area Facial Plastic Surgeon

Loss of volume from loss of fat and soft tissue in the mid-face area causes the central part of the face to sag with age. The appearance of deepening of the nasolabial folds or "parentheses" is the most commonly recognized symptom of the aging mid-face. The greatest difference between the youthful face and the aged face is in the fullness of the face. As a result, volume restoration is the key to effective mid-face rejuvenation. Dr. Achih H. Chen, cosmetic facial plastic surgeon serving the Augusta and Evans, Georgia and Aiken, South Carolina- areas, also serving patients from the Atlanta-area, can help address your mid-face with state-of-the-art mid-face rejuvenation techniques and even enhance facelift results if you have had or are planning on facelift surgery.

• The Mid-Face (Midface) and Aging
• Dr. Chen's Philosophy on Mid-Face (Midface) Rejuvenation
• Mid-Face (Midface) Rejuvenation / Mid-Face (Midface) Implant Procedure
• Mid-Face (Midface) Implant Recovery
• Alternatives to Mid-Face Implants for Mid-Face Rejuvenation

The Mid-Face and Aging

The mid-face is the area of the face that lies between the corner of the mouth and the corner of the eye. It is often referred to as the cheek.

The conventional wisdom is that it is the deepening of the nasolabial folds (the lines that run from the corner of the nose down to near the corner of the mouth) or "parentheses" (as referred to by injectible filler companies such as Juvedérm, Restylane, or Radiesse) that is what causes the mid-face to look aged. As a result, the answer to creating a more youthful appearing mid-face is thought to be filling of the "parentheses" using various methods including injectible fillers.

However, on closer inspection, the nasolabial fold is present throughout life, even in the very young. The nasolabial fold is a normal anatomical structure that deepens during smiling.

In comparing a youthful face and an aging face as demonstrated in the photographs comparing a mother and her daughter, the most obvious difference in the mid-face region is not the presence or absence or depth of the nasolabial fold, but instead the fullness of the mid-face.

The youthful face is full with smooth transitions from one facial region to another, which brings up the concept of the grape and the raisin. The youthful face can be thought of as more of the grape. With facial aging, the grape becomes more of the raisin, with jowls and excess neck skin becoming more and more noticeable.

Dr. Chen's Philosophy on Mid-Face Rejuvenation

Traditionally, tightening procedures using facelift techniques were the only answer to creating a more youthful face, but more and more tightening doesn't necessarily create a younger looking face. Instead, we've all seen individuals who have undergone multiple facelifts, who don't have a hint of a jowl or a neck waddle. But rather than looking younger, these individuals look tight, like an over-tight-looking raisin. While facelift is part of the solution to facial rejuvenation, it does not address volume loss. Volume loss plays a major role in the aging face. It results in the sagging of the cheek and the appearance of deepening of the nasolabial fold, very similar to how a balloon sags with the loss of air. State-of-the-art rejuvenation of the mid-face centers around restoring volume rather than trying to restore a youthful appearance by filling only the nasolabial fold. There have been various methods advocated for volume restoration including temporary injectible fillers and fat transfer or fat grafting. While fat transfer or fat grafting is a very good answer to restoring volume, it can be somewhat unpredictable depending on the amount of grafted fat that survives tranfer. Instead, mid-face volume restoration using implants is a much more predictable method of recreating youthful mid-face volume. Mid-face implants produce very predictable and even reversible results.

Mid-Face Rejuvenation / Mid-Face Implant Procedure

The mid-face implant is placed through a small, 2 cm incision hidden inside the mouth. The implant is fixed and anchored to the underlying facial bone. Unlike "floating" implants such as breast implants, the mid-face implant cannot be felt or detected by the individual or others touching the face. Once the surgical area is healed, it is very difficult for even surgeons to feel.

Mid-Face (Midface) Implant Recovery

Mid-face implant placement is performed under deep sedation in which the individual is completely unaware of their environment. The post-operative nausea and sore throat that may accompany general anesthesia is usually avoided with surgery performed under deep sedation. Following the procedure, patients will notice two small incisions inside the mouth between the gums and the upper lip. Rinsing the mouth following meals is recommended to quicken healing of the incision. Pain is minimal. Light activities may be resumed a few days following surgery. If discretion is desired, individuals should plan to take at least ten days before returning to public life.

Alternatives to Mid-Face (Midface) Implants for Mid-Face Rejuvenation

While Dr. Chen prefers mid-face implants for rejuvenation of the mid-face region, some are hesitant to have implants. For these individuals, fat transfer or fat grafting remains a very attractive alternative. Fat may be used to re-volumize the deflated aging mid-face instead of implants. Although most aging faces undergo volume loss, a small number of  individuals experience minimal loss of volume of the mid-face with aging, instead the mid-face only falls or sags. In these individuals, the mid-facelift may be a more appropriate procedure

Please note, the mid-face implant is not a cheek implant and a cheek implant is not a mid-face implant. The mid-face implant restores the volume of youth, while the cheek implant is designed to alter the underlying facial bone structure to create more prominent cheeks.

Click below to view Dr. Chen's Mid-Face Rejuvenation before and after pictures 

Contact Our Cosmetic Surgeon Serving Patients from Aiken, South Carolina to Atlanta

Dr. Achih H. Chen can help you restore volume to those fallen cheeks and mediface to take years off your face and provide you with the fullness of a youthful face . Aiken, South Carolina and Augusta and Evans, Georgia patients can enhance a facelift procedure with mid-face rejuvenation. Contact our cosmetic surgery practice today to schedule a consultation.