A face-lift may be a catalyst for a new career and other benefits, according to a study by Johns Hopkins University.
More than 130,000 face-lift, or rhytidectomy, procedures were performed in the U.S. in 2016, making it the fifth most popular plastic procedure in the country.
Study authors gave 483 individuals the before and after face-lift photos of 13 women and asked them to rate the women regarding their looks before and after their procedure.
The reviewers also assessed the women on their perceived age, state of health and success level.
Best Face Forward
Participants stated that after their face-lift procedures, the women appeared 16 percent healthier and 10 percent more successful.
On average, the women also appeared four years younger after their surgery.
Reviewers made other assumptions after seeing the post-op pictures, including that the women were likely to have more friends and social success, get out of traffic tickets and have more favorable court judgments than their pre-surgery images.
Additionally, the participants said that after their face-lift procedure, the women were more likely to be offered better jobs and be elected to public office.
In addition to being viewed differently by others, the face-lift procedure also makes patients see themselves in a new light.
The American Society of Plastic Surgeons reports that many face-lift patients felt more confident and better about themselves after their surgery.
Face-lift patients also expressed improvements in their quality of life and relationships after surgery.
Improvement in how patients feel about themselves after a face-lift comes as no surprise to plastic surgeon Dr. Gregory Chernoff, M.D. F.R.C.S.
Chernoff performs the face-lift and other plastic surgery procedures in Indianapolis and Santa Rosa, California.
“There is a definite link between appearance and self-esteem, and when you look good, you feel good and carry yourself differently. A face-lift can make you look years younger, which in turn will also make you feel younger and more confident,” Chernoff said.
The face-lift makes individuals look and feel younger by addressing consequences of aging such as loss of skin elasticity, loss of contour and the loss of muscle tone in the face that leads to the development of wrinkles and creases.
“As we age, the fat in our face begins to degrade, which makes our skin hang more loosely. Losing fat makes everything slide down and leads to the development of sagging skin and jowls around the chin,” Chernoff said.
Another implication of aging is that the body slows down its production of collagen.
“Losing collagen means that the skin loses its ability to stretch and retract, which leads to the development of lines and wrinkles,” Chernoff said.
During Dr. Chernoff’s face-lift procedure, his uses a specialized technique that involves making tiny incisions along the inside of the ear and behind the ear. These strategically placed incisions allow him to lift and tighten sagging skin and facial tissue while minimizing the appearance of scars. Dr. Chernoff’s patients are able to wear their hair up or pulled back with no visible scars.
“By tightening loose skin and underlying facial tissue, wrinkles and creases are reduced, contours are returned and the overall appearance of the face improves,” Chernoff said.
Patients with mild to moderate facial sagging see the most benefit from the face-lift procedure. More severe cases of facial sagging or jowls also see significant improvements when the face-lift is combined with a neck-lift to remove excess skin and fat tissue in the neck.
The face-lift is not the only plastic surgery procedure that can improve confidence in individuals.
“When an individual has a feature like their nose, eyelids or even earlobe they’d like to change because of a flaw or a perceived flaw, changing that feature can positively impact how they feel about themselves,” Chernoff said.
Sources:
People Bodies (online). Women Who Undergo Facelifts are Perceived as More Attractive, Healthy and Successful, Study Says. March 2017.
American Society of Plastic Surgeons. Plastic Surgery Statistics 2016.