What Treatment Options Are Available?

Cosmetic procedures currently available for the aging face include:

• The face lift, or rhytidectomy, is a surgical procedure to remove wrinkles (rhytids) from the face, jaw, and neck. It removes and tightens loose skin, removing the sag of the cheeks around the jaw line, lifting the corners of the mouth, and reducing the creases between the cheeks and lips.

• The brow lift, or forehead lift, is a surgical procedure to lift drooping eyebrows and smooth out forehead wrinkles. It can be done in conjunction with a face lift or as a separate procedure.

• Liposuction is a surgical procedure that uses suction to remove fat deposits. It can be used to remove focal deposits of fat in the face, often in the area between the chin and neck. It can be done in conjunction with other facial surgery or as a separate procedure.

• Facial resurfacing or exfoliation removes the thin top layer of the skin in order to improve skin quality and remove tiny wrinkles. Resurfacing can be done by means of chemical peels, mechanical abrasion (dermabrasion), or lasers.

• Facial implants are injections of body fat, silicone, or collagen to expand skin tissue and fill in tiny depressions left by wrinkles or scars.

• Newer techniques also are available.