Dear Dr. McCollough: I recently saw something advertised on TV called a “quick lift”—jowls & neck only—local anesthesia only. Is this available?
Dear Reader: I had one of my employees research the procedure you are referring to online. The QuickLift™ is yet another marketing term applied to procedures that are not new. In 1989 I published an article describing the conservative, SUSPENSION LIFT or minimally-invasive face lift. Some doctors and companies have taken my procedure, eliminated some of the suspension sutures, trademarked it and given it a trendy name. Clearly, it is less invasive than some of the face-lifting procedures that we do, because it is not designed to address the advanced signs of aging. As is the case with all the procedures we perform, it can be done on an outpatient basis and the recovery time is less than with the facelift that requires work in the forehead, brows, eyelids and muscle work in the neck. With minimal face lifts, the greatest improvement is in the cheek, jaw-line and upper neck. Loose skin is removed from incisions placed in inconspicuous creases around the ear. In some cases, a sub-mental or brow tuck, which further addresses the upper face and neck, or liposuction of the neck and jowl area may be performed in conjunction for optimal aesthetic results. Commercialized lifts are often called a “weekend facelift.” Potential patients must be sure that the doctor didn’t learn how to do the procedure during a weekend seminar. Always ask a surgeon how long he or she has been doing a procedure and how many have they performed. The downtime associated with the suspension lift will vary from patient to patient. Remember that in plastic surgery, it is necessary to customize the procedure for each patient. One size fits all procedures often leave many patients disappointed.. If you would like any more information on this or other health related topics, call the McCollough Institute for Appearance and Health at 251-967-7600, email info@mccolloughinstitute.com or visit our website www.mccolloughplasticsurgery.com. If you would like to ask Dr. McCollough a question, please Contact Us.
