While the neck is often a significant area of concern for many patients who present for facial rejuvenation, I find that the deep plane facelift is very effective at restoring the position of the cheek.
In the youthful face, the cheek is positioned beneath the lower eyelid so that a smooth contour exists between the lower eyelid and the cheek. As we age, the cheek begins to descend, causing a gap to be created between the lower eyelid and the cheek.
When performing facelift surgery, the surgeon repositions the cheek back to beneath the lower eyelid to restore this contour. Often after patients have a facelift they remark about the improvement in the appearance of their eyes. This is because the volume of the cheek is now repositioned into the proper location.
The patient in the above photograph underwent deep plane facelift, and CO2 laser to her lower lids and peri-oral rhytids or “wrinkles”. In the before photograph she is 89 years old, in the after photograph she is 89 years and 10 months.