Mid Face Lift

The mid face is the area of the cheek between the eye and corner of the mouth. As you age, the effects of gravity, repeated muscle contraction, and lifestyle cause the skin, fat, and muscle in this region to move downwards. One of the early signs of facial ageing is sagging and loss of fullness of the cheeks. This is seen with increasing distance from the lower eyelid to the cheek and loss of the youthful curve of the cheek. Some jowls and deepening of the nose to mouth (nasolabial) lines also appear.

The major goal of mid face rejuvenation is to restore the youthful appearance of the cheeks, by repositioning the soft tissues to produce a natural fullness. A mid face lift addresses a specific area of the face with less trauma and faster recovery times than a full face lift. Mid face lifts help individuals to look refreshed and rejuvenated. It is frequently performed with other surgeries, such as eyelid surgery, or a brow lift. However, for many younger patients, under 45 years old, mid face rejuvenation is often a stand-alone procedure.

If your cheeks are sagging or have flattened over the years, if your lower eyelids are puffy with dark circles or else have hollowed out, or if your smile lines have deepened, you’re probably a good candidate for a mid face suspension. Of course the best way to determine if a mid face suspension is right for you is by a thorough consultation with your surgeon.

Risks of surgery
It’s important to understand there are potential risks inherent in any medical procedure. For example, you may experience discomfort and numbness in the cheek area. In addition, you may be able to feel the endotine device under the skin if one is used during surgery.

You can reduce your risks by closely following your surgeon's instructions both before and after surgery.

Preparing for surgery
Your surgeon will give you specific instructions on how to prepare for surgery, including guidelines on eating and drinking, smoking, and taking or avoiding certain vitamins and medications. Carefully following these instructions will help your surgery go more smoothly.

Types of anaesthesia
Mid face surgery is usually performed under local anaesthesia, which numbs the area around your eyes, along with oral or intravenous sedatives (twilight anaesthesia). You'll be awake during the surgery, but relaxed and insensitive to pain. Some patients prefer to use general anaesthesia; in which case, you'll sleep through the operation.

The surgery
If a patient is having a lower lid eye bag removed (blepharoplasty), a mid face lift can be performed through the incision that is used for a lower lid blepharoplasty. If necessary, incisions are also made in the scalp in the temple area. Through these incisions, the doctor adjusts the fat and muscle tissue, pulling up the middle of the face to smooth and tighten the skin.

A small endoscope and other instruments are introduced through the incisions to lift the delicate mid-face tissues off the cheekbones. Once lifted, these tissues are repositioned upward (toward the eye) and to the side (toward the ear) and fixed in place until it re-adheres naturally to the bone.

After surgery
Immediately after surgery, you will experience some temporary swelling, bruising and numbness in your mid-face region, which may take several weeks to completely resolve.

While patients may feel the tines under the cheek, they are not likely to be visible. When they push down on the cheek, there is very little tenderness and it will become less palpable as it begins to absorb.

Getting back to normal
It typically takes 30 to 60 days for the tissue to reattach to the bone and the endotine device to completely absorb.

The new look
The result will be a natural, revitalised appearance that doesn’t appear overdone or “pulled.” When performed skilfully, a mid face lift will deliver a natural but noticeable improvement.