MID Face Lift - Cheeklift

For cosmetic surgery, new techniques have been developed over the years that can help people look and feel a lot younger in a fairly short time. Amongst the numerous procedures available, a mid-face lift or trans-conjunctival sub-orbicularis oculi fat pad (SOOF) lift is a well-recognized procedure with numerous advantages.

In this section, we shall briefly review this surgical procedure and discuss its benefits.

•  A SOOF- lift is performed for people whose lower eyelids are drooping downwards and the tissue loss and fat protuberance are causing bags and festoons.  
• These changes are seen as a part of the normal aging process or perhaps are just genetic. In adds to, alterations in the tone of the muscles that surround the eye can also result in droopy eyelids and in such patients, a mid-face lift can be beneficial.

• The procedure is performed under local or general anesthesia. Once the benefits and risks have been explained the patient, the area around the eyes is cleaned with antiseptic solution. A small incision is made in the inside of the eyelid just under the area known as the tarsal plate.   The incision can also be made under the eyelashes on the skin side.
• Excessive fat and skin might need to be removed. The removal of this tissue might be necessary, since if it is left behind, it can make the area look rather bulky.
• Once the mid-face lift has concluded, the incision sites are closed with sutures and ointment is applied. In general, the long-term results with a SOOF-lift are excellent. Rarely patients require repeat surgery.  Fillers might be helpful –this can be discussed and decided upon after the healing has occurred.
• While the above describes one technique of performing the procedure, different surgeons might, of course, have different individual techniques.

• Given the limited area included in a SOOF- lift, the changes seen with a complete facelift such as jowl improvement are not seen. However, the cheeks might appear fuller after a mid-face lift than they might after a complete facelift.

• As is the case with any surgical procedure, a mid-face lift carries the risk of side-effects from anesthesia. Most surgeons and patients think it is important to have an anesthesiologist present.  A small amount of bleeding and bruising at the site of surgery is common.  The scars are usually aesthetically acceptable.
• Some patients might not be completely satisfied with a mid-face lift since the post-operative changes can be rather subtle. For this reason, some patients opt to have additional surgery done to give their face an even more refreshed look.

• The mid-face lift is a surgical option for helping an individual’s mid- face region look younger and healthier.  It is a rather complex operation and like any surgery might have complications. The choice between a mid-face lift and a complete facelift must be made after a detailed discussion between the patient and the operating plastic surgeon.