Fighting Gravity:

According to plastic surgeon DR WONG CHIN HO, facial laxity and sagging are the two leading aesthetic concerns that come with ageing. Happily, there’s a new and improved way to deal with them.

New developments in facelifts

Over time, our skin becomes less taut, giving way to the pulling effects of gravity.

While non-surgical treatments such as Botox and fillers are beneficial for facial rejuvenation when this happens, once significant laxity has developed, a facelift is the most effective procedure for achieving rejuvenation, says Dr Wong.

Traditional facelifts are largely a skin excision procedure. The skin is usually tightened without addressing the underlying changes that come with ageing, often resulting in a stretched and unnatural appearance. Thankfully, recent technological advances in the area of facelift surgery have resulted in an improvement in both the quality and longevity of results, while minimising downtime after surgery.

An improved version

With a better understanding of the natural skin ageing process, there is now a focus on the support layer of the face, scientifically known as the superficial musculoaponeurotic system (SMAS). Various methods have been developed to tighten the SMAS from a deeper level. One is the composite facelift, which has been gaining popularity in recent years. Also known as the deep plane facelift, this technique tightens the skin, soft facial tissue and SMAS as a single unit. Because the tightening isn’t done directly on the skin, the natural shape and contours are restored, reducing the risk of an overdone, pulled appearance commonly associated with traditional facelifts.

“A well done facelift remains the best procedure for facial rejuvenation. The composite facelift is a technique that would predictably deliver a more natural result,” Dr Wong adds. Tightening at the SMAS level also gives the longest-lasting outcome attainable with a facelift. Recovery is shortened, too, because of the less invasive nature of the procedure compared to a conventional facelift.

What it does

The composite facelift can lift droopy cheeks and jowls, smoothen out nasolabial lines and tighten loose skin on the neck. It’s popular amongst those over the age of 40, as well as younger people who might be suffering from sagging and laxity as a result of significant weight loss.

Dr Wong heads up W Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, a boutique clinic at #06-28/29 Mount Elizabeth Novena Specialist Center, 38 Irrawaddy Road.

6570 2528 | waesthetics.com