By Rodyan Quinonez
If, like me, two years stuck at home with zero socialising and travel has you feeling a bit… well… frumpy, it might be time to make a change. There are only so many times you can switch your hair colour – and maybe those serums, potions and moisturisers just aren’t making the difference they used to. How about some facial rejuvenation – it may include a forehead lift or getting rid of droopy eyelids. Thankfully there’s an arsenal of other tools that can come to our rescue.
One person who knows all about these tools is DR MARCO FARIA CORREA, one of Singapore’s leading doctors in plastic surgery. Dr Marco is an international board-certified and renowned plastic surgeon who has practiced his craft for more than 35 years; he’s a leading world voice in endoscopic abdominoplasty and breast surgery.
“There comes a point where we all lose that youthful appearance and begin to wish there was some way to get it back,” he says. “Well, now there is – a face and neck lift, otherwise known as facial rejuvenation”.
According to Dr Marco, facial rejuvenation can “reduce the visible signs of ageing and wrinkles, and correct jowling and sagging by tightening the facial muscles then re-draping the skin on the face.”
This multi-treatment approach begins with the “gold standard”, as Dr Marco refers to it: the facelift. A facelift addresses and focuses on tightening sagging skin on the face and neck. Although there are multiple treatments that address sagging skin, loose jowls and droopy brows, the facelift will give the longest lasting and most natural results. When combined with other lifts, injections, fillers and lasers, you’ll feel like you’ve truly set back the clock.
5 types of facial rejuvenation
#1 Three-dimensional facelift
“A facelift is a surgical procedure that tightens the skin of the face and removes large creases and wrinkles that have formed around the nose and mouth; the result is a more youthful appearance,” says Dr Marco.
#2 Brow lift or forehead lift
Are premature lines, wrinkles, sun damage and drooping brows and eye lids a concern? A brow and forehead lift is a cosmetic surgery procedure performed to overcome these adverse signs of ageing. According to Dr Marco, it can help to “correct a drooping brow and upper eyelid, improve horizontal brow lines and smooth out the forehead and any furrows from the bridge of the nose.”
#3 Fillers and Botox
It’s safe to say that by now we’re all pretty familiar with injectables like Botox and fillers – or the “lunchtime spa treatments” as they say back in my home state of California. These treatments target expression lines, crow’s feet, forehead lines and fine lines. Dr Marco notes that such methods are “less invasive and expensive than a facelift, and the results are immediate”. He adds, however, that for those with excess skin, these methods can’t replace or work as a substitute for a facelift.
#4 Fat injections
Another way to reduce wrinkles, even out the appearance of acne scars and plump up lips is with the use of fat harvested from your own body. This procedure, when done properly, enhances facial fulness and fills deep creases.
#5 Laser skin resurfacing
Laser resurfacing is a facial rejuvenation procedure used to improve the skin’s overall appearance by targeting texture, treating blemishes and hyperpigmentation, and firming and tightening the skin.
For me, the visual improvement of my skin has been glorious since I’ve started booking laser procedures – from removing a sunburn scar on my nose that I’ve had since I was five, to treating melasma (hyperpigmentation). If you’re thinking of dipping your toes into facial rejuvenation, maybe lasers are a great way to start; but definitely research the right doctor for your concerns and see if it’s right for you!
Benefits of facial rejuvenation:
- Lifts and sculpts in a way that fillers and Botox alone can’t
- Longer-lasting results
- Dramatic but natural-looking change
- On average can give the appearance of 10 to 15 years younger
The bottom line
It’s OK to want to look good – and there is some serious psycho-social research to back that up. When we feel good about how we look, it spills out into other aspects of our lives – and the data backs this up. The key is that it’s a personal choice that YOU make, so that YOU feel good.
“Having plastic surgery is a big decision, and it certainly isn’t a choice that should be taken lightly,” says Dr Marco. “In order to decide if cosmetic surgery is right for you, it’s important to consider a number of factors such as your physical and emotional health and the cost and time involved before you decide.”
So, if you’re as excited as we are for all the new, more natural advancements in facial rejuvenation, and you feel like you need a little “something-something”, then do your research and book a consult today with a qualified plastic surgeon.
Dr Marco Faria Correa Plastic Surgery is at Mount Elizabeth Novena Hospital, #10-26 Specialist Medical Centre, 38 Irrawaddy Road.
6464 8075 | 9176 1813 (SMS) | drmarco.sg
This article first appeared in the July 2022 edition of Expat Living. You can purchase the latest issue or subscribe, so you never miss a copy!
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