I am a 46-year-old woman with deep frown lines

Question:
I am a 46-year-old woman with deep frown lines. I have read that dermabrasion can be used to reduce the appearance of frown lines. How effective is this procedure?

Answer:
A deep plane face lift is a type of face lift that is a bit more aggressive than a traditional face lift, but, addresses areas of the face that a traditional face lift does not do as well.  There are several layers of skin and tissue in the face that are dissected during the face lift.  The deep plane face lift goes beneath the SMAS layer of tissue and goes right up to and beneath the nasolabial folds.  By freeing up the tissue in this area, the purpose is to decrease the appearance of the nasolabial folds.   Surgeons who prefer the deep plane face lift claim that this particular face lift has better results and that the results last longer than a sub-SMAS plication face lift.  So far, the studies that have been performed comparing the two face lifts have not shown any increased patient satisfaction or longevity of the results when both face lifts are performed correctly.  Opponents of the deep plane face lift claim that the swelling associated with the procedure lasts too long.  Your question is a good one but a tough one, too.

Posted by Dr. Philip Schoenfeld