Aging is one of the inevitable facts of life. It happens to everyone. But while you may appreciate it in your wine, not everyone loves the affect that aging has on the face. How well or fast you age is going to depend on your genetics, lifestyle choices and anatomy. But at a certain point, the soft tissues of your face will begin to deflate and sag from your facial bones. This is really the “turning point” because non-surgical procedures like Botox and fillers really can’t address it.

Facial rejuvenation procedures aim to lift and restore a more youthful contour to your face and neck. It can be performed alone or in conjunction with an upper and/or lower blepharoplasty to address any sagging around the eyes. As someone who has spent his career in Indianapolis, board certified plastic surgeon Dr. Bruce Van Natta embraces the midwestern aesthetic when it comes to facial rejuvenation. His philosophy is for his patients to always, always maintain a natural, non-operated look. In order to achieve this, he must address each patient’s individual aging issues since no two people age in the same way.

Are You a Candidate for Facial Rejuvenation?

With the proliferation of really effective non-surgical anti-aging treatments, many patients can put off facial rejuvenation. But if you look in the mirror and see:

• sagging “jowls” in the lower face
• flat, hallow-looking cheeks
• deep lines across the forehead and/or around the eyes & mouth
• double chin

It may be time to schedule a facial rejuvenation consultation with Dr. Van Natta. During your meeting, he will listen closely to what bothers you about your face. He will perform a physical exam to assess your skin tone and elasticity or “bounce back”, muscle laxity and volume loss in your face and neck. Together, you will discuss the best treatment options for your individual goals, anatomy and lifestyle.

Surgical vs. Non-Surgical Facial Rejuvenation

It is vital with any cosmetic procedure to understand exactly what can and cannot be achieved. As an early adopter who is a firm believer in embracing new techniques and innovations, Dr. Van Natta is thrilled to offer his patients the latest cutting edge non-surgical procedures. He will often recommend FaceTite in conjunction with fat grafting and other procedures to deliver a significant rejuvenation, but if he feels that it’s time for you to take that next step to surgery, he will be honest and tell you. In general, non-surgical procedures stop being effective once you have significant sagging of the skin and muscles. Fillers can fill. They cannot really lift.

Facial Aging is Multi-Factorial

Just as no two people are alike, no two faces age in quite the same way. This is the result of your genetics as well as your lifestyle choices. If you spent a lot of time in the sun, smoked or ate fries and burgers every day, your face might age faster than your organic eating neighbor. Furthermore, aging is multi-factorial. It is due to a combination of:

• collagen loss leading to fine lines and wrinkles
• changes in skin tone and texture due to sun damage
• deflation in the face due to volume loss

The thing about volume is that facial fat is lost from some areas, such as the mid-cheeks, but seems to increase in others like the jowls. While the latter really has more to do with the loss of skin elasticity, facial aging has an overall “masculinizing” effect on the face. This isn’t bad if you’re a man, but it can be really unflattering if you’re a woman. Facial rejuvenation will not only take year’s off your appearance, but it will also restore a more feminine contour to your face if needed.

To find out more about facial rejuvenation with Dr. Bruce Van Natta at Meridian Plastic Surgeons in Indianapolis, contact us today or call (317) 575-0330 to schedule a consultation.