The upper part of the face ages approximately ten years sooner than the lower part of the face. Sun exposure, stress, genetics, and weight change can all accelerate the aging process in both men and women. Thomas Romo III, MD, FACS evaluates each patient thoroughly to determine their diagnosis and select the most effective and minimally invasive surgical procedure to treat their specific needs. In some cases, a patient will benefit from having multiple procedures performed on the same day. 

 

There are four primary ways to Rejuvenate your face surgically to reverse the aging process: Endoscopic Facelift, Endoscopic Browlift, Blepharoplasty, and Necklift.

 

 

 

Endoscopic Facelift   (Women- before & after photos)  (Men- before & after photos)

 

The endoscopic facelift procedure is nothing like the facelift of the past. It is as different from the computers we use today are from the computers used in 1980's. The older standard facelift only addressed the lax facial skin by pulling the skin tight to get a more youthful appearance. Unfortunately, this technique also distorted the natural anatomic features and often resulted in a pulled, windswept look. 

 

Dr. Romo is one of the innovators of the trademarked Endoscopic Composite Facelift™ procedure, which can combine any of the four surgical procedures. This modern, minimally invasive approach utilizes smaller incisions and dramatically reduces healing time. The smaller incisions are discreetly placed within the hairline, and endoscopic control allows Dr. Romo to elevate and rejuvenate the face in a natural and long-term manner. During this procedure, he utilizes a two-layer SMAS system to elevate the midface, eliminate excess skin, tighten skin, and enhance the jawline. Depending on the patient’s specific anatomy, dissolvable fixation devices may be used to improve the overall result.

 

 

 

Endoscopic Browlift   (Women- before & after photos)  (Men- before & after photos)

 

Aging of the upper face often presents with eyelid skin hooding and “crow’s feet” around the outer eyes. As the eyebrows fall, it often results in an angry and tired appearance. Dr. Romo uses an endoscopic browlift to address the surgical management of this problem. The technique elevates the eyebrows to their youthful position, thereby diminishing the excess skin on the upper lid. Often, a temporal lift is incorporated within this procedure to further reduce the “crow’s feet” and “cheek bags”, which are commonly referred to as festoons. The browlift establishes a sequence of surgical techniques that leads to a natural youthful and rejuvenated appearance without endangering the eyes and eyelid function. 

 

 

 

Blepharoplasty (Eyelid Lift)  (Women- before & after photos)  (Men- before & after photos)

 

As the eyelids age, the supporting soft tissue and skin weaken, causing the upper eyelid creases to diminish and fat pads to appear on the lower lids. Severe cases of upper eyelid laxity may interfere with a patient’s visual field. As the fat pads increasingly protrude on the lower lids, they cause shadowing and darkening under the eyes, which gives the appearance of tiredness or lack of sleep. Dr. Romo addresses these issues with blepharoplasty of the upper and lower lids, either independently or simultaneously. The upper eyelid procedure recreates the upper eyelid crease by conservatively removing excess fat and skin.

 

There are two basic approaches to the lower lid procedure:

• The external approach, also called a skin-muscle approach, removes skin and fat pads.

• The more conservative internal approach, called a transconjunctival blepharoplasty, removes the fat pads only.

 

Which technique is used is determined by both Dr. Romo and the patient.

 

 

 

Neck Lift  (Women- before & after photos)  (Men- before & after photos)

 

Aging of the neck results in skin laxity, fat accumulation and prominent muscle banding. Typically, women present with this earlier than men because their skin is thinner and they have a lower blood supply in this region. Dr. Romo manages this problem with a surgical neck lift. During the procedure, he utilizes liposuction to eliminate excessive fat, platysmaplasty to tighten the neck bands, and then he removes the loose skin. This results in a defined and youthful jawline. Often, a patient seeking greater chin and jawline definition will benefit from the use of chin and gonial angle implants. Like an endoscopic procedure, the incisions for a neck lift are small and hidden behind the ear. Because the lower face and neck age at the same rate, Dr. Romo will often perform a lower facelift in combination with a neck lift to achieve a more balanced result.