Mayo Clinic plastic surgeons offer minimally invasive face-lift procedure

Thursday, July 28, 2005

JACKSONVILLE, Fla., July 28, 2005 — Mayo Clinic plastic surgeons now offer a minimally invasive procedure to treat early signs of facial aging. They use clear, polypropylene threads with specialized cogs to elevate and shift aging tissues in the forehead and midface.

Mayo Clinic plastic surgeon Dr. Sarvam TerKonda says the self-anchoring sutures are excellent for women and men with early signs of aging who want to look younger but don't want the scarring, recovery time and expense associated with a traditional face-lift. "We're seeing a trend of younger patients with signs of aging who would like to minimize those signs at an earlier stage," he says. "Although this procedure doesn't replace the traditional face-lift, these threads offer a minimally invasive technique to rejuvenate a face that's beginning to age."

Before the procedure, the patient is given a local anesthetic. The surgeon inserts a small, hollow needle beneath the skin in one or more areas of the face to be treated. These include the brow, cheek, jowl and neck. As the surgeon removes the needle, the skin is lifted and tightened by a tiny, barbed suture. The suture is then tightened and cut before retracting under the skin where it remains undetected. The procedure takes an hour to an hour and a half to complete, depending on how many areas are treated.

As it ages, skin thins and becomes less elastic. Genetics and environmental factors, such as sun exposure and smoking, influence the degree and rate of aging. A traditional face-lift to correct sagging skin is a surgical procedure that requires general anesthesia and an incision around the ears and hairline. The patient may experience soreness, swelling and skin discoloration immediately after the surgery that typically resolve within two weeks. "With these self-anchoring threads, the patient may have minimal bruising, but the recovery time is reduced," TerKonda says. "If there's no bruising, the patient can usually return to work or normal activities within a few days to one week." Some patients may also develop a dimple at the incision site that will eventually fade.

This procedure, which uses Food and Drug Administration-approved Contour Threads, is not recommended for advanced skin aging. And although patients can expect pleasing results for a few years, the procedure does not offer a permanent fix.

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Mayo Clinic is a multispecialty medical clinic in Jacksonville, Fla. The staff includes 309 physicians working in more than 40 specialties to provide diagnosis, treatment and surgery. Patients who need hospitalization are admitted to nearby St. Luke's Hospital, a 289-bed Mayo facility. Mayo Clinics also are located in Rochester, Minn., and Arizona. Visit www.MayoClinic.org/news for all the news from Mayo Clinic.

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