Baby Facelift: everything you need to know – an interview with Prof. Fansa

Facelift is a current topic that is gaining increasing attention in Hollywood. The baby facelift, a gentle and less invasive method for treating wrinkles and early signs of skin aging, is enjoying growing popularity. We have Prof. Dr. med. Hisham Fansa, our Head of Plastic Surgery Zurich, to learn more about modern facelift techniques and their benefits.

The baby facelift is certainly also a marketing term. It's about starting to reduce the signs of aging early by performing surgery before symptoms like sagging cheeks or volume loss become so visible that people comment on them, or before they look at family photos and think, "Who is that old person?" This way, you don't have to perform as extensive surgery, hence the term "baby facelift." The procedure is then somewhat smaller; less swelling and a faster recovery are the advantages. The scars can also be kept somewhat smaller.

The actors simply don't want the procedure to be visible. They want to create the impression that they aren't aging at all. The goal is eternal youth.

With a facelift, we have to incise and create scars. However, we can remove the changes of aging—such as excess skin or sagging tissue. With Botox or fillers, on the other hand, we don't remove anything; we simply conceal it. For small changes or specific areas, this can be very helpful and a good starting point.

Botox and fillers are non-surgical procedures; they are easy to administer in the office and require no recovery time ("downtime"). Only some fillers may cause visible bruising. However, the effects of Botox and fillers are only temporary—depending on the amount and the area of ​​the face treated, they last between four and nine months.

Any facial surgery is associated with swelling. This remains visible for 14 to 21 days, depending on the patient's tendency to swell. A scar may also remain. However, both can be easily covered with makeup after just 14 days.

Most patients come between the ages of 40 and 45. This is the phase when the changes associated with aging begin – although they aren't visible to everyone. You can, however, see them in the mirror every morning.

Any procedure always carries risks. Bruising may occur, which may require treatment, or scars may remain visible if the healing process is poor, especially in smokers. Otherwise, serious risks such as facial paralysis or other potentially permanent damage are very, very rare with an experienced surgeon.

We have years of experience with facial procedures. Facelifts are our expertise and passion. Our philosophy is that the results of a facelift should always look natural. You shouldn't look "lifted" or "distorted." Naturalness and freshness are our calling cards. Facial procedures should only be performed by experienced plastic surgeons who understand facial anatomy and frequently perform such delicate procedures. Performing a facelift on a patient is a significant responsibility and requires a high degree of trust in the surgeon.