For more information about the composite facelift, contact our Dallas practice today.
Sam T. Hamra, M.D.
9301 North Central Expressway #551
Dallas, Tx. 75231-0805
Phone: (866) 773-9181
Fax: (214)754-9080
For patients looking to revive their appearance through primary facelift surgery, our Dallas practice is pleased to offer the Composite Facelift.
Until the advent of the Composite Facelift, the science of facelift surgery had changed very little. The prevailing trend in facelift surgery has been to perform small procedures, such as cheek lift and forehead lift, independently. While this might be convenient, it is important to remember that the face ages as a whole and this piecemeal approach to facial rejuvenation can result in an appearance of disharmony that might require more surgery as time passes.
For those interested in complete rejuvenation, it has long been accepted that a taut jawline, contoured neck, elevated forehead, and rested eyes create a more youthful profile. As compared to traditional facelift surgery, where different areas of the face might be treated individually and the lift is in a single direction, the success of the Composite Facelift is due to an integrated surgical technique that requires all areas of the face be moved together, keeping each adjacent area balanced and adding a vertical direction of lift. Lower eyelid surgery, cheek lift, and forehead lift are components of every Composite Facelift surgery performed at Dr. Hamra’s Dallas practice.
The traditional facelift is usually a “skin lift” or a “SMAS lift.” In the skin lift, the skin is separated from the underlying fat and facial muscles and redraped, in a single direction, toward the ear. In the SMAS lift, the lower face muscle (SMAS) is moved independently from the skin, and is also pulled toward the ear. Facial fat is not addressed.
Typically, after this type of cosmetic surgery, one's face seems fresh and rejuvenated. But over time the natural, fresh look from the traditional facelift disappears. The face seems to "fall" and several areas of the face begin to show signs of tension and pull.
The Composite Facelift, performed by Dr. Hamra at his Dallas practice, offers a more effective and advanced alternative to the traditional facelift and its problems. Dr. Hamra has dedicated more than 25 years to the research and development of this integrated surgical procedure that addresses all areas of the face.
Unlike a traditional facelift that pulls the face in one direction only – toward the ear – the Composite Facelift addresses the gravitational fall of the aging face by using a two-direction lift. In a Composite Facelift, all “parts” of the face – skin, facial fat, eyelid muscle, and SMAS muscle – are kept together when lifted, never losing their intimate relationship with one another. This reverses the progressive downward movement of the cheek, fat, and muscle and repositions this anatomy to its original position.
Direction of Lift
In the traditional facelift, the face is lifted in one direction only – toward the ear. This can lead to many problems, including a "swept back" appearance.
Direction of Lift
In the Composite Facelift, the face is lifted in multiple directions – toward the eye and ear. The eyelid muscle and cheek fat are returned to their original positions, restoring vitality to the face. A forehead lift is also part of the procedure at Dr. Hamra’s Dallas practice.
The most critical area of consideration in a complete rejuvenation has always been the lower eyelid and cheek area. In youth, the lower eyelid contour is shallow and convex. However, in our thirties, the appearance of the eye area undergoes predictable changes. As the skin loses its thickness with normal aging, the skeletal structure of the face becomes more pronounced. This leads to a wider, deeper, lower eyelid (fig. 1).
A Composite Facelift, with its unique manner of fat preservation and eyelid muscle repositioning, can best recreate the youthful eye (fig. 2).
To restore a smooth, youthful look to the area around the eyes, Dr. Hamra has perfected a lower eyelid procedure that is now being adopted by surgeons around the world. The procedure involves preserving the fat beneath the eye while repositioning the eyelid muscle. This differs from traditional lower-eyelid surgery, where the fat pads beneath the eyes are completely removed. When Dr. Hamra's eyelid procedure is combined with Composite Facelift surgery at our Dallas practice, the results are a fabulous, more youthful appearance.
In traditional facelifts, the lower-eyelid lift, or lower blepharoplasty, is optional. Typically in a lower-eyelid procedure, the fat pads that cause puffiness are removed without regard to the possible long-term effects. Over time, this wholesale removal of fat can create a hollow or concave appearance of the eye.
The lower blepharoplasty is an integral part of the Composite Facelift. To create a natural transition between the soft under-eye tissue and the cheekbone, the Composite Facelift incorporates a special technique where the fat under the eyes is preserved and repositioned over the orbital bone. This creates a smooth, youthful contour.
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When addressing facial harmony, it is vital that the forehead is not ignored. When fullScreen facelift surgery is performed, the forehead is sometimes treated as a separate entity from the rest of the face; sometimes a forehead lift is performed with a facelift, other times it is not. Dr. Hamra believes that the forehead is intimately connected with the balance of the face and always performs a forehead lift in conjunction with facelift surgery at his Dallas practice. A forehead lift is a vital component of the Composite Facelift because it lifts the eyebrows to their original youthful position and smoothes out a furrowed forehead.
Traditional or conventional facelifts don't always age well and can result in a "facelifted" appearance. The Composite Facelift can help patients avoid the following problems
