By: Michael Chiaramonte, MD, FACS

You might feel like you know “what’s what” when it comes to your procedure options, but you may be less confident that you can spot the difference between a good face lift and one that could have been better. Whether you’re looking over face lift photos online or meeting with someone to discuss their results, you’ll get more out of the experience if you know what to notice. Pay attention to:

Earlobes – The “Giveaway” Feature

Earlobes can be the biggest clue that someone’s had work done, and consistently bad results in this area are a big indicator that a surgeon’s technique could use some improvement. Why? The thin tissues in this area make it tricky to avoid changing the angle and appearance of the lobes. In some cases this isn’t avoidable, but it’s definitely a point worth noticing.

Look for:

• A clear dividing point where the angle of the face and the angle of the ear meet – the ear shouldn’t appear to “melt” flat into the patient’s cheek
• Natural earlobe angle and shape – the earlobes shouldn’t look “pulled” or too closely attached to the cheek tissues afterward

Skin Quality – Healthy Results Look Healthy

A face lift won’t improve the quality of your skin, but a highly skilled Maryland plastic surgeon can often suggest different kinds of treatments (facial fillers, for example) to help your skin look healthier.

Look for:

• Firm, fuller-looking cheeks that de-emphasize the “tear troughs” below the eyes

Neck and Jaw Line – Tissues Should “Match”

A loose, flabby neck doesn’t always indicate poor technique, but it can suggest something about the surgeon’s evaluative skills. Many types of Maryland face lifts don’t address the neck area at all, and some patients decide not to have a neck lift as part of their face lift procedure, but in a top-quality face lift the neck shouldn’t look loose and “banded.”

Look for:

• A consistent and uniform appearance in the firmness of both the facial and neck skin

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