mid face lift
As we are getting older, the fatty tissue that normally drapes over the cheekbones begins to sag, resulting in sunken cheeks and nasolabial folds appearing between the nose and the cheek. In order to restore the cheek soft tissue pad in the middle of the face, your surgeon will recommend having an Endoscopic Midface Lift, or Vertical Face Lift, through the same small incisions in the scalp hair used for the brow lift.
About midface lift
The latest vertical facelift techniques offer an effective alternative to the traditional facelift. Because of aging, gravity causes the facial tissues to droop in a vertical direction. Using minimally invasive lift techniques with limited incisions, the sagging cheek tissue can be lifted up over the cheekbone restoring the more prominent youthful contour, improving the bagginess of the lower lids, and softening the undesirable cheek fold.
page topYour consultation
Communicating with your surgeon is vital for the success of the procedure. During your consultation he will evaluate your expectations and will take a full history of your health in order to determine if this is the right procedure for you. Then, he will talk to you about the results you can realistically expect.
Related procedures to rejuvenate other areas of the face are frequently performed in conjunction with midfacelifts, including forehead lifts, neck lifts, rhinoplasty (nose reshaping), and blepharoplasty (eye lifts). Your cosmetic surgeon will advise you of the need to have any of these associated procedures.
It is important to know that best results are achieved in people who maintain a stable body weight, have elastic skin and a strong bone structure.
page topPreparing for surgery
After a thorough evaluation and a full medical history, your surgeon will discuss with you what procedure best suites your needs. Now you will have the chance to talk to the surgeon about what you are hoping to achieve.
Before your surgery:
- You must stop eating and drinking 6 hours before your surgery appointment.
- You should not take aspirin or anti-inflammatory medicines such as ibuprofen for 3 weeks before surgery.
- Avoid alcoholic beverages for 24 hours prior to surgery.
- You must arrange for someone to take you home and make sure you are comfortable.
- You must also arrange for a responsible adult to stay with you for the first 24 hours following surgery.
- Wear loose and comfortable clothing on the day of surgery.
- Do not wear any jewellery, contact lenses, makeup or nail polish.
- Please bring your prescription medication (pain medication, nausea medication, antibiotics, etc) with you on the day of surgery.
- On the morning of surgery you can brush your teeth without swallowing any water.
Your operation
The procedure is usually performed under "twilight" and local anaesthesia. During your surgery you will be able to breathe on your own. The day before the operation you can eat normally and take your usual medication, unless they are included in the forbidden list.
In order to reposition the sagging fat of the cheek over the cheek bone for a more youthful fullness of the cheeks, your surgeon may perform different procedures. This also depends on the results expected:
- Suture meloplication or percutaneous cheek lift is a minimally invasive method of lifting the cheek and midface region. With no visible incisions, this is a minor operation that can be performed in an office setting with minimal sedation and a rapid recovery period.
- The percutaneous midface lift is performed using suture loops placed under the skin of the midface. This technique is also called midface meloplication.
- Endoscopic cheek lift is a mini face lift or S lift addresses the early jowling of lower face with limited incisions and minimal skin removal. This type of lift is more similar to a face lift rather than a midface or cheek lift.
- Subperiosteal cheek or midface lift is a deep technique of midface and cheek lift where all the tissue is lifted from the cheekbones and re-suspended in a higher place. Incisions are made inside the mouth and in the temple. This technique can cause moderate swelling that will disappear in a few weeks.
- Malar augmentation with lift involves the use of an absorbable implanted device that aids in maintaining the position of the tissues after a cheek and midface lift. The device is typically used with the subperiosteal midface lift. This technique provides a more effective method of holding up the lifted tissues compared to traditional sutures.
- SOOF lift (sub-orbicularis oculi fat) is an acronym for the fatty tissue of the upper part of the cheek, next to the fatty tissue of the lower cheek. SOOF lift can be performed through the same incisions used for cheek surgery. This midface lift technique typically has less swelling associated with it.
- Midface lifts can be performed also by means of submalar non absorbable implants.
Your surgeon may decide to combine the midface lift procedure with a number of other facial cosmetic operations including blepharoplasty, brow lift, face and neck lift, cheek augmentation, lip augmentation, neck liposuction and laser resurfacing. Most of the time, a midface lift is incorporated into a facelift.
page topRecovery
Most patients experience minimal discomfort after surgery. The swelling will generally improve over 5-7 days, but it will take several weeks for all to fade away. You will be able to return to work and social activities within 7 to 10 days although some swelling will still be present.
While at home make sure to:
- Elevate your head on at least two pillows for the first night following the procedure to help minimize facial swelling.
- Apply ice packs to the face for the first 4-6 hours to reduce swelling. For comfort, you may apply ice packs for up to 24 hours.
- Diet must be limited to soft foods for 48 hours following surgery and limited chewing for the first 2 weeks.
- If there are incisions in your mouth, brush your teeth carefully. Rinse your mouth after eating to avoid food getting stuck to your stitches.
- Take the prescribed antibiotics and pain medication.
- DO NOT TAKE vitamin E, aspirin, or other anitinflamatory medicines such as Ibuprofen for at least one week after surgery.
- Hair may be washed the day following the procedure. Make-up may be applied one day following the procedure. Sutures will be removed between at 1 week.
- Infections are rare but watch for signs of infection up to 14 days after the procedure.
- Infections are rare but watch for signs of infection up to 14 days after the procedure
Risks and Complications
A midfacelift is generally a safe surgical procedure. However, our caring medical staff will take time to walk you through some common side-effects and risks that you take when deciding to go through with the procedure:
You must remember that side-effects are temporary. Some types of midface lifts may produce swelling that lasts for a few weeks, especially if dissection is subperiosteal.
The bruises and soreness will subside, but the scars usually fade over the course of 12 months; however, they will not completely disappear.
Complications such bleeding during or soon after the procedure, infection and a reaction to the anaesthetic may occur. Although in rare cases, bleeding under your skin may occur that causes a painful a haematoma. Antibiotics will be prescribed to prevent infection and your surgeon will remove the blood clot formed.
Damage to your facial nerves resulting in numbness and muscle weakness in your face are very uncommon and not necessarily permanent.
page topCost of your surgery
A few things to remember when considering the cost of surgery:
- Dr Stavros Eleftheriou is a Specialist in Cosmetic Facial Surgery offering the latest techniques available in the field today.
- Our prices are very affordable within Europe and are all inclusive: consultation, admission, surgical fee, anesthetist fee, and hospital fee, all medication while at the clinic, and all our after care. You don’t have to worry about any hidden costs that may appear after your surgery.
- Your surgery takes place in a hospital based environment, where you are in the good hands of a professional, caring staff, happy to address your concerns and needs.
- Post-surgery consultations and aftercare will be performed in the UK. You will not need to travel to Cyprus for your routine check ups.
- The procedures recommended are tailor made to suit your individual needs.
- Deciding on what kind of anaesthetic is most appropriate and how long you will need to stay in hospital are also important factors when you are quoted a price.
In addition, there is an obvious price advantage when having surgery in our clinic in Cyprus compared to a UK hospital. Cyprus is a country with significant lower healthcare costs than the ones in UK or other Western European countries.
To help you decide easier, the following comparison list should give you an idea of the advantages in choosing our clinic. Once you have decided on surgery, please contact us to receive a detailed quotation that reflects the actual cost of your surgery.
| Procedure | Average UK Price | Price guidance Cyprus |
| Upper or Lower Blepharoplasty | £ 3,000 | £ 1,100 |
| Facelift with neck lift | £ 6,300 | £ 3,350 |
| Upper and Lower Blepharoplasty | £ 4,500 | £ 1,450 |
We understand your need to consult with more surgeons before making a decision. During your research period, make sure you compare similar operations when comparing.
Note: Patients who are having one more than one procedure at one time, will be offered discounted prices for the additional procedures. For example a face lift and a neck lift will be less costly when done together, as there will be only one hospital stay and one anesthesia.
page toplearn more
If you'd like to know more about our midface lift surgical procedure or wish to print this article, we invite you to download our brochure on midface lifts or call our office at +44 (0) 123 456789. Alternatively, fill in the online contact form and one of our patient advisors will get in touch as soon as possible.
