When it comes to facelift surgery, it’s the good versus the bad, and the ugly. How to tell the difference? By the results, of course. That’s because a good facelift enhances the facial appearance while a bad facelift detracts. An ugly facelift, on the other hand, just screams poor judgment and perhaps poor skill on someone’s part.

The Good

The wonderful thing about a good facelift is that you barely notice the results. They’re that natural, but they’re not invisible. The plastic surgeon was careful to weigh all factors in the procedure: patient desire, efficacy of the procedure, realistic expectations, and technical limitations. If you choose your surgeon well, your results will be stunning. The facial lines and wrinkles you once had will melt away as if by magic. The sagging neck and jawline will seamlessly vanish. You will be amazed at the positive comments from family members and friends. They will see a difference in you – an honestly good one – but they just can’t put their finger on it. Perhaps they’ll think you’ve lost weight, taken a vacation, or found a new love.

Well done.

The Bad

When one thinks of a bad facelift, think of an eager patient and a well-meaning plastic surgeon. The problem is that the patient expected too much from the procedure. Now, the patient’s pulled perm-smile has taken on the unmistakable aspect of an overdone procedure. You get the unsettled feeling that one smile too many could split the patient’s overly taught facial skin in many places. The results seem fake at best.

As a person ages, repeat revision facelifts become more of a high-stakes gamble with diminishing payoff, sort of like Michael Jackson’s nose. Nature, like the gambling casino, rules. Perhaps the bad facelift is the patient’s fault. Perhaps it’s the surgeon’s over-willingness to please the patient that created such poor results – asymmetrical, unnatural, and there for all to see and poke fun at.

The Ugly

Well, that says it all. There is just no mistaking a monumental facial surgical fiasco of epic proportions. Think Bruce Jenner and you catch the meaning of a truly bad facelift procedure. The scary part of it is that so many people want to imitate Hollywood celebrities in every possible way. As everyone’s face is different, you can’t expect to look like the twin of your favorite Tinsel town hero unless you share many of the same facial characteristics to begin with. The hallmark of a genuinely ugly facelift is that it yields almost freakish results. They’re overdone to the point of looking like the patient has just emerged from a wind tunnel.

The stamp of a good facelift is that it is a work of art and an expression of true love of craft on the part of the surgeon. It is the main reason why your surgeon devoted years of his or her life to acquire the training and the skills essential to produce natural results that satisfy and are a credit to the profession. For truly impressive facelift results in the Virginia Beach area, check out Dr. Choe’s before and after facelift photo gallery.

Dr. Kyle S. Choe is a board certified facial plastic surgeon and hair restoration specialist with offices located in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Contact The Choe Center for Facial Plastic Surgery at 757.389.5850 for a personal consultation.