16 Dec 2025
Times have changed. Even a decade ago, patients were not eager to admit to plastic surgery. Reality television and the internet have definitely helped to de-stigmatize aesthetic work. Often referred to as the “Kardashian Effect”, women, and some men, are more than willing to show off and talk about their “work”. Personally, I think this is great. No one should feel ashamed about doing whatever he or she wants in order to feel as confident and comfortable in his or her own skin as possible. However, as the shame about plastic surgery has diminished, there is less of a need for an inconspicuous result. Any brief scroll online will show many examples of people with obvious and overdone facial rejuvenation. Delivering a natural looking result is a cornerstone of my practice as a Board-Certified Facial Plastic Surgeon. But given today’s climate, does subtlety still matter in a facelift? Yes and here’s why.
Any Treatment Plan Must be Individualized
While I’ve already discussed the positive aspects of the world wide web on aesthetic surgery, one of the big downsides is that there is a homogeneous nature to the information. This can be misleading as the internet does not know you. And for any aesthetic procedure to be effective, it must be customized to your individual:
- Anatomy
- Goals
- Lifestyle
What does this mean? Let’s take a set of female identical twins, for example. Even though they’re the same age, maybe one has lived in Florida where she spends a lot of time out in the sun while the other resides here in Boston and wears sunscreen daily. The health of the skin and tissues on the face of the Florida resident is going to be worse. This will have a huge impact on her treatment plan. Or perhaps the Boston twin broke her nose as a teen. This change to her anatomy may dictate a different plan of attack. This is why I always encourage patients to schedule an inperson consultation.
Facelift Consultation is Imperative
During our meeting, I will listen to what bothers you about your appearance. Again, the internet has become a fantastic educational tool. However, you are not a surgeon and oftentimes, a patient will think she needs X when actually rejuvenating what bothers her will require Y. In addition to listening acutely, I will ask numerous questions about your medical history, family history and any prior procedures you may have had as well as how your body recovered. Then I’ll perform a physical exam to assess:
- Skin tone & texture
- Fine lines & wrinkles
- Volume loss
- Degree & location of loose, sagging skin
- Muscle tone in the neck
- Appearance of the chin/neck juncture
Together, we will discuss the best facial rejuvenation options for delivering your desired result.
The Art of the Natural Facelift
One of the reasons that I love performing a facelift is that it is both an art and a science. There is the technical side of the procedure which is, obviously, critical. This is also where my many years of experience can make a real difference. Once we get into the operating room (OR), things may not go exactly as planned so choosing a plastic surgeon who has performed countless facelifts means that you are in the hands of someone who knows how to pivot. The other side of a facelift is less quantifiable. There is an art to a natural facelift. It begins, as discussed, with respecting your unique features. My focus is always on repositioning your deeper facial structures, not just tightening the surface of the skin. Not only does this approach deliver a result that is more smooth and lifted without looking pulled, but it’ll also last longer. A facelift is a big investment in terms of time and money so we both want you to get the kind of great result that will look exemplary for many, many years.
To find out more about a facelift, or any other surgical or non-surgical procedure with Dr. Leonard Miller at the Boston Center for Plastic Surgery, contact us today or call (617) 402-2768 to schedule a consultation at his Boston or Chestnut Hills offices.
