The New Lift For Beauty

The traditional face-lift's popularity is drooping, and down about 20% since 2000. Leery of the wind-tunnel look, a long recovery period and a $15,000 bill, patients are choosing subtler, cheaper and less painful procedures. A eyebrow lift, for example, smooths deep furrows in the forehead and drooping eyelids can be corrected at the same time by removing extra skin, fat or muscle from the upper and lowereyelids. Results usually last about five years. You can do a lot to maintain that youthful look without resorting to a formal face-lift. Baby Boomers are starting the process earlier, and they are careful about scheduling the necessary regular maintenance much like they would with their luxuary cars.

There's a new touch called "The Thread Lift". A tiny thread is inserted under the tissues of the face. Barbs on the thread lift sagging skin when tiny teeth on the thread's other end anchor the skin to facial tissues. Done under local anesthesia, the procedure is good for about a year. There is a downside since threads sometimes snap on one side, causing the face to fall. You may look like you've had a stroke until you can be fixed, and that likely will require surgery.