Facelifts: when to have one to slow down the ageing process
For years, aesthetic medicine has promised to erase wrinkles, redefine facial contours and restore a more youthful appearance to the face through a series of increasingly less invasive treatments. Fillers, botulinum toxin, thread lifts, radiofrequency and energy-based technologies have gradually gained ground, fuelling the idea that the signs of ageing could be corrected without resorting to surgery. Yet, whilst the market for medical-aesthetic treatments continues to grow, a different perspective is emerging: does it really make sense to constantly chase after the signs of ageing when there is the possibility of addressing the structural cause of the problem? ‘No. Around the age of forty, or at the first signs of sagging, the problem is no longer just a skin issue, but primarily concerns the sagging of deep structures, such as the SMAS and the platysma muscle,” explains Dr Paolo Santanchè, a plastic surgeon practising in Milan and Turin. ‘Non-invasive technologies are unable to act directly on these structures.’
The facelift that targets the deep structures
With the minimally invasive TriVet Deep Plane Ultrasonic Face Lift technique, the procedure targets precisely where it is needed to resolve the problem: the face does not sag in a single direction, and TriVet acts on the three main vectors of sagging – vertical, horizontal and oblique – to achieve a more natural-looking result, even compared to other so-called ‘deep’ techniques,’ continues Santanchè. ‘Unlike traditional facelifts, which act on the skin, this technique works on the “deep plane” and involves releasing adhesions immediately beneath the SMAS (superficial musculoaponeurotic system) and the platysma. The procedure targets the deep structures, releasing adhesions and repositioning the tissues to their original location. The face is not pulled tight, but repositioned to more faithfully replicate the natural dynamics of ageing.” This approach yields natural results that remain stable over time. It is not about changing one’s face, but about rediscovering a younger version of oneself. Follow-ups ten or fifteen years later show that patients continue to maintain a higher quality of facial appearance compared to their pre-operative condition.
Anti-ageing surgery
“If we want to achieve remarkable results, the key is not to rejuvenate the face once it has already begun to show signs of ageing, but to act sooner, by slowing down the ageing process itself,” explains Dr Paolo Santanchè, a plastic surgeon practising in Milan and Turin. “The ideal concept is not to rejuvenate, but to avoid ageing. If treatment is carried out whilst the face is still relatively young, the supporting structure of the tissues can be restored, allowing the face to continue ageing slowly and naturally.” This is the philosophy of ‘non-ageing’, an approach that overturns the traditional paradigm of facial rejuvenation. The aim is not to transform the face or artificially turn back the clock, but to preserve, for as long as possible, the features that make it recognisable and harmonious.
