The Midface Lift by Dr. Ronald Schuster, Board Certified Plastic Surgeon in Baltimore, Maryland

The midface lift is a special procedure which is performed in order to lift the cheek and support the lower eyelid. It can be performed together with only lower eyelid blepharoplasty, or more commonly, with facelift procedures. In my opinion, it is very important and is used in order to maintain a balanced appearance. It has been defined several different ways. I define it as an upside down triangle, with the base of the triangle along the bottom of the lower eyelid and the apex of the triangle pointing down towards the corner of the mouth. The lift of the midface has also been described used several different methods. Most of these do not work well in my opinion. I have performed midface lifts for over 15 years and I have changed the procedure in order to get consistent safe results. In my opinion the midface lift needs to be lifted in a purely vertical direction. This can really only be done if it is combined with lower eyelid surgery and uses the the same incision (scar) as standard lower eyelid blepharoplasty. The tissues of the midface are lifted up off the bone, moved toward the eye, and secured in place with sutures.The difference in my techniques is that it is held securely to the bone and actually builds up the fullness of the cheek, restoring it to the way it used to be in younger years. Other techniques generaly pull the midface up toward the outside of the eyebrow and generally don’t hold up over time. As aging occurs we lose volume in the cheeks and they begin to sag due to the loss of volume. The midface lift helps to restore the volume and reposition it back to where it began. Some younger patients are simply born with weakness in the midface and midface lifts can help. Not everyone should have a midface lift though. Sometimes it just simply doesn’t “look good”, giving too much fullness and an un-natural appearance. This is why the evaluation of the patient is so important. Also, the recovery is a bit longer due to a little more swelling around the eye area. Some people are just not willing to put up with a little more recovery. If indicated however, it is well worth it since it helps to restore balance to the face and avoid the dreaded tight “facelift” look. Hope this helps to explain the Midface lift. Check this and other facial procedures at my website CosmeticSurgeryBaltimore.com.