Dermal fillers can last for a long time — sometimes a year or more. So if you’ve decided to get a surgical facelift after already having fillers, you might be wondering if you need to wait for your fillers to fully fade away or have them dissolved early prior to your facelift.
The answer to that question is: it depends. However, here are three general rules of thumb to follow to make the most of a facelift combined with fillers.
1. Don’t Schedule Fillers Right before a Facelift
If you already know you’ll be getting a facelift soon, avoid scheduling an appointment for fillers beforehand.
It is especially important not to get any type of fillers other than hyaluronic acid (HA) fillers shortly before a facelift, since HA fillers are the only kind that can be dissolved. Otherwise, you’ll have no choice but to wait for the product to break down on its own before moving forward with your facelift.
2. Talk to Your Plastic Surgeon about Existing Fillers
Existing dermal fillers don’t necessarily need to be fully gone before a facelift, but you should disclose to your plastic surgeon exactly when you last had any injectables, what type and where they were placed.
Whether or not previous filler will be compatible with your upcoming facelift will depend on what area(s) of your face they were placed and how much was injected.
3. Fillers Can Complement Your Facelift
The good news is that fillers can often be combined with a facelift to enhance your results — so if you were holding off on getting injectables, you can still have the best of both worlds. Talk to your facelift plastic surgeon about combining your facelift with fillers prior to your procedure so that he or she can come up with an appropriate treatment plan for your goals.
Ready to start planning your facelift? Call our office at 805-484-2855 or contact us online to schedule your consultation today!
