As I discussed in my April 4, 2006 post entitled "
Jowls", the jowls can be a
very stubborn problem. Since that last post, I have been doing a procedure called the
Ribbon Lift. Unlike the so-called thread lifts, which many surgeons criticize as yielding disappointing results, the Ribbon Lift appears to be promising, since it is based on time-tested basic surgical principles. Furthermore, because the Ribbon Lift is based on sound surgical principles, the results seem to be long-lasting.
The Ribbon Lift involves placing a dissolvable device (the ribbon) under the skin of the face. An incision is made just below the sideburn and scissors are used to create a tunnel to the the jowls in the lower face. The ribbon, which measures about five inches long by less than a quarter inch wide, is a soft, flexible material with tiny points (like miniature spikes) at one end. It is made up of the same material that dissolvable stitches are made of. The ribbon is slid into the incision and the tiny points are pressed firmly into the jowl tissue. When the end of the ribbon is pulled up near the ear, the tiny spikes pull up on the jowl tissue as well. The jowls are thereby either eliminated -- or at least reduced significantly. A stitch holds the end of the ribbon in place and a series of stitches is used to close the sub-sideburn incision.
The procedure takes about a half hour and is performed with the patient wide awake, under local anesthesia. Some patients opt to take a Valium before the procedure, but this isn't necessary for most patients.
After the procedure, the patient is told to minimize activity for a few days. The ribbon dissolves after several months. For the first week or two, the ribbon can be felt if a finger is run along the cheek, although does not seem to bother the patients.
The Ribbon Lift appears to hold promise for the treatment of jowling and it has become a part of my armamentarium for the treatment of facial aging.
Please go to the "Videos" section of
www.drfrankryan.com to a more thorough discussion of the Ribbon Lift.
