Facial plastic surgery is on the rise—a rather unbelievable statement, especially if you’re steeped in celebrity news and aesthetic culture. According to American Society of Plastic Surgeons Plastic Surgery Statistics Reportfacial surgeries have increased an average of 18 percent since the pandemic, with an 8 percent increase in facelifts or wrinkle reductions in 2022 alone. And those numbers are just is expected to increase in the following years.
The rise in facial plastic surgery in recent years reveals a desire for a more permanent solution to looking and feeling younger, he explains Philip Franck, MD, board certified plastic surgeon at Kassir Plastic Surgery. “They also realize that non-surgical procedures are fraught with complications and may complicate their surgical planning later. For example, threading can cause scarring, energy devices can cause scarring, and fillers can cause lymphatic drainage problems and overfill the face, it actually changes [your facial] anatomy.”
With this uptick, the types of facelifts that are now trending in the cosmetic world are mini or “baby” facelifts that are simply not as invasive, but offer impressive results. Once such a facelift it is said the “One Stitch Facelift” – also referred to as a scarless face and brow lift – pioneered by Ramtin Kassir, MDa triple board certified facial plastic and reconstructive surgeon and its founder Kassir Plastic Surgery and inside beautythat promises a lifted, rejuvenated look with just one hidden incision at the hairline.
What is One Stitch Facelift?
The One Stitch Facelift is by no means your traditional facelift, which requires larger incisions on the face with visible scarring and extended healing times. Rather, it’s a deep facelift, which is a type of facelift in which the SMAS (superficial musculoaponeurotic system), a layer of connective tissue beneath the skin of the face, is lifted to tighten the cheekbones, jawline, and sometimes the neck. Essentially, the One Stitch Facelift includes the deep facelift but is performed endoscopically for greater precision and minimal bruising.
“[T]The One Stitch Facelift involves a deep scarless facelift through an incision on the scalp, avoiding traditional incisions around the ears,” says Dr. Cashier. flawless look”.
The surgery itself lifts both the skin and the SMAS together as one unit through a single stitch behind the hairline – hence the name, “One Stitch Facelift”. Specifically, it lifts the entire midface, browbones and lower face, creating what Dr. Kassir refers to as an “aesthetic and youthful” v-shaped jawline and an overall rejuvenated facial appearance.
This type of facelift can take up to an hour or more to perform if the lower face is also treated. One Stitch is performed under twilight anesthesia, in which a patient receives both a local anesthetic to numb a specific body part and a sedative to allow them to feel drowsy but not completely unconscious, resulting in less downtime and little bruise free. Patients can expect to have 1-2 weeks of downtime after the procedure. The One Stitch Facelift can last for about five to 10 years, due to the natural aging process.
Oren Tepper, MD, a board-certified plastic surgeon, adds, “Facelifts turn back the clock, but it doesn’t stop the clock.” Therefore, to optimize the results of the surgery, making the results last longer, people should continue a collagen-stimulating skin care routine after the surgery. She continues, “It’s important to increase skin elasticity before surgery for faster recovery, as well as condition the skin afterward to increase healthy collagen production and promote firmer, more radiant skin.”
Benefits of One Stitch Facelift
Image source: Dr. Cashier
In addition to facial rejuvenation, the benefits of the One Stitch facelift include minimal scarring and minimal downtime compared to traditional facelifts. Dr. Kassir notes that with his younger patients, scarring is usually their biggest concern, and this alleviates that concern.
Another benefit of the One Stitch Facelift – fewer trips to your doctor to get Botox. “[W]When you have a forehead lift/endoscopic brow lift like you do with one stitch, Botox is no longer necessary on your forehead. The endoscopic forehead lift is done like that of a prolonged Botox treatment,” says Dr. Kasir.
Who is a good candidate for One Stitch Facelift?
Candidates for the One Stitch Facelift trend are younger in age than those seeking traditional or even deep facelifts, which tend to leave scars on the outer parts of the face due to the need to remove more skin. Dr. Kassir says that mostly anyone over 35 with mild drooping of the brow, midface, or lower face (including the deep nasolabial folds) is a good candidate for the procedure. However, it has recently seen an increased demand from people in their 20s if they are showing early signs of aging on the lower face.
“Other candidates are patients who are not interested in an invasive facelift [or] I want to touch up the results of a previous facelift,” says Dr. Kasir.
As for who is not a good candidate, Dr. Kassir says that patients who are advanced in age and suffer from soft tissue laxity in the face and neck, have deep wrinkles, sagging skin, and skin that has lost excess elasticity should skip the Single Stitch Facelift. Those who present with these issues tend to be better candidates for the traditional deep plane facelift.
How much does a single stitch facelift cost?
If you’re interested in the One Stitch Facelift, you can’t just go to any surgeon’s office—only Dr. Kassir in his office. One Stitch Facelift will cost you around $50,000 to start, although it can be increased depending on what is needed to achieve the desired results during the consultation.
What you need to know before the procedure
Dr. Kassir says that if you’re going to have a lifting procedure like One Stitch, it’s important to avoid threading or any energy-based treatments like skin resurfacing or skin tightening, as it can interfere with the results of the lift. “Patients should always avoid smoking, sun exposure, weight loss, certain medications and supplements because they can affect blood clotting, change the effectiveness of medications, cause drug interactions, and have anesthetics results,” he says.
When undergoing anesthesia, patients are also instructed to avoid alcohol, caffeine, and artificial sweeteners 48 to 24 hours before surgery, and to avoid eating or drinking anything after midnight the night before surgery .
Surgical aftercare
Dr. Kassir instructs patients to avoid any activities that may put pressure on the head and face area. Avoid bending over or lifting heavy things, as this can increase your blood pressure and cause swelling and bleeding. Do not smoke or drink alcohol after surgery, as it can inhibit blood flow and increase the risk of bleeding.
