Did you know that your nose can droop, making it appear longer as you age? Consider rhinoplasty, Jacksonville plastic surgeons say.

Did you know that after everything else on your body has hit its peak, your nose, chin and ears keep on growing, some say? That’s why plastic surgery such as rhinoplasty for the aging nose also is growing.

Candidates for nose surgery aren’t just self conscious teens and 20-somethings worried about significant “nasal protuberance.” They’re also middle-aged and older patients who feel something is “off” with their noses’ appearance. Many report being confused that their noses seem bigger or lower than in years before. Either may be true, plastic surgeons say. While there is debate in the medical community as to whether the nose actually continues to grow throughout the entire lifespan, there is no doubt that gravity takes its toll.

As we age, collagen and elastin in the skin breaks down, sapping the skin of its strength and suppleness. The pull of gravity eventually wins out. For your nose, this means a drooping effect that makes the nose look longer and lower than before. The same thing happens to our ears and jowls.

Now for the good news: If changes in your nose’s appearance have scenes from “Pinocchio” running through your mind, Garcia Facial Plastic Surgery can help with an expertly performed rhinoplasty.

“Jacksonville patients who undergo rhinoplasty of the aging nose see the nasal tip restored to its youthful position,” says Dr. Roberto Garcia, noting that treating “nose droop” typically is easier than the traditional nose job. That’s because a full rhinoplasty often involves breaking the nasal bones, whereas rhinoplasty to correct an aging, drooping nose can be done with cartilage grafts instead. This allows for a shorter recovery time.

Rhinoplasty for the aging nose often is performed along with a facelift, neck lift or eyelid surgery, as part of a total facial rejuvenation. To schedule a consultation, call Jacksonville’s Garcia Facial Plastic surgery at 904-247-8522.

Significant weight loss can leave patients feeling great about their bodies, but distressed about the effect on their faces. Face lifts and neck lifts can help.

Following significant weight loss, many people are thrilled with the way their bodies look, but dismayed by the lingering effects of obesity on their faces and necks. Fortunately, these aging effects can be addressed with a neck lift or face lift. Jacksonville’s Garcia Facial Plastic Surgery has helped hundreds of patients with recent weight loss to restore a firm, youthful look to their faces.

Morbidly obese people typically have large round faces and full, heavy necks as a result of excess fat. When a significant amount of weight and fat is lost, loose, sagging skin often remains on the face and neck. This can cause an aged look. Sagging facial skin creates heavy folds and lines that resemble aging wrinkles and cause shadows on the face, and can extend below the angle of the jaw. A heavy cheek also can blend into a sagging neckline, creating a “turkey neck” look.

The solution can be an expertly performed neck lift and/or face lift. Jacksonville’s Dr. Phillip Garcia and Dr. Roberto Garcia perform these procedures weekly, using incisions hidden behind the hairline and ears and under the chin. Excess skin is removed and remaining skin is smoothed over the facial bones and features, creating a smoother, younger look. Though recovery times vary with each patient, most patients are able to resume much of their daily lives within about two weeks after surgery.

For more information on neck lifts or face lifts, Jacksonville’s Garcia Facial Plastic Surgery can be reached at 904-247-8522 or via our online email form.