Cosmetic procedures for the aging face

As the United States' population continues to age and as cosmetic procedures have become more accepted, adults from all age groups and socioeconomic brackets are seeking improvement in facial aging. Ideal correction includes improvement in the quality of skin, improvement in wrinkles, correction of soft tissue descent, removal of skin excess, and volume restoration. The physiologic rather than the chronologic age is the most important factor in determining the advisability of cosmetic surgery in elderly people. In addition to traditional cosmetic surgery procedures, the elderly population is amenable to several shortcuts, minimizing operative time and post-operative recovery. These can be performed alone or in combination with traditional procedures, improving the stigmata of facial aging and enhancing quality of life.