DEAR ABBY: Whenever an individual has a face lift, brow lift or eye lift, it is usually said that the person looks 10 -- or whatever -- years younger. I know the person will continue to age, but will she (or he) always look 10 years younger than she would have without surgery, or does the person eventually look just as she would have if she never had a lift?
I asked a cosmetic surgeon this question, but never got a clear answer. Could you help me (and others) have a more realistic idea of what to expect if we choose this route? -- CONTEMPLATING SURGERY IN ARKANSAS
DEAR CONTEMPLATING: I'll try. It is a misconception that plastic surgery guarantees knocking 10 years -- or "whatever" -- off one's countenance. More often what happens is the person looks "rested" or "refreshed" -- the sags and stress lines gone or diminished.
How long the results last can vary according to the patient's genetics and how well he or she takes care of his or her skin. If the person avoids the sun, tobacco, too much alcohol and excessive weight gain, the results of plastic surgery will last longer. But nothing lasts forever -- and that includes anything a person has "lifted."