Facelift - Learn How it Turns Back the Clock

As a person ages, the skin and the tissues of the body will start to lose their elasticity. The loss of this elasticity will cause the formation of wrinkles and sagging skin. One of the most popular ways to address the aging process on the face is a facelift that surgically lifts and tightens the facial tissues. If you are interested in learning how a facelift can help you can gain a younger look to the face, check out the “Facelift 411” from Cosmetic Town TV and then read on to learn more about how a facelift is performed.

Facelift – What Does the Procedure Focus On?

A facelift, which is also known as a rhytidectomy, is focused on the face and it can address issues with the neck as well. The surgeon might remove excess skin along with repositioning tissue and fat to tighten the skin to smooth the appearance of the face and reduce the appearance of wrinkles. The removal of the skin works to reduce sagging skin that can cause jowls to appear.

Facelift – Different Types to Address the Specific Needs of Patients

• As described above, a traditional facelift/full facelift address the area of the face below the eyes as well as sagging cheeks, lines around the mouth, fullness that is visible under the chin and excess skin and fat that can cause the formation of jowls.
• A mid-facelift, which is sometimes referred to as a cheek lift, is performed to treat skin that is sagging from the upper mouth to the eyes (including the area of the face with the cheeks and nose).
• A mini facelift targets the loose skin that forms around the neck and jawline.
• A nonsurgical facelift uses fillers, injections of fat or a thread lift to reduce wrinkles, creases, and sagging skin.

Facelift – Consultation and Procedure Information

During the consultation process, the plastic surgeon will examine your face in order to make sure you are an ideal patient. In addition, the surgeon will make sure you are healthy enough to have a surgical procedure. You should tell the doctor about your personal and family medical history and let the surgeon know any medications you are currently taking on a regular basis.

The meeting with the doctor is your chance to share your goals for the facelift and the type of results you would like to see. The doctor will let you know the best facelift procedure to help you reach your desired results while also setting realistic expectations about what you can expect once the recovery process is over.

You should also ask to see “before and after” pictures of patients treated in the past by the plastic surgeon of choice. The photos can give you a good visual indication of the type of results you can expect to see following your facelift. You also need to take the time and ask any questions you have in mind about the procedure. The doctor should be willing and able to answer any and all questions you ask. If the doctor is unable or unwilling to answer certain questions, this might be an indication to you to search for another plastic surgeon.

In a traditional facelift, the surgeon makes an incision that is located in the hairline near the temples. The incision that is created by the doctor will be continued in front of the ear and then downwards in front of the earlobe. Finally, the incision will move back to the lower scalp so it will go behind the ears.

The next step is to redistribute or remove the determined amount of excess skin and fat from the face. In addition, the connective tissue and underlying muscle will be redistributed and tightened by the doctor.

If a neck lift needs to be performed, excess skin and fat will be removed so the skin of the neck can be tightened and pulled upwards and back through an incision made under the chin.

There are some risks that are involved with having a facelift and they include a reaction to the anesthesia, prolonged swelling, infection, lingering pain, and scarring.

Facelift – What to Expect During the Recovery Process?

It is quite common to experience some pain and discomfort during the recovery period after a facelift. You will also see some swelling and bruising. The swelling will make it hard to see any of the results during the initial recovery period. Once the swelling starts to go down, you will start to see the difference in the appearance of your face.

It will be about two weeks before you can start to resume your normal daily activities. You should also wait at least four weeks for strenuous activities such as exercise (check with your doctor for the exact timeline).

It is important to remember that facelift results vary per person, and this means your exact final results might not completely match what you had in your mind before the procedure. This is why it is very important to have realistic expectations set by the surgeon so you will not be surprised by the final results.

- MA