Quick Facts: face lift the Candidate the Procedure After a Face Lift Recovery Complications Find a Surgeon:

Most people feel physically and mentally energetic long after their appearance begins to show signs of aging. Signs of aging in the face include wrinkles, looser skin, crow's feet, and a variety of other skin defects. These features when combined can take away the look of liveliness you once had as a youth and it may not reflect exactly how young you feel inside. A face lift can reduce the signs of aging and provide a rejuvenated appearance. The degree of improvement depends upon the severity of the initial stages of aging of the patient.

A facelift is also called a rhytidectomy. "Rhytid" means wrinkle and "ectomy" means removal. However, a face lift is not really a wrinkle removal operation. There are, in fact, a number of surgical techniques that have been grouped under the umbrella term of face lift surgery. Despite the numerous methods available for plastic surgeons to perform a face lift, the basic goal underlines these different surgical techniques. Face lift surgery is designed to assist people reverse the effects of aging by eliminating the physical evidence of time such as deep creases that form between the nose and mouth, the evolution of a jaw line that has grown slack and jowly, and the appearance of folds and fat deposits around the neck. It does this by removing excess fat, tightening muscles, and re-draping the patient's skin. A face lift does not include lifting the forehead and doesn't completely raise the mid and central face. The browlift or forehead lift is the recommended procedure for treating a sagging brow or mid face.

Who is a candidate?

The face lift is considered to be a major operative procedure. Contrary to popular belief and despite newspaper and magazine stories, this is not as simple as having your hair done or having a facial. Your surgeon will remove as much skin as is safe to provide a natural result for you particular facial contour. The type of skin, the degree of preexisting sun damage, age and the aging rate of each patient are factors that help determine the final result.

The best candidate for a face lift is a man or woman whose face and neck have begun to sag, but whose skin retains some elasticity. While the facelift procedure is probably the most sought after procedure for those over forty, it is becoming increasingly common for those under forty as well. Many patients prefer early or preventative corrections to maintain their youthful appearance. It is important to remember, however, that facelift surgery cannot erase all permanent creases including the lines around the mouth, frown, and crow feet region.

At the time of your consultation, your plastic surgeon will ask you about your general medical history, specifically pertaining to any medical conditions that could cause problems during or after your surgery, such as uncontrolled high blood pressure, blood clotting problems, or a tendency to form excessive scars. If you are a smoker you will be asked to stop smoking well in advance of surgery. Regular smoking constricts blood vessels resulting in decreased blood flow to a given area, which can prevent normal healing. More Face Lift Facts...

About the Operation

A rhytidectomy is a cosmetic surgical operation in which the loose muscles of the face and neck are tightened, and the skin is redraped and the excess trimmed. For the best results, you may have pre operative and post operative skin care and rejuvenation, such as laser skin resurfacing, chemical peels, etc. Other surgical procedures like liposuction, eyelid surgery, a brow lift, or a chin implant may be required to improve the overall appearance of the face. These additional procedures will be discussed separately as they are not an actual part of the facelift operation.

The operation usually requires approximately two hours. It may be performed under local anesthesia with intravenous sedatives as required to ensure the patient's comfort, or under general anesthesia. An anesthesiologist or nurse anesthetist will be present to administer the sedatives (or general anesthetic) and assist in monitoring all patients to ensure their safety.

As a general rule, the incision starts high in the temple area (hidden by the hair). It progresses down in front of the ear, around the earlobe, and then up behind the ear before curving gently back into the hairline of the neck. In some circumstances, it may be necessary to add an incision under the chin.

Using the above incisions, the skin is lifted forward onto the cheeks and down as far as the jaw line and into the neck. The underlying muscles are then lifted accordingly in order to ensure a longer lasting effect. After repositioning the deep tissues, leaking blood vessels are then sealed. Following this, the skin that has been loosened off from the underlying tissue, is lifted upwards and any excess skin is removed. Finally, the wound is closed with a combination of sutures and/or miniature staples. Afterwards, a bandage dressing is gently placed around your face in order to apply light pressure over the wound area.

At the completion of the operation, drainage tubes are frequently placed beneath the skin to minimize swelling. These tubes are connected to a bulb. It is necessary to empty the drainage fluid a few times at home. The nurse will give instructions at the time of discharge. The patient may choose to go home on the day of surgery or spend the night with an office consultant or nurse from the surgery center. The drains will be removed in the office usually on the first post operative visit. More Face Lift Facts...

What to Expect after Face Lift Surgery

Bandages and drains (if used) are removed the day following your surgery, and your hair will be carefully washed. Over the next few days your hair should be washed daily with a gentle shampoo and great care you should be exercised in the suture area. Stitches in the skin and metal clips used within the hairline are removed after eight days.

You will experience a tight feeling around your face as a result of the bandages. Most facelift patients report a surprisingly small amount of discomfort following their procedure. In addition, most patients experience a numbing sensation once the bandages are removed, and will improve with time.

You will also experience a feeling of tension in the neck and cheek areas as well as around the ear. This is a result of the small sensory nerve fibers in the skin being separated during the operation. Sensation usually returns to normal, but may take up to nine months. More Face Lift Facts...

Your Recovery

Following surgery you will likely experience some swelling and bruising of the face. This can last 3-6 weeks. As a result of the swelling, you may experience some temporary lag in the normal motion of your facial muscles, but this usually subsides gradually without the risk of permanent change.

Initially, your face may look and feel rather strange. Your features may be distorted from the swelling, and your facial movements may be slightly stiff. You will also more than likely be self-conscious about your scars. By the third week following your surgery, you will start to look and feel much better. Most patients are back at work from about ten days to two weeks after surgery. If desired, camouflage makeup can mask most remaining bruising.

You should be up and about in a day or two, but should plan on taking it easy and resting for the first week after your operation. You must be especially gentle with your face and hair since your skin may be tender and numb. You should also avoid strenuous exercise/labor, including sexual activity for at least two weeks.

As with any cosmetic procedure, there will be some scarring. These scars can take many months or even years to heal. You should expect the scars to be red, raised, lumpy and even itchy to begin with they should fade and flatten with time as this is part of the healing process. Please keep in mind that this may take up to two years for this healing process to complete. More Face Lift Facts...

Possible Complications

Individuals vary in their anatomy and their healing abilities. Hence, the outcome of surgery is never completely predictable. As with any surgical procedure, there are always risks. These include, the risk of infection, bleeding, bruising, unequal discoloration and swelling of the face, blistering of the skin and skin loss around the ears. Blistering of skin and skin loss are more frequently seen in smokers. If you smoke and undergo this procedure, you are urged not to smoke one week before and for three weeks after the operation.

Other unfortunate complications of this operation include nerve damage causing temporary or permanent loss of feeling in the face or weakness of facial muscles. People may also have a bad reaction to anesthetic administration. All in all, complications after any type of cosmetic surgery are not common but can occur. Most patients end up with a very satisfactory result. The purpose of this information is not to frighten you, but to ensure that your decision to have this operation is not made out of ignorance of the potential risks of facial cosmetic operations. More Face Lift Facts...

Disclaimer:
This information is intended only as an introduction to this procedure. This information should not be used to determine whether you will have the procedure performed nor does it guarantee results of your elective surgery. Further details regarding surgical standards and procedures should be discussed with your physician.