Face Lift

A Facelift or Rhytidectomy is a surgical procedure that comes under plastic surgery/cosmetic surgery.  The aim of the procedure is to give a more youthful look to the face.  In this procedure, the lower half of the face is reshaped by taking away the excess facial skin.  Facelift can tighten loose, hanging skin around the jawline, commonly referred to as “jowls”.  It can also do away with deep creases in the areas of mouth and nose.  The folds and sagging of skin on the cheeks and jawline and other age-revealing changes in your face can be reduced with a facelift surgery.  Apart from that, you can also get rid of the excess, hanging skin under the chin (double chin) and neck through this procedure.  The benefits of facelift do not end there, the procedure can also tighten the underlying tissues and it may be combined with surgery to shore up the muscles in the forehead, cheeks, brows, and eyelids.

Though the majority of the people who undergo this surgery are ladies, men do not lag behind either.  According to studies, it is the fifth common type of aesthetic surgery among men.

Advantages of facelift:

• Removes and tightens sagging skin
• Reduces the droop of the cheeks around the jaw line
• Lifts the corners of the mouth
• Reduces the creases between the cheeks and the lips

Before the procedure:

Before the procedure a plastic/cosmetic surgeon will assess the patient’s medical history.  They will possibly look into:

• blood pressure
• blood clotting
• medications
• drug use
• allergies
• scarring
• skin condition

If you are a potential candidate for surgery, the doctor will discuss what the surgery will involve, where it will take place, type of anesthesia and recovery time.  Meanwhile, you should be frank enough to discuss with the doctor regarding your goals and expectations.  Doctor may take a couple of photographs of your face for medical records and for before-and-after comparison post surgery

Facelift procedure:

The Facelift Surgery involves the administration of local anesthetics and sedatives or general anesthesia.  In a typical facelift, the surgeon makes an incision in front of the ear, extending up into the hair or hairline as well as behind the ear into the hair-bearing scalp.  The incisions in front of and behind the ear are usually not noticeable.  A small incision, or cut, may be made under the chin to tighten the skin and deeper tissue of the neck.   Fat in the face and neck may be sculpted, removed or redistributed.  Facial skin is then re-draped over the newly repositioned contours of the face to a more youthful shape.  Before the flap is sutured or taped close in place, excess skin is removed.  Sometimes, a neck lift (platysmaplasty) is also coupled with facelift as it would make easier to remove the loose, hanging skin on the neck along with facelift.  A drain tube may be placed beneath the skin, behind the ear for one or two days to drain any excess blood or fluids.  Bandages are also applied.

A face lift surgery usually takes two to four hours, but might take longer if other cosmetic procedures are done at the same time. 

Recovery:

You may feel a niggling pain after the procedure, but medications can relieve the pain and discomfort.  Bruising and swelling may be severe for the first two days and can persist for a few weeks.  Bandages on the incision will exert gentle pressure to minimize swelling and bruising.  Partial recovery is possible after two weeks.  Heavy activities can be undertaken after four weeks.  Sutures are taken out about five to ten days post surgery.  Care must be taken to keep the incisions and bandages dry.  Specific instructions about bathing and washing should be followed religiously.  You can experience a little bit of numbness and stiffness post surgery.  They will go away in due course.  Scars may take about a year to fade away.  In order to achieve the best possible result, it is vital to follow the doctor’s instructions.

During the first few days post surgery rest with your head elevated, take medications as prescribed by the doctor and apply cool packs to ease pain and reduce swelling.

Self-care tips post-surgery:

• Make sure you are not picking the crusting scabs that develop on the incision site
• Try to wear clothes that fasten in the front, rather than clothes that are pulled over the head
• Avoid excessive pressure or motion on or around the incision site
• No makeup till the wound heals
• No vigorous running or sporting activity immediately
• During the first three weeks post surgery, avoid direct prolonged sun exposure
• Avoid hair colors for at least six weeks

It should be understood that a healthy lifestyle with a balanced diet and sufficient exercise is essential to increase the longevity of the younger appearance on your face.