Face Lift

Many factors cause the skin to wrinkle and sag such as sun exposure, genetics, as well as the natural process of aging. Children and young adults have smooth, round faces due to normal fatty tissue that is evenly distributed throughout the contours of the face. As one experiences aging, fat volume is lost and the skin sags and fits more loosely. These folds are especially prominent around the chin, jaw line, and the neck.

A facelift or rhytidectomy is a procedure used to correct these conditions and enhance your appearance. A Face lift involves tightening of the face and neck muscles and removal of any excess skin. This procedure is often performed in conjunction with additional cosmetic surgeries such as an eyelid surgery, forehead lift, chin augmentation, liposuction or nasal surgery. These procedures can be performed any time after signs of aging appear in order to attain a more youthful appearance.

Before Surgery

During your comprehensive consultation, we can address your individual concerns and what you can expect from surgery. Your health is important to us, so a comprehensive consultation regarding your overall health is important. Our goal is to create a natural appearance that is pleasing to you. The pre-operative workup will include photographs and computer imaging to record the amount of improvement after surgery.

We will provide you with preoperative instructions that may include the elimination of specific drugs containing aspirin, Vitamin E, or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs several weeks before surgery to minimize excess bleeding. Antibiotics may also be prescribed to prevent infection. You may be instructed to shampoo your hair the night before surgery and refrain from wearing make-up. A small amount of hair may be shaved around your ears and temples.

Surgery

Rhytidectomies are performed under I.V. sedation or general anesthesia in our state-of-the-art, AAAHC accredited surgical facility. Pre-medication is administered for relaxation. Incisions are typically made inside the hairline at the temple, running in front of the ear, around and behind the ear, and then ending in the hair of the scalp. Loose skin is separated from underlying tissue and is pulled up and back. Excess skin and fatty deposits are removed and sagging muscle and tissue are tightened. Small sutures are then used to close the incisions. This procedure may take up to five hours depending on whether any other procedures are performed at the same time.

What can I expect?

Bandages are applied to the area of surgery and are removed within a few days. Pain is moderate and controlled with oral medications. Your sutures are removed within the first 5 to 10 days. In order to minimize scarring, the doctor may remove the sutures in stages. Swelling and discoloration improve within two weeks. Tightness in your face will be present for several weeks and there may be slight changes in your hair pattern around the incision.

It is important that you avoid the sun for several months after surgery. Healing is gradual so you will not notice final results for up to 6 months. Improvement varies, depending on your initial condition. In most cases, a single procedure achieves the desired results. Most patients who have had facelifts are pleased with their new, more youthful appearance.