Facelift (Rhytidectomy)
As people age, the effects of gravity, exposure to the sun, and the stresses of daily life can be seen in their faces. The skin becomes thinner and loses its elasticity and firmness, deep creases appear between the nose and mouth, the jawline grows slack and jowly, the corners of the mouth point downwards and folds and fat deposits appear around the neck.
How is a facelift performed?
What can I expect after the operation?
When can I resume my normal activities?
How long will the result last?
What is a facelift?
A facelift is a surgical procedure performed to “set back the clock”. Facelift can improve the most visible signs of the ageing process, by removing excess fat, restoring the various facial elements to their original position before sagging, tightening the muscles beneath the skin of the face and neck, and removing excess skin. A facelift can be done alone or in conjunction with other procedures such as a brow lift (forehead lift), a neck lift or eyelid surgery (blepharoplasty).
A facelift, however, does not change your fundamental appearance and cannot stop the aging process.
How is a facelift performed?
The procedure is usually performed under a general anaesthetic but local anaesthetic with sedation can also be used. The operation usually takes 3-5 hours.
Depending on the extent of facial aging and the degree of change you’d like to see, your facelift procedure choices includes three main types of procedures
- The traditional facelift,
- The limited incision facelift, and
- The neck lift.
Traditional facelift
In the traditional facelift, the incisions usually start high up in the temple areas, extend in a natural line in front of the ear and continue behind the earlobe into the hair of the scalp.
Facelift is usually combined with a neck lift, in which case a small additional incision may be placed under the chin.
The skin is separated from the underlying structures. Any excess fat may be suctioned or trimmed around the neck and chin, the underlying muscle is tightened and the excess skin is removed. The skin is then redraped and sutured back into place. A small drain tube is usually placed on each side to prevent the collection of blood (haematoma).
Limited incision facelift
In the traditional facelift, the incisions usually start high up in the temple areas, extend in a natural line in front of the ear and continue behind the earlobe into the hair of the scalp.
Neck lift
Sagging jowls, loose neck skin and fat accumulation under the chin may be corrected with a neck lift. The neck lift incision often begins in front of the ear lobe and wraps around behind the ear ending in the lower scalp.
The skin is separated from the underlying structures. Any excess fat may be suctioned or trimmed around the neck and chin, the underlying muscle is tightened and the excess skin is removed. The skin is then redraped and sutured back into place. A small drain tube is usually placed on each side to prevent the collection of blood (haematoma).
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Are there any special precautions?
Smoking inhibits blood flow to the skin, and can interfere with the healing process after your facelift. It is therefore especially important to stop smoking at least a week or two before and after surgery to avoid complications. Aspirin or aspirin containing medications should also be avoided for 2 weeks before the procedure.
What can I expect after the operation?
As already mentioned the procedure can take between 3-5 hours and the length of stay in hospital is usually 1 day. A bandage dressing will be gently applied around your face in order to apply light pressure over the wound area. Following surgery you will experience some swelling and bruising which usually take 2-3 weeks to subside. The postoperative pain is more of a discomfort and is usually easily managed with regular painkillers.
The dressing will be changed the day after surgery, and the drains are usually also removed at 24 hours. After the first couple of days you can gently start washing your face and hair, and you can start wearing make-up. If you have to go outside, the use of a good sunblock (50+) is strongly advised. Sutures are usually removed in a week’s time.
When can I resume my normal activities?
You should be up and about in a day or two, and you will be able to resume light duties 2-3 days after surgery. More strenuous activities should be avoided for the first 2-3 weeks and full recovery to your previous activities is expected after 4 weeks.
How long will the result last?
A facelift does not stop the clock, but it does put the clock back. The effect of the facelift is likely to always be there, in that you will not look as old as you would have done if it had not been carried out.
The duration of the result depends on many factors, including the quality and type of your skin, your lifestyle etc. In general, the results last between 5-10 years.
Pictures (c) ASPS, ASAPS, AAFPRS, ADAM, Allergan
