The loss of youthful contours in the face can be due to a variety of factors, including heredity, gravity, environmental conditions, and stress. A facelift, or rhytidectomy, is a surgical procedure that improves visible signs of aging in the face and neck, such as:

• Sagging in the middle of your face
• Deep creases below the lower eyelids
• Deep creases along the nose extending to the corner of the mouth
• Fat that has fallen or has disappeared
• Loss of skin tone in the lower face that creates jowls
• Loose skin and excess fatty deposits under the chin and jaw can give even a person of normal weight the appearance of a double chin

In general, good candidates for a facelift include:

• Healthy individuals who do not have medical conditions that impair healing
• Non-smokers
• Individuals with a positive outlook and realistic expectations

Rejuvenation procedures typically performed in conjunction with a facelift are brow lift, to correct a sagging or deeply furrowed brow, and eyelid surgery to rejuvenate aging eyes.

What it won’t do: As a restorative surgery, a facelift does not change your fundamental appearance and cannot stop the aging process. A facelift can only be performed surgically; non-surgical rejuvenation treatments cannot achieve the same results, but may help delay the time at which a facelift becomes appropriate and complement the results of surgery.

During your consultation be prepared to discuss:

• Your surgical goals
• Medical conditions, drug allergies, and medical treatments
• Current medications, vitamins, herbal supplements, alcohol, tobacco, and drug use
• Previous surgeries

Your surgeon will also:

• Evaluate your general health status and any pre-existing health conditions or risk factors
• Discuss your facelift options
• Examine and measure your face
• Take photographs
• Recommend a course of treatment
• Discuss likely outcomes of a facelift and any risks or potential complications
• Discuss the type of anesthesia that will be used

Prior to surgery, you may be asked to:

• Get lab testing or a medical evaluation
• Take certain medications or adjust your current medications
• Stop smoking
• Avoid taking aspirin, anti-inflammatory drugs, and herbal supplements as they can increase bleeding

Special instructions you receive will cover:

• What to do on the night before and morning of surgery
• The use of anesthesia during your facelift
• Post-operative care and follow-up

A facelift may be performed in an accredited office-based surgical facility,  licensed ambulatory surgical center, or a hospital. Be sure to arrange for someone to drive you to and from surgery and to stay with you for at least the first night following surgery.

Be sure to ask your plastic surgeon questions. It’s very important to understand all aspects of your facelift. It’s natural to feel some anxiety, whether it’s excitement for your anticipated new look or a bit of preoperative stress. Don’t be shy about discussing these feelings with your plastic surgeon.

Step 1 – Anesthesia

Medications are administered for your comfort during the surgical procedure. The choices include intravenous sedation and general anesthesia. Your doctor will recommend the best choice for you.

• A variety of other procedures can further enhance the outcome of a facelift. They include:
• Facial implants or fat transfer
• Soft tissue augmentation to recontour the facial structure
• Resurfacing techniques to improve the tone and texture of facial skin
• Wrinkle reduction by injection of fat or fillers

Step 2 – The incision

Depending on the degree of change you’d like to see, your facelift choices include a traditional facelift, limited incision facelift or a neck lift. A traditional facelift incision often begins in the hairline at the temples, continues around the ear and ends in the lower scalp. Fat may be sculpted or redistributed from the face, jowls and neck, and underlying tissue is repositioned, commonly the deeper layers of the face and the muscles are also lifted. Skin is redraped over the uplifted contours and excess skin is trimmed away.  A second incision under the chin may be necessary to further improve an aging neck. Sutures or skin adhesives close the incisions.

Traditional Facelift

   

An alternative to a traditional facelift uses shorter incisions at the temples, continuing around the ear and possibly within the lower eyelids or under the upper lip.

Limited Incision

 

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.

Neck Lift

 

Step 3 – Closing the incisions

Once healed, the incision lines from a facelift are well concealed within the hairline and in the natural contours of the face and ear.

Step 4 – See the results

The visible improvements of a facelift appear as swelling and bruising subside.  Your final result should not only restore a more youthful and rested appearance, but also help you feel more confident about yourself.

The decision to have a facelift is extremely personal. You will have to decide if the benefits will achieve your goals, and if the risks and potential complications are acceptable. You will be asked to sign consent forms to ensure that you fully understand the procedure and any risks and potential complications.

The risks include:

• Anesthesia risks
• Bleeding
• Infection
• Poor wound healing and skin loss
• Facial nerve injury with weakness
• Temporary or permanent hair loss at the incisions
• Fluid accumulation
• Numbness or other changes in skin sensation
• Persistent pain
• Unfavorable scarring
• Prolonged swelling
• Skin irregularities and discoloration
• Sutures may spontaneously surface through the skin, become visible or produce irritation that require removal
• Unsatisfactory results may include: asymmetry, unsatisfactory surgical scar location and unacceptable visible deformities at the ends of the incisions. (It may be necessary to perform an additional surgery to improve your results)
• Deep vein thrombosis, cardiac and pulmonary complications

These risks and others will be fully discussed prior to your consent. It is important that you address all your questions = directly with your plastic surgeon.

If your surgeon uses fibrin sealants (tissue glue): Fibrin sealants (made from heat-treated human blood components to inactivate virus transmission) are used to hold tissue layers together at surgery and to diminish post-operative bruising following surgery. This product is carefully produced from donor blood plasma screened for hepatitis, syphilis, and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Cardiovascular and general surgeons have used fibrin sealants in their procedures for many years. This product is thought to be of help in diminishing surgical bleeding by adhering layers of tissue together.

When your procedure is completed, a bandage might be placed around your face to minimize swelling and bruising. Thin tubes may be present to drain any excess blood or fluid that may collect under the skin.

You will be given specific instructions that may include how to care for the surgical site and drains, medications to apply or take orally to aid healing and reduce the potential for infection, specific concerns to look for at the surgical site or in your general health, and when to follow up with your plastic surgeon.

Be sure to ask your plastic surgeon specific questions about what you can expect during your individual recovery period.

• Where will I be taken after my surgery is complete?
• What medication will I be given or prescribed after surgery?
• Will I have dressings/bandages after surgery?
• When will they be removed?
• Are stitches removed? When?
• When can I wear make-up?
• When can I resume normal activity and exercise?
• When can I see my stylist for hair color and cut?

It may take a few months for swelling to fully dissipate and for incision lines to mature. Life-long sun protection and a healthy lifestyle will help extend the results of your rejuvenated, more youthful appearance.

As swelling and bruising subside, the visible improvements of a facelift appear. Your final result should not only provide a more youthful and rested appearance, but also help you feel more confident about yourself.

Although good results are expected from your procedure, there is no guarantee. In some situations, it may not be possible to achieve optimal results with a single surgical procedure and another surgery may be necessary.

Following your physician’s instructions is essential to the success of your surgery. It is important that the surgical incisions are not subjected to excessive force, abrasion, or motion during the time of healing. Avoid wearing any clothing that must go over your head. Your doctor will give you specific instructions on how to care for yourself.

Prices for facelifts can vary. A surgeon’s cost may be based on his or her experience, the type of procedure used, and geographic office location. Many plastic surgeons offer patient financing plans, so be sure to ask.

Cost may include:

• Anesthesia fees
• Hospital or surgical facility costs
• Medical tests
• Post-surgery garments
• Prescriptions for medication
• Surgeon’s fee

Most health insurance does not cover cosmetic surgery or its complications.