If you are looking for the ways to refresh and rejuvenate your facial appearance, Facelift also known as Rhytidectomy, a surgical procedure can improve the visible signs of aging in the face and neck.
The face portrays the first visible signs of aging. Both gravity and diminished volume result in the facial features of aging, such as-
- Sagging in the midface
- Deep creases below the lower eyelids
- Deep creases along the nose extending to the corner of the mouth
- Fat that has displaced
- Loss of muscle tone in the lower face may create jowls
- Loose skin and excess fatty deposits under the chin and jaw can make even a person of normal weight appear to have a double chin
There are many different variations of the facelift procedure that smooth the skin of the face and neck, tighten the underlying tissues and muscle, and remove excess skin. Depending on the degree of change you’d like to see, your facelift choices include a traditional facelift, limited incision facelift and/ or a neck lift.
Medications are administered for your comfort during the surgical procedure. The choices include intravenous sedation and general anesthesia.
A traditional facelift incision begins in the hairline at the temples, continues around behind 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, 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.
An alternative to a traditional facelift uses shorter incisions at the temples, continuing around the ear and possibly within the lower eyelids.
The neck lift incision often begins in front of the ear lobe and wraps around behind the ear ending in the lower scalp.
Once healed, the incision lines from a facelift are well concealed within the hairline and in the natural contours of the face and ear.
Recovery from Facelift surgery varies greatly between individuals. Once the dressings and drains are removed, puffiness and discoloration may be pronounced in some portions of the face. Do not be alarmed by any unevenness or temporary asymmetry – this is normal. Most swelling is usually noted in the first 24 to 48 hours, and most bruising resolves within 2 weeks. Concealing makeup is usually permitted after the first week. You may experience numbness to the face post-operatively, which usually resolves within several months. In some patients mild swelling persists for many weeks. Most stitches are removed within a week of the surgery. Straining, bending, and lifting should be avoided during the early post-operative period.
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. A variety of other procedures can further enhance the outcome of a facelift. They include:
- Facial implants
- Soft tissue augmentation to re-contour the facial structure
- Resurfacing techniques to improve the tone and texture of facial skin
- Wrinkle reduction by injection
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. |
