Facelift Revealed - What to Know Before You Have One

As a person ages, the skim will start to naturally lose its elasticity and cause the formation oof sagging and wrinkles. A facelift, AKA rhytidectomy, is an invasive surgical procedure that is able to address this issue by lifting and tightening the skin and tissues in the face. Let’s take an in-depth look at how a facelift is performed and how it can give you a more youthful look.

Facelift – What is It and Who Gets It?

In general, a facelift is able to remove excess skin that is sagging or drooping as well as give a smoother look to areas of the face where wrinkles started to appear. In addition, the procedure is able to give the skin on the face a tighter and more rejuvenated look. A traditional facelift only addresses the bottom two-thirds of the face, and this can sometimes include the neck.

Ideal candidates for a facelift include someone who is starting to show visible signs of aging on the face and neck. A facelift can also be an ideal option for someone who is looking to correct the appearance of skin that is loose and/or sagging. A good candidate also needs to have some amount of skin elasticity and a strong bone structure. The person should have realistic expectations when it comes to the extent of the changes that can be made thanks to a facelift.

Facelift – How Does It Work and What are Your Options?

The way a facelift is performed depends on the type of results you hope to gain from the procedure.

A traditional facelift starts with the creation of an incision in the hairline in the area near the temples. The incision is created by the surgeon and it will run in front of the ear and then go down in front of the earlobe. The incision ends by hugging the earlobe and then going back to the area of the lower scalp behind the ears. The procedure will see the removal of excess skin that is sagging, a smoother look to any creases, and a general lifting and tightening of the facial skin.

Once the incision is created, the doctor can remove or redistribute excess skin and fat from the face. In addition, the underlying muscle and connective tissue will also be redistributed and tightened.

If you have a minimal amount of sagging skin, talk to your doctor about a mini facelift that requires shorter incisions and targets loose skin that is located around the neck and the jawline in the lower third of the face. If you want to have a neck lift, excess skin and fat will be removed in the treated area and it normally involves the creation of an incision under the chin.  The neck skin will be tightened before it is pulled upwards and back into position.

In addition to the mini facelift discussed above, you can also have a mid-facelift, AKA a cheek lift, that targets sagging and loose skin that is located in the area from the upper mouth to the eyes (and this includes the nose and cheeks).

If you do not want to have an invasive surgical procedure, you can ask your doctor about a nonsurgical facelift that is also known as a liquid facelift. Fillers are injected under the skin to address issues such as drooping skin and a hollow appearance.

Facelift – Are There Risks?

In general, most medical procedures have some level of risk involved with them. Some of the risks of a facelift include bleeding, infection, prolonged swelling, scarring, and lingering pain.

Facelift – Recovery and Results Info

You can expect to feel some pain after the surgery but your doctor will likely prescribe pain medication to help control it. You can also expect to see some bruising and swelling after the treatment. You will need to wait two or three weeks before you can resume your normal daily activities while it can take four (or more) weeks before you can resume any strenuous exercise.

The results of a facelift start to become visible when a good amount of any bruising and swelling have resolved on their own. Any scarring is usually hidden in the hairline. It can take about a year for the scars to settle down.

Overall, a facelift can give you results that last ten to twenty years. You do need to remember that the face will continue to age, and gravity can still continue to pull down on the skin. You can help to maintain the results with proper care of the skin and the use of sunscreen on a regular basis.

Before you make the final decision to have a facelift, talk to your doctor and discuss any questions or concerns you have about the procedure. By getting the answers to your questions, you will be able to make an educated decision about having a facelift to turn back the clock on your facial appearance.

- MA