Facelift (rhytidectomy)

Aging of the face is inevitable as the years go by. The skin of the face and neck begin to loosen and sag. Thin skin may sag and fatty deposits may bulge in the upper and lower eyelids. Forehead creases become noticeable and the brows may sag over your eyes. The jawline contour is also affected by sagging jowls. Skin and fat from your cheeks may shift down and accumulate as folds on either sides of your nose. Small wrinkles appear around the lips and the lips appear less full. The neck region may accumulate excess fat or have loose skin and protruding muscle bands. Heredity, gravity, personal habits, and sun exposure all contribute to aging of the face.

A facelift is a surgical procedure to help reduce sagging facial and neck skin, which will help you appear firmer and younger. It is important to remember that it may not be possible to remove all the wrinkles and folds. Also, resurfacing procedures such as peels, lasers and dermabrasion may be required in certain cases. Patients are reminded that the skin still continues to age after the procedure. As the population grows older, it is obvious why facelift surgery has become a very popular facial cosmetic procedure.

Who Is A Good Candidate?

As in any surgery, a patient should be in good health and have realistic expectations about surgery. They must also understand that the goal is to overall improve facial appearance. Your age, skin type, ethnicity, degree of skin elasticity, individual healing and bone structure are important factors. The procedure can be performed on a patient in the age range of 30-80 years old. This procedure may also be combined with other facial procedures for maximum results.

Before Surgery

During your initial consultation, the doctor will cover all areas of concern, including pre and post-operative care, risks, and answer any other questions you may have. After assessing your face, he will tell you where he will make the incisions.

After your initial consultation, the doctor will do a complete physical examination and do some blood work at a second consultation. Photographs will also be taken, which will allow you to better see the physical changes once the operation is complete. The doctor will again review with you all the important issues regarding the surgery including pre and post-operative care, expectations and fees. He will also tell you what medications to avoid, such as aspirin, as it increases bleeding. If you are a smoker, you will be asked to avoid smoking two weeks before and after the procedure as it can seriously affect the healing process.

During Surgery

The surgery is performed in our fully equipped surgery center under intravenous sedation and local anesthetic. The patient sleeps comfortably through the procedure and wakes up in the recovery room without the ill effects of general anesthetic.

The procedure involves making incisions on each side of the face in the temple region. All incisions are placed within the hair and natural crease lines. The incision continues in front of the ear and around the ear lobes to the backside of the ear , ending in the lower scalp. Please refer to diagram. The skin and underlying tissues are tightened to a more youthful position. All excess skin and fat are then removed. The incision is then closed with fine sutures or metal clips, and usually a drain is in place for the first 24 hours. Following the surgery, a head bandage will be in place for 1 to 2 days. The operation itself lasts four to five hours.

After Surgery

The procedure is performed as a day surgery. After approximately one to two hours in the recovery room, patients are ready to be picked up by a responsible adult. In the first four days, the patient will experience a mild degree of pain, swelling, and bruising. The pain will subside dramatically in 4-6 days, and the bruising and swelling will subside in a few weeks. You will be provided with a prescription for pain medication and antibiotics, which you will take after surgery. Patients can return to work 10 to 14 days after surgery. At the 2-day follow-up appointment, the initial dressing and drains will be removed and a Velcro face bandage will be worn for the next two to three weeks (worn 12 hours each day). All sutures and staples are removed 10 to 14 days after surgery. Patients are advised to avoid strenuous activity for 4 weeks following the surgery. The scars that you will see at this time will fade significantly over time. Final results are visible at 3 to 6 months.

Follow up appointments are booked for 10 days, 6 weeks, 3 months, 6 months, and 1 year after the surgery.

The Risks

The risks associated with facelift surgery are uncommon but do include reactions to anesthetic, infection, bleeding, hematoma (blood collection), facial nerve injury, scarring, numbness, skin irregularities (lumpiness, dimpling, sagging, depression) and hair loss. These will all be thoroughly discussed during the consultation.

The Results

Every year, thousands of men and women have facial cosmetic surgery and are pleased with the results. Reasons for choosing surgery are individual, but there is a common goal of wanting to look better, and feel better about ones self.

If you would like to know more about face lift surgery, please call the office to book the complementary private physician consultation.

Click here for a face lift diagram