Our face is our most visible feature, one that through expression and appearance conveys what and how we feel. Facial aging includes a loss of skin elasticity and firmness, sagging tissue and wrinkles. These visible signs of aging can greatly impact how we feel about ourselves and how others see us. Even a person who is energetic and excited about life can appear tired or sad due to aging in the midface, jaw line and neck. The loss of youthful contours in these areas is due to a variety of factors including heredity, gravity, environmental conditions and stress.
In general a facelift corrects sagging facial skin and muscles, removes excess fat and restores firmness to create a more youthful, rested and vibrant appearance.
What is a facelift?
A facelift, technically known as rhytidectomy, is a surgical procedure to improve visible signs of aging in the face and neck.
- Sagging in the midface can create a deep crease below the lower eyelid (called a tear trough) and between the nose and mouth (nasolabial fold) that may make you appear tired and sad.
- Fat that has fallen or is displaced and loss of muscle tone in the lower face may create jowls (a jaw line that sags into the neck).
- 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.”
A facelift is designed to correct all of these aging features, restoring a more youthful, rested appearance with uplifted contours and improved tone in facial skin and underlying muscle.
As a restorative surgery, a facelift does not change your fundamental appearance and cannot stop the aging process. Although you will continue to age naturally, aging will progress from the more youthful version of yourself that has been restored by a facelift. 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. If you are bothered by the signs of aging in your face and feel that your outward facial aging no longer reflects the youth and vigor you feel physically and emotionally, a facelift may be right for you.
Good candidates for a facelift are:
- Healthy individuals who do not have a life-threatening illness or medical conditions that can impair healing
- Non-smokers
- Individuals with a positive outlook and specific, but realistic goals in mind for improvement of their appearance
A consultation with Dr. Han is the first step to learn how a facelift can improve an aging face and neck. A consultation is designed to fully educate you about facelift in a non-pressured environment, and will include:
- A discussion of your goals and an evaluation of your current signs of aging
- The options available to you for facelift and facial rejuvenation
- The likely outcomes of a facelift and the potential risks and complications associated with the procedure
- The course of treatment recommended by the doctor.
The success of your procedure, safety and overall satisfaction will also require that you:
- Honestly share your expectations
- Fully disclose health history, current medications, the use of vitamins, herbal supplements, alcohol, tobacco, and drugs
- Commit to precisely following all of your plastic surgeon’s instructions
By making the decision to consult with a qualified plastic surgeon like Dr. Han and following all the instructions given, you are taking an important step in helping to assure your safety.
Possible risks of a liposuction inlcude but are not limited to:
- Infection
- Bleeding beneath the skin (hematoma)
- Correctable hair loss at the incisions
- Facial nerve injury with weakness
- Facial asymmetry
- Skin loss with scarring, numbness
All surgery carries risks associated with anesthesia. You will be asked to sign consent forms to ensure that you fully understand the procedure and any risks or potential complications.
Prior to surgery, you will be given specific instructions that may include:
- Pre-surgical considerations, diagnostic testing and medications
- Day of surgery instructions and medications
- Specific information related to the use of anesthesia
It is natural to feel some anxiety, whether excitement for the anticipated outcomes or preoperative stress. It’s very important to discuss any questions or concerns directly with the doctor.
A facelift may be performed in our accredited office-based surgical facility or an ambulatory surgical facility or hospital. The decision for anesthesia will be based on the requirements of your specific procedure and considerations of patient and the doctor’s preference.
If your facelift is performed on an outpatient basis, 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.
A traditional facelift restores the midface, jowls and neck, allowing excess skin to be removed. Where improvement is desired in the midface region alone and where excess skin is less a factor, limited incision techniques may be an alternative to a traditional facelift. Your goals, anatomy and your doctor’s surgical judgment are all factors in determining the best approach to your individual case.
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.
Procedures that may further enhance the outcome of a facelift can include: facial implants or soft tissue augmentation to recontour the facial structure, and resurfacing techniques to improve the tone and texture of facial skin. Wrinkle reduction by injection (Botox©) may be recommended prior to your procedure (to help underlying muscles fully relax before repositioning and tightening) or after (to help maintain results).
Once your procedure is completed, a bandage will gently be placed around your face to minimize swelling and bruising. A thin tube may be present to drain any excess blood that may collect under the skin.
The doctor will also instruct you how to care for your surgical site(s) following surgery, medications to apply or take orally to aid healing and reduce the risk of infection, specific concerns to look for at the surgical site or in your general health and when to come in for follow-up visits.
Initial healing will include swelling and may include numbness and discomfort that can be controlled with medication. Your skin will likely look bruised or discolored. In addition, facial movements may be temporarily restricted. These are common conditions.
Following surgery you will be:
- Instructued to keep your head elevated at all times until initial swelling has subsided.
- Instructed how to cleanse of your face and hair postoperatively.
- Allowed to return to light, normal activity usually within a few days.
Follow all instructions carefully; this is essential to the success of your outcome. For the most part, facelift incisions are well healed within a week. You will be ready to return to work and light, normal activity sometime between 2 to 4 weeks. Cosmetics can usually camouflage any bruising that remains.
Healing will continue for at least several more weeks as swelling resolves and incision lines continue to improve. You must practice diligent sun protection until the healing process is fully complete.
Continue to follow the doctor’s instructions and attend follow-up visits as scheduled.
It may take several months for swelling to fully dissipate and up to 6 months for incision lines to mature. Life-long sun protection will help to maintain your rejuvenated appearance by minimizing photo-aging or sun damage. In addition, a healthy lifestyle will also help extend the results of your rejuvenated, more youthful appearance. Most patients find that the benefits of their initial facelift results are long-lasting, even as they continue to age.
