The best candidate for a facelift is a man or woman whose face and neck have begun to sag, but whose skin still has some elasticity and whose bone structure is strong and well-defined. Most patients are in their forties to sixties, but facelifts can be done successfully on people in their seventies or eighties as well.
A facelift can make you look younger and fresher, and it may enhance your self- confidence in the process. But it can’t give you a totally different look, nor can it restore the health and vitality of your youth. Before you decide to have surgery, think carefully about your expectations and discuss them with your surgeon.
BEFORE SURGERY:
Prior to surgery a detail medical history is taken including information medications, allergies, .. A careful examination is conducted. The physician and patient discuss procedure, anesthesia type, possible risks and complications as well as the incision site. Pre-operative instructions may include the elimination of certain drugs and smoking habits. Your surgeon should check for medical conditions that could cause problems during or after surgery, such as uncontrolled high blood pressure, blood clotting problems, or the tendency to form excessive scars. Be sure to tell your surgeon if you smoke or are taking any drugs or medications, especially aspirin or other drugs that affect clotting.
PROCEDURE:
A facelift usually takes several hours. Every surgeon approaches the procedure in his or her own way. Some complete one side of the face at a time, and others move back and forth between the sides. The exact placement of incisions and the sequence of events depends on your facial structure and your surgeon’s technique.
Incisions usually begin above the hairline at the temples, extend in just inside the cartilage at the front of the ear and continue behind the earlobe to the lower scalp. If the neck needs work, a small incision may also be made under the chin. In general, the surgeon separates the skin from the fat and muscle below. The surgeon then tightens the underlying muscle and membrane, pulls the skin back, and removes the excess. Stitches secure the layers of tissue and close the incisions; metal clips may be used on the scalp.Following surgery, a small, thin tube may be temporarily placed under the skin behind your ear to drain any blood that might collect there. The surgeon may also wrap your head loosely in bandages to minimize bruising and swelling.
ANESTHEISA:
Majority of the procedures are performed under conscious sedation or general anesthesia.
AFTER SURGERY:
You will have discomfort at the surgical site for the first few days which will then decrease. All patients are sent home with prescriptions for pain medication and antibiotics. Full healing takes approximately six weeks. All sutures used are absorbable and therefore do not need to be removed. You may shower two days after surgery. Most of the discomfort will be over after 3 or 4 days. You should not participate in any sports such as jogging, swimming, bowling, tennis, etc. for about three to four weeks. Severe or persistent pain or a sudden swelling of your face should be reported to your surgeon immediately. Some numbness of the skin is quite normal; it will disappear in a few weeks or months. You may have to keep your head elevated and as still as possible for a couple of days after surgery, to keep the swelling down. The drainage tube will be removed one or two days after surgery. Bandages, when used, are usually removed after one to five days. The stitches will be removed after about five days. Your scalp may take longer to heal, and the stitches or metal clips in your hairline could be left in a few days longer.
RISK & COMPLICATIONS:
Complications connected with the surgical procedure are rare: however there are inherent risks connected with every surgical procedure. You will have a scar, which may take few weeks to disappear. Each person heals differently and neither the physician nor the patient can control the patient’s healing. As with any operation there is a risk of infection. The most common risks of surgery may include bleeding, infection, and scarring and others, however these are very unusual.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUSTIIONS
When can I resume my normal activities?
Recovery time varies among individuals. In many instances, you will be able to resume most of your normal activities within two to three weeks and begin gentle exercise four weeks after surgery.
When will I see the results?
The results of your facelift may be dramatic or subtle, depending on how you looked before surgery. Since the healing process is gradual, you should expect to wait several weeks for an accurate picture of your “new look”.
Please be aware that a facelift cannot correct conditions such as sagging eyebrows, excess skin in the upper and lower eyelids or wrinkles around the mouth.
Can I expect aftercare?
Our office takes a special pride in our excellent levels of post-operative support and aftercare. We provide frequent follow up visits with the doctors to assure best healing opportunity and recovery process.
