Facelifts can address signs of aging and restore your natural contours. As one of the most frequently performed procedures, facelifts can help with the appearance of sagging skin and wrinkles, restoring your youthful appearance and self-confidence. While not considered a cure-all for aging, facelifts can dramatically change your appearance and correct signs of sagging skin, deepening folds, double chins, and prominent wrinkles. During your visit to our clinic, we will discuss with you your surgical goals, medical conditions, and surgical options for your facelift.
What is a Facelift?
A facelift is a cosmetic surgical procedure that removes or tightens areas of sagging skin and fat around areas of the face and neck to reduce the visible signs of aging. Areas often targeted with facelifts include deep fold lines around the nose and mouth, sagging skin around the cheeks, areas of fat along the cheeks and neck, and heavy signs of deep-seated wrinkles. Through surgical incisions, a facelift can improve youthful contours affected by age, stress, and sun damage.
Candidates for facelifts are those who don’t have any medical conditions that impair healing, are non-smoking, and have realistic expectations for their surgery. As a personal choice, it is up to you how you wish to achieve your goals, as Dr. Smith will provide consent forms to ensure you fully understand the procedure and its potential complications.
Facelift Recovery at Real You Plastic Surgery and Wellness
During your consultation with Dr. Smith , she will discuss your personal goals and needs as a patient, as numerous factors can play into the overall recovery. The doctor will evaluate your general health, discuss any medical conditions you may have and any previous surgeries, and discuss your facelift options and their risks and complications.
When considering your candidacy for a facelift, you may be asked to complete lab tests, medical evaluations, and recommendations to avoid possible outcomes. These recommendations include taking medications to prepare for your surgery and avoiding certain medications such as aspirin, anti-inflammatory drugs, and herbal supplements to prevent complications.
For your comfort and wellbeing, our clinic will go over the procedure in further detail, outlining the procedure through the following steps:
- Anesthesia: Dr. Smith will administer intravenous sedation or general anesthesia for the duration of your surgery.
- Incision: During the procedure, the doctor will create incisions depending on the location and areas being treated, diluting each surgical site with anesthesia to reduce the risk of bleeding and trauma. For facelifts, three incision methods can be used:
- Traditional Facelift: Through a traditional facelift, incisions will be made along the hairline at the temples, then continued around the ear, ending at the lower scalp. A second facelift incision may be made under the chin to address signs of an aging neck.
- Limited Incision Facelift: A limited incision technique uses shorter incisions around the temples and ears. This technique is normally reserved for those with less skin elasticity.
- Necklift: Neck lifts primarily address sagging jowls and loose neck skin but use similar incisions along the face to correct these concerns.
- Facelift Surgery and Correction: Once the incisions are made, areas of sagging skin are redraped over to lift up contours, excess skin is trimmed away, and areas of fat are redistributed along the face, neck, and underlying tissues.
- Suture and Closing: Once the procedure is complete, all of the incision areas are closed with layered sutures and wrapped in garments, skin adhesives, and surgical tape for healing.
At Real You Plastic Surgery and Wellness, Dr. Smith will monitor your progress, providing detailed instructions on how to care for your facelift recovery. Request a consultation today to learn more about what facelifts can do for you!
