Facelift
In time, gravity, sun exposure, and the stresses of daily life take their toll on our faces and necks. Deep creases appear beside the mouth, the jaw line slackens and becomes jowly, and the neck develops loose folds and fat deposits. Facelifts counteract these signs of aging by tightening muscle, removing fat, and trimming excess skin, giving your face a fresher, youthful look. Facelifts, technically known as rhytidectomies (literally, “removal of wrinkles”), rejuvenate the mid-to-lower face and neck. Facelifts can produce a dramatic improvement in appearance for patients with the problems mentioned above. However, facelifts do not stop the aging process. In time, signs of aging will gradually appear once again.
Further, facelifts will not rejuvenate the brow, eyelids, nose, and some of the mid-face. Patients who want to improve these areas may consider combining a facelift with a brow lift, a mid-face lift or eyelid surgery (blepharoplasty).
Injectable soft-tissue fillers, facial implants and skin resurfacing can also enhance the effects of a facelift.
Facelifts are most effective for patients who want to correct:
- Mid-face sagging
- Deep creases under the eyes
- Deep creases between the nose and mouth (nasolabial folds)
- Jowls due to loss of muscle tone
- Sagging areas of fat
- Loose skin and fat under the chin and jaw
The best candidates for rhytidectomy:
- Wish to improve one or more of the signs of aging indicated above
- Are men or women whose faces have begun to sag, but whose skin still has some elasticity
- Are generally healthy
- Do not smoke
- Have realistic expectations
Techniques
- Face lifts are typically outpatient procedures and may be performed in a surgery center or hospital.
- The procedure takes about four hours.
Results
- Results of a facelift do not last forever. You may want to have another procedure in five or ten years.
- But in another sense, the effects are permanent; years later, your face will continue to look better than if you had never had a facelift.
Risks
- Possible complications of facelift include: bleeding, infection, bruising, uneven swelling or discoloration, skin blistering (usually only seen in smokers) and temporary or permanent loss of sensation in the face.
- Dr. Sabini and Dr. McIntire will discuss the risks and benefits of a facelift with you before your surgery.
