May 13th, 2021 | Updated on April 29th, 2023
As we age, tissues and skin lose their elasticity, which causes sagging and wrinkles. Facelifts, also called rhytidectomies, are surgical procedures performed to lift the skin and tighten the facial tissues and get rid of sagging skin, wrinkles, and fine lines.
It also helps get rid of nasolabial lines, which appear on the side of the mouth and nose, and also reduces the lines and folds between the lips and cheeks.
A facelift could also involve removing excess skin from the face. Normally, a facelift does not include an eye or brow lift, although you can have those procedures done at the same time.
Good Candidates For The Procedure Are;
• Individuals with no medical conditions that could affect the surgery or recovery.
• People who have wrinkles, fine lines, and excess sagging skin on their face.
While anybody could have a facelift, the best candidates are those who are above 50 years. Depending on the severity of your conditions and wrinkles, you can have either a traditional/ full facelift or a mini facelift.
Full facelifts address severe lines and wrinkles on the bottom two-thirds of the face and mainly involve a neck lift. On the other hand, a mini facelift helps solve minor wrinkles, folds, and saggy skin.
Mini facelifts are normally less time-consuming, less invasive, and take less time to heal as compared to full facelifts.
Facelift Procedure
Before the surgeon performs the procedure, they examine the patient to determine their medical history. They examine;
• Blood pressure.
• Current medications.
• Cigarette smoking and drug use.
• Allergies.
• Skin condition and type.
• Bone structure.
According to your goals and the results of the examination, you and the doctor discuss the best type of facelift for you.
The surgeon also recommends that you do not take any blood-thinning medications before the procedure. You should also stop smoking and using alcohol a few days before the procedure.
A facelift is a short procedure and may take anywhere between 2-5 hours, depending on what you want to be done. You can also go home the same day after the surgery.
The surgeon begins the procedure by administering anesthesia. They then make incisions depending on the type of facelift. For a full facelift, the surgeon makes the incisions around your hairline near the temples.
It then goes down in front of the ear and then behind the ear to the lower scalp. For mini facelifts, the surgeon makes incisions along the hairline near the ears.
Via those incisions, the surgeon removes excess fat and skin and then tightens the connective tissues and underlying muscle. The surgeon also pulls the skin up and tightens the skin on the neck if it is a full facelift.
The surgeon then closes the incisions using dissolvable sutures or skin glue. The surgeon makes the incisions in such a way that when they heal, the scars blend in with the hairline, making them less visible.
The surgeon may place a drain under your skin behind the ear for around two days, then applies bandages to cover the incisions. The drain helps get rid of any excess fluids and blood that may build up along the incisions.
What To Expect After The Procedure
After the procedure, you may experience some pain, swelling, bruising, and bleeding after the anesthesia ears out. However, your surgeon will recommend some medications that will help those side effects die after a couple of days.
The surgeon will also advise you on how and when to remove the bandages and drains and when to go for a follow-up appointment. If you have stitches that do not dissolve into the skin, the surgeon removes them after the 1st week.
Full recovery differs from one person to the other, but the average time it takes to heal is about two weeks. You should avoid engaging in strenuous activities for the first two weeks after the procedure. That is because that could increase your blood pressure and cause bleeding on the surgical site.
You are also advised not to drink alcohol or smoke because that could slow down your recovery. You can go back to doing some light exercises after two weeks, but you should wait for four weeks for the strenuous activities.
Moisturize your face every day and keep away from the sun to encourage quick and proper recovery. It may take about a week to see the results because you can only see them after the swelling and redness go away.
Sometimes you may not get the results you wanted, and you may go in for another facelift in NYC or another procedure like a brow lift. You may have residual swelling for up to a month, and your incisions may also take a few months to completely heal.
Depending on the extent of the procedure, you will experience full results and recovery after around 3 to 6 months.
How Long Do Results Last?
The skin is elastic, and the results of a facelift do not last forever. Also, there is no guaranteed time for the results to last. To prolong the results of your surgery, you need to practice healthy skin practices and good facial routines.
You need to moisturize your face regularly and use mild products. You also need to stay away from the sun or protect your skin from the sun anytime you are out. You can do that using sunscreen with an SPF factor of above 50 that will protect you from both UVA and UVB rays.
You can also put on hats or stay in the shade. Always wash your face with lukewarm or cold water to avoid stripping it of the natural oils.
You may also need to have some follow-up, non-invasive procedures like laser rejuvenation to keep the skin looking tighter healthy.
How To Find The Best Surgeon
To get the best results from a facelift, you need to deal with the best surgeon. Some of the things you should do before settling for a surgeon include;
• Consider where they got their education and ensure they have papers certifying them as legal surgeons.
• Ensure that they have a license to run the business and insurance. You should also enquire if they are members of any surgeon society or association.
• Determine how long they have been in practice and how many similar procedures they have done.
• Ask for contacts of some of the patients they have worked with before or read customer reviews on their website.
Health Disclaimer :
Information provided by Newszii.com does in no way substitute for qualified medical opinion. Any text, videos or any other material provided by us should be considered as generic information only. Any health related information may vary from person to person, hence we advice you to consult specialists for more information.
