Face Lift
Purpose of Facelift Surgery
Facelift Surgery (Rhytidectomy) is is performed to improve the visible signs of aging of the face, forehead, eyes, and/or neck.
At our practice we do not use facelift surgery to change one’s fundamental appearance, but rather focus on making one look more youthful. Please also understand that although we may be able to make you look considerably younger, there is no way to stop the aging process.
Some of the signs of aging include sagging in the midface. This can create a crease below the lower eyelid known as a “tear trough deformity.” Sagging of the cheek fat can create a bulge below the jaw-line known as the “jowl deformity.” Loose skin and excess fatty deposits under the chin can create what as known as a “double-chin.”
As the facial muscle tone decreases in combination with descent of the malar fat pad, a prominence may develop in the “nasal-labial folds.” As the forehead skin begins to sag, the eyebrows may begin to sag below the rim of the orbit of the eye. This can lead to “hooding” of skin around the upper eyelids.
Facelift Surgery Procedure
Facelift surgery may be broken down into different components, and which components of surgery patients select will be dependent on what concerns they have about their appearance and what they wish to achieve. These components may include upper and/or lower eyelid blepharoplasty surgery (eyelid lift), brow lift, mid-facelift, mini-facelift, or full face and neck lift.
In many cases, improvement in the quality of the facial skin may be achieved by performing intensive skin care treatments with Retinol based products and vitamin C, chemical peels, microdermabrasion, or facial laser-resurfacing. These treatments are sometimes done before, during, or after facelift surgery. Procedures are available for both men and women.
In some cases, facial liposuction and fat injections may be employed to re-contour the face. In some cases, injections of dermal filler materials such as Sculptra or Juvederm may be employed.
Facelift surgery is usually done under general anesthesia. Smoking, diabetes mellitus, and high blood pressue do pose risk factors for healing complications in facelift surgery, and patients that smoke should notify their physician prior to the procedure. It does take several weeks for swelling to resolve after the procedure, and most patients will take 2-4 weeks off from work after their surgery for re-cooperation. It is very important to avoid sun-exposure during the healing process for optimal results.
