Facelift / Rytidectomy - Plastic Surgery

Background on Facelifts

As we age, our bodies rarely reflect our internal, youthful vigor. One of the places that takes the brunt of the aging process is our face. Decades of sunlight, exposure, and even laughter can take a heavy toll on the skin, and many people feel powerless to stop the inevitable maturing of their face.

Fortunately improving the appearance of one's face is no longer the exclusive domain of movie stars and millionaires. More and more people are realizing that a face lift is the perfect way to bolster sagging self esteem and most importantly, finally let your outside appearance match your inside feelings.

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Best Candidates for a Facelift

Healthy men and women ages 40 to 70 who have noticeable signs of aging around their face and neck are the most common people seeking facial rejuvination. It is important to have strong bone structure definition and healthy, elastic skin to accommodate a new shape. Just as important however is to have realistic expectations about what a facelift can accomplish. Discuss all your options with your surgeon before deciding on what procedure is right for you.

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Uncertainty and Risk of a Facelift

Every surgical procedure involves a certain degree of risk. In order to become more informed about the risks of a facelift, consult with your board certified plastic surgeon.

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Planning for a Facelift

Because everyone's face is different, every facelift is different as well. Your surgeon will measure and examine your facial structure, skin condition, and advise you on the potential outcomes of your surgery. Previous medical conditions such as high blood pressure, medication intake, and smoking can cause complications during the recovery period, so be sure to inform your doctor if these conditions apply to you.

Should you decide a facelift is the right course of action, ask your surgeon about the types of procedures and anesthetic they generally use. This helps you have a better appreciation of your procedure and allows your surgeon to inform you on the benefits of the outcome.

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Preparing for Surgery

Your surgeon will advise you to do a few common things that will aid you during the procedure and your recovery. Quitting smoking at least four weeks before surgery promotes increased healing and reduce scarring. Restricting your aspirin or anti-inflammatory medication intake is also important.

You might want to let your hair grow a bit before your facelift, as longer hair helps conceal scars while they heal. Arrange a ride home after the procedure and have someone around during the first few days after the operation.

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Where the Facelift Surgery is Performed

Depending on the complexity of the facelift, you may need to have it in a hospital medical center, but more commonly the procedure is performed in a doctor's surgical suite or other outpatient facility. You may also need to stay a day or two in the hospital depending on your general physical condition and the extent of your surgery.

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Types of Anesthesia

Most doctors perform facelifts under a local anesthetic combined with an oral IV sedative. You will feel no pain except occasional tugging. If the operation requires more extensive surgeries, or it is combined with other cosmetic procedures many doctors prefer general anesthetic.

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How the Facelift is Performed

A facelift takes 3 to 7 hours from beginning to end.Much of the duration of a facelift depends on the personal style of the surgeon and the amount of work needed to reverse the signs of aging. Most surgeries start with an incision that begins at the front of the ear, around the earlobe, and across the scalp. Once the skin is separated from the tissue underneath the surgeon removes excess fat and reconditions the underlying muscles. This effect enhances the natural contours and shape of the face, while the newly taut skin adheres to this revamped framework.

Your skin is then reattached at the scalp with fine stitches and sutures, and any scarring is usually well hidden behind the hairline. Your doctor may insert a small tube into the incision to drain away any excess fluid that can accumulate following a facelift.

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Post op / Recovery

The initial period after a facelift is not usually uncomfortable and any pain is easily controlled through medication prescribed by your surgeon. Prolonged pain or sudden swelling should be reported to the doctor immediately to prevent any potential complications. Your face will be numb for awhile after the surgery, but this is normal, as is a moderate amount of fluid loss and swelling.

Depending on the extent of the surgery, your doctor may insert a drainage tube beneath the skin to keep too much fluid from accumulating and disturbing the skin. Keeping your head elevated should help reduce the amount of normal swelling. Drainage tubes are generally removed the first post op day. Any stitches are removed after about a week, as are most bandages used to keep the skin healthy and infection free.

Most people experience a bit of minor swelling and bruising, but they can be concealed with special cosmetics. Facelift patients should take it easy for a few weeks, and should avoid any strenuous activity and take extra care not to damage the sensitive, puffy skin on the face. Full recovery may take a few weeks, and the final bit of swelling and bruising should disappear after a month or so.

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Methods: Facelift Procedures

Non-surgical Facelift
Many new technologies have given way to the rise of the non-surgical facelift. Innovations with lasers, radio frequencies, and topical creams have proven effective at tightening the skin and improving appearance without the pain of surgery or lengthy recovery times, but surgery remains the most effective solution to combat the signs of aging.

Non-surgical facelift procedures such as the Thermage® treatment are revolutionizing the cosmetic surgery industry. This relatively painless procedure uses radio waves to stimulate natural collagen production which lifts and tightens the skin naturally. There is no need for anesthesia, and the procedure takes only a few hours and can last from anywhere between six months to two years.

Best of all, since there is no invasive surgery or anesthesia, patients may return to work the very day they receive treatment. With no scars, little pain, and prove results, Thermage® facelifts are becoming a popular alternative to traditional cosmetic surgery.

Microcurrent Facelift

Microcurrent Facelifts are becoming increasingly popular, non-evasive procedures for improving the look and muscle tone of the face. As people age, their muscle tone begins to weaken, which causes surrounding tissues like skin to droop and sag. While this loss of elasticity is a totally natural and expected part of aging, many of us want to decrease the signs of aging without the expense or pain involved with traditional cosmetic facelifts. Fortunately, more and more people are discovering the wonders of microcurrent facelifts.

Muscles, like many other tissues in the human body, respond dramatically to electrical current. By isolating the intricate muscles in the face and applying moderate electrical stimulation, doctors have found a way to reduce these signs of aging. Microcurrent facelifts take advantage of this natural property, and address the causes of aging with three coordinated thrusts:

• Cellular and Circulatory stimulation. By increasing the flow of blood to surface layers of muscle and skin, these vital tissues receive the nourishments they need to look and feel healthy.
• Muscle reinforcement and toning. Electricity causes muscles to contract, and in doing so enhances tone and rejuvenates formerly underused tissues.
• Tissue regeneration: When the nerves inside the muscles are stimulated, they trigger a response in the brain to "jumpstart" more of the signals, which allows the effect to last for two to three days after the treatment.

Microcurrent electricity also stimulates the natural collagen and elastin producing tissues in the skin and muscles of the face. These two chemicals reconstruct the structure and vitality of the skin, and because it is non-surgical, microcurrent treatments are painless. Also because there is no cutting or bleeding, microcurrent facelifts are perfect for quick lifts before an important event.

BioUltimate Facelift

Bio-ultimate facelifts are innovative, non-surgical procedures that reduce the appearance of sagging and wrinkled skin without the pain and recovery times associated with traditional cosmetic surgery.

By applying painless levels of electrical current directly to the muscles in the face, doctors stimulate the body's natural bioelectrical processes that create collagen and elastin. These proteins are responsible for the elasticity and sheen of young skin, and as their production decreases with age, many people experience wrinkles and crow's feet. Bio-ultimate facelifts can erase years of aging with a few simple appointments.

There are many advantages of a bio-ultimate facelift or traditional facelift. First, there is no pain or recovery involved. Facelifts are usually painful and physically taxing operations and most people require weeks to fully recover. Swelling and bruising sometimes take months to subside, and advertise to the world that you have had cosmetic surgery.

Bio-ultimate facelifts are for more discrete. Second, bio-ultimate facelifts actually increase the health of your skin. As the electrical current stimulates collagen and elastin, these proteins rehydrate, exfoliate, and improve circulation in the skin. In contrast, traditional facelifts only delay the inevitable return of lines and wrinkles. Also, because there are no visible signs of trauma, a bio-ultimate facelift is the perfect "quick fix" before an important event.

Endoscopic Facelift

An endoscopic facelift is a revolutionary technique that can deliver most of the benefits of a traditional facelift without the pain, scarring, and extended healing times that are more common with older facelift procedures.

Working through several discrete incisions anywhere on the face, your plastic surgeon will investigate what particular adjustments need to be made. The locations of these incisions depend on the type of facelift, and are usually well hidden and strategically placed so to not leave any visible indication of surgery. If the mid-face needs adjustment, the incisions are placed along the lower eyelid or upper gumline; or to adjust sagging neck and chin tissue common spots for insertion include the beneath the chin or behind the ears.

The endoscope provides your doctor to see how to adjust the tissues of your face with invasive and complicated skin removal. Furthermore, an endoscopic facelift allows your doctor to reach and correct trouble areas such as frown lines, laugh lines, and crow's feet that older facelifts have difficulty correcting. The tissues under your skin are tightened and molded without drastic incisions or general anesthesia, which reduce the likelihood of post surgical complications such as extensive bruising and swelling, infection, and prolonged recovery times.

Most patients who undergo an endoscopic facelift usually return to their regular lives after a day or two of rest and recuperation. Many report that they retain a great deal of sensation after their procedures, unlike traditional facelifts that can take more recovery time. Endoscopic facelifts are also useful in positioning cheek and cheek implants as well.

If you think that you may be a good candidate for an endoscopic facelift, consult a board-certified plastic surgeon today. Discover how much younger you will look and feel with an endoscopic facelift today.

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