Facelift - Rhytidectomy
As people grow older, the natural aging process, genetic influences,
exposure to the sun and other factors cause the skin to wrinkle
and sag. Facelifts can correct this problem. In the younger individual,
the face is firm and smooth due to fatty tissue directly beneath
the skin negating the need for a facelift. The tissue, which fills
out the contours of the face, gives it an even, rounded appearance.
As an individual ages, the skin begins to sag and fit more loosely.
This is when a facelift might be considered. Skin folds become
more prominent, particularly around the chin, on the jaw line
and on the neck. A facelift can give you that rounded appearance
again.
In recent years, a remarkable procedure, rhytidectomy or facelift,
has been developed to correct these conditions and give people
the youthful appearance they desire. A facelift procedure involves
the tightening of facial and neck skin and muscles and the removal
of excess skin. Often a face lift or a rhytidectomy is done in
conjunction with other facial cosmetic surgeries such as brow
and forehead lift, blepharospleasty (eyelid surgery), chin augmentation,
liposuction, and rhinoplasty (surgery of the nose). A facelift
can be performed any time after signs of aging appear.
Before Surgery
Prior to facelift surgery, a medical history of the patient is
taken in order to evaluate the general health of the patient.
A facelift is still surgery and should be considered carefully.
A careful examination is also conducted. The physician and patient
discuss together how the face should look after the facelift and
what results can realistically be expected from the facelift.
The goal of the facelift is to produce a pleasing natural appearance.
Photographs are taken before and after surgery in order to determine
the amount of improvement caused by the face lift. The type of
anesthesia to be used, the procedure, and possible risks and complications
from the face lift procedure are also discussed by the physician
and patient.
Preoperative face lift instructions may include the elimination
of certain drugs containing aspirin for several weeks before the
facelift surgery in order to minimize the possibility of excess
bleeding. Antibiotics may be prescribed to prevent infection after
the face lift. Patients may be instructed to shampoo their hair
the night before facelift surgery, and a small amount of hair
at the temples or around the ears may be shaved before the face
lift procedure.
The Procedure
The face lift surgery can be performed in a physician's office,
an outpatient surgical facility or a patient's preference. Facelifts
can be done under general anesthesia with the patient asleep or
local anesthesia in which the area is numbed and the patient remains
awake. Premedication for the face lift procedure is usually administered
to relax the patient.
In the basic facelift procedure, the surgeon works on one side
of the face at a time. Incisions are made during the face lift
inside the hairline at the temple, running in front of the ear
then around the earlobe and behind the ear, ending in the hair
of the scalp. Loose skin is separated from underlying tissue and
is pulled up and back and excess skin is removed. Connective tissue
and sagging muscles are tightened, and in some cases, fat deposits
are removed from beneath the chin and neck. This may necessitate
an additional small incision under the chin. Tiny sutures are
used to close the incisions. A rhytidectomy or face lift may take
from three to five hours or more depending on whether other procedures
are done at the same time.
Following Surgery
After facelift surgery, loose bandages which are applied to the
area are removed within a few days. Patients who had the face
lift done in a hospital are released the day of surgery or after
an overnight stay. Pain connected with facial surgeries are minimal
to moderate and is controlled with oral medication. The surgeon
determines when sutures are removed. This may be done in stages
in order to minimize scarring. Scars from the incisions made during
the facelift fade significantly with time and are, for the most
part, inconspicuous because they are made within natural creases.
Swelling and discoloration from the face lift surgery disappear
in a week or two. Swelling can be reduced by keeping the head
in a slightly elevated position when reclining. A tightness or
numbness of the treated area may be present for awhile, and there
may be slight changes in the normal hair pattern around the incision.
A limited amount of blood collection under the skin may occur
temporarily after the facelift procedure but does not affect the
overall results.
For several weeks after face lift surgery, patients are advised
to avoid the sun as much as possible and to wear sunscreen when
going out of doors. Healing from facial surgeries is gradual and
final results may not be apparent for several weeks. The amount
of improvement you will see after a facelift varies, depending
on the initial condition of the patient and the extent of facial
surgery. In most cases, a single procedure achieves the desired
results while in some cases, additional facial procedures may
be indicated. Most patients who have had a facelift are delighted
with their more attractive, rested appearance.
Each year thousands of rhytidectomies or facelifts are successfully
performed. Complications connected with this facial surgery are
rare; however, there are certain inherent risks connected with
every surgical procedure which should be discussed with the physician
prior to surgery. Patients can minimize complications by carefully
following directions given by the physician.
If you are interested in learning more about facelifts, please
contact our office and we will
be happy to answer your questions.
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