Facelift
A facelift is performed to improve facial wrinkles, sagging of the facial skin and fullness of the neck. There are many techniques used to obtain these changes and no two facelifts are the same. Techniques like thread lifts, mini-facelifts, subperiosteal lifts, autofat (using your own fat from another area) and liposuction can all be used to obtain an individual result for you. Results of a facelift can be dramatic or subtle depending on the patient and the desired goals of the procedure. This procedure can be combined with other facial procedures under a single anesthetic.
Click here to view Facelift before and after examples.
Reasons to Consider a Facelift
- Sagging skin, muscles and fat in the face, jawline and neck.
- Creases, lines and wrinkles around the nose, mouth and chin.
Facelift FAQ
1. How will my Plastic Surgical Arts surgeon evaluate me for a facelift?
In evaluating you for a facelift, your surgeon will assess the thickness, texture and elasticity of your skin, and the severity of wrinkles and folds. Your hairline will be examined to determine where incisions can be discreetly placed. All of these factors, as well as your bone structure and underlying tissues, will be considered in developing an individual surgical plan.
Your Plastic Surgical Arts surgeon may discuss with you additional procedures that can be performed along with a facelift in order to address all the concerns you have identified. For example, a facelift is frequently combined with a forehead lift, eyelid surgery, nose reshaping or skin treatments such as a chemical peel or laser resurfacing.
2. What will the day of surgery be like?
Your facelift may be performed in our in-office surgical suite, the Lincoln Surgical Hospital or St. Elizabeth Regional Medical Center.
Medications are administered for your comfort during the procedure. You and your surgeon will have decided in advance what type of anesthesia is to be used—either intravenous sedation or general anesthesia will be used. For your safety during the operation, various monitors are used to check your heart, blood pressure, pulse and the level of oxygen in your blood.
When surgery is completed, you will be taken into a recovery area where you will continue to be closely monitored. You may have a bandage around your face. Sometimes small tubes are inserted beneath the skin to drain away fluids that might otherwise accumulate, but you will not feel these at all. In fact, there is usually little discomfort from the surgery.
You most likely will be permitted to return home after a few hours, although some patients may stay overnight in the hospital or surgical facility.
3. When can I resume my normal activities?
Straining, bending and lifting should be avoided during the early post-operative period. In many instances, you will be able to resume most of your normal activities within two weeks and begin to exercise three to four weeks after surgery. You will be instructed to temporarily avoid exposure to direct sunlight and, for the long-term, to be conscientious about the use of a sunblock to protect your skin.
Any sexual activity should be avoided for a minimum of two weeks, and your plastic surgeon may advise you to wait longer.
4. How long will the results last?
The results of your facelift may be dramatic or subtle, depending on how you look before surgery as well as the specific goals that you and your plastic surgeon have established. Since the healing process is gradual, you should expect to wait at least several weeks for an accurate picture of your new look. Additional minor changes, or settling, may occur over several months.
Though a facelift is permanent, the natural effects of aging will slowly become apparent. Most facelift patients are very satisfied with their results for many years, and some choose to have additional procedures later in life.