Who is a good candidate for a facelift?
How a face lift is performed?
Details of surgery
Results of surgery
Risks of Surgery

FACE LIFT(RHYTIDECTOMY)

Facelift restores smoother, more pleasing contours to your face and neck, helping you look younger than you are. This operation removes excess of skin from the face, tightens the muscles and lifts the dragging skin of the neck. It also helps to establish the angle between chin and neck.

Who is a good candidate for a facelift?

Any one or a combination of the following conditions may indicate that you are a good candidate for a facelift:

• A deep line, or fold, running from the corner of your nose to the corner of your mouth
• Jowls, or loss of a well-defined jawline associated with youthfulness
• Deep wrinkles in the cheeks and sagging of the "highlight" areas of the cheekbones.
• Loose skin, wrinkles, vericl "cords" or excess fatty tissue in the neck.

A facelift can improve all of these problems. It cannot, however, correct conditions such as the sagging of eyebrows, excess skin and fatty deposition in the upper and lower eyelids and wrinkles around the mouth. During the initial consultation, your plastic surgeon may ask you to look into a mirror and point out exactly what you would like to see improved. You should be very frank in discussing anything about your appearance that bothers you, as well as what you hope to achieve through surgery. This will help your surgeon understand your expectations and determine whether they can be realistically achieved.

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There are many different techniques of facelift and any one is chosen depending on the facial contour and desired results. Because of individual factors, not everyone will achieve the same results from a facelift. Incision is hidden in the natural contour of your ear, extends around the earlobe and back into the hairline. This incision can be easily concealed by your hair or with makeup. There may be a small incision hidden underneath you chin. he skin is freed from the underlying tissues to a certain extent. The underlying muscles are tightened and repositioned.

The excess skin is excised, pulled upwards and tightened. A small incision beneath the chin may be necessary to remove fat and smoothing of cord-like structures of the underlying mucles in the neck.

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Preparation for surgery:

• Smoking can increase the chance of complications, so would be advisable for you to STOP or cut down on cigarette consumption 2 weeks before and 2 weeks after your surgery.
• Do not take aspirin for 2 weeks before and 2 weeks after your surgery. If you take aspirin within this period, please inform the office. BEWARE! Many medications contain aspirin, please review the enclosed list of medications to be avoided. Read labels carefully.
• Notify the doctor or nurse of any cardiac or medical problems you may have, allergies to any kind of tape, drugs or medications must also be reported.
• If your hair is very short, you may want to let it grow enough to cover your incisions, while they heal.

Morning of Surgery:

• Do not eat or drink after midnight the night before. Take hair and body wash by medicated soap.
• Please inform the office if you take any heart or blood pressure medications, some medications may be taken with a small sip of water.
• Do not wear your contact lenses.
• Wear clothing that fits loosely and does not have to go over your head, preferably a button down shirt, sweat pants, and slip on shoes.
• Your hair must be clean with no hairspray, gel or mousse.
• Please do not wear any makeup, facial lotion or creams. " Leave all jewelry and valuables at home.

First week after Surgery:

• Expect the effects of anaesthesia to pas slowly, which may take a variable amount of time. Pain medications may prolong the sense of fogginess or cause an upset stomach. The anaesthetic and pain medicines tend to produce constipation, so it is advisable to eat high-fiber foods. Start with liquids, and advance to a normal diet when you are sure your stomach is comfortable. Do not eat foods that require vigorous chewing, as this may increase facial swelling. Try to maintain a low-salt diet to discourage water retention.
• There will be a full head dressing following surgery and drainage tubes. The drainage tubes will be removed when they are no longer necessary, which is usually within 24-48 hours.
• You can go home on the day of surgery or the next day.
• The dressings will be removed when the drains are removed. A small dressing may be reapplied.
• Hair can be washed once the head dressings are off.
• Sutures will be removed approximately 5-7 days around the front of your ears. The remaining sutures and staples will be removed 10-14 days after surgery.

Few weeks after surgery:

• Swellings and bruising will take a few weeks to disappear.
• Straining, bending and lifting should be avoided during early postoperative period
• You will able to resume most of your normal activities within two weeks and will able to start exercise three to four weeks after surgery.
• You should avoid exposure to direct sunlight for a few weeks and use sunblock to protect your skin for a long term.
• The head and face may feel numb for a considerable length of time. The use of a hairdryer and curling iron should be avoided during the first 3-4 weeks.

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What will be result of the facelift?

The results of your facelift may be dramatic or subtle, depending on how you looked before surgery as well as the specific goals that you established with your plastic surgeon. 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 for several months. The facelift will make you look younger, but it does not stop the effect of aging.

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What are the underlying risks?

Fortunately, significant complications from facelifts are infrequent. Anyone considering surgery should be aware of both the benefits and the risks. Some of the potential complications that may be discusseed with you include hematoma(accumulation of blood under skin), infection and reaction to anaesthesia. Other complications are related to wound healing, or injury to facial nerve.

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