If You're Considering a Facelift...

As people age, the effects of gravity, exposure to the sun and the stresses of daily life can be seen within the facial features. Deep creases form between the nose and mouth; the jaw line becomes slack and jowly; folds and fat deposits appear around the neck. Sagging skin on the face and neck are two of the most irrepressible signs of ageing.

A facelift (technically known as rhytidectomy) can't stop this aging process. What it can do is "set the clock back," improving the most visible signs of ageing by removing excess fat, tightening underlying muscles, and redraping the skin of your face and neck. A facelift can be done alone, or in conjunction with other procedures such as a brow lift, eyelid surgery, or nose reshaping.

The Best Candidates For a Facelift

The best candidate for a facelift is a man or a woman, whose face and neck have begun to sag, but their skin still has some elasticity and their bone structure is strong and well-defined.

A facelift can make you look younger and fresher, and enhance your self-confidence in the process. But, it will not give you a totally different look, nor can it restore the health and vitality of your youth, it is an effective method to address the physical signs. Before you decide to have this procedure, think carefully about your expectations and discuss them with your surgeon.

Planning

Facelifts are very individualized procedures. In your initial consultation the surgeon will evaluate your face, including the skin and underlying bone, and discuss your goals for the procedure.

The surgeon will also check for medical conditions that could cause problems during or after surgery, such as uncontrolled high blood pressure, blood clotting problems, or the tendency to form excessive scars. Be sure to tell the surgeon if you smoke, taking any drugs or medications, especially aspirin or other drugs that affect clotting.

The surgeon will explain the techniques and anesthesia that will be used. Don't hesitate to ask any question that you may have, especially those regarding your expectations and concerns about the results.

Preparation

The surgeon will give you specific instructions on how to prepare for the procedure, including guidelines on eating and drinking, smoking, taking or avoiding certain vitamins and medications. Carefully following these instructions will help your surgery go more smoothly. If you smoke, it is especially important to stop at least two weeks before and after surgery; smoking inhibits blood flow to the skin, and can interfere with the healing of your procedure.

Types of Anesthesia

Most facelifts are performed under local anesthesia, combined with a sedative to make you drowsy. In some special cases general anesthesia is preferred. In that case, you will sleep through the process.

After Your Procedure

After surgery the pain should be minimal; if there is, it can be lessened with pain medication prescribed by your surgeon. (Severe or persistent pain or a sudden swelling of your face should be reported to your surgeon immediately). Some numbness of the skin is quite normal; it will disappear over a period of time.

Your surgeon may tell you to keep your head elevated and as still as possible for a couple of days after surgery, to keep the swelling down.

Most of your sutures will be removed after about five days. Your scalp may take longer to heal, therefore the sutures or metal clips in your hairline may be left in a few days longer.

Getting Back to Normal

You should be up and about in a day or two, but plan on taking it easy for the first week after the procedure. Be especially gentle with your face and hair, since your skin will be both tender and numb.

The surgeon will give specific guidelines for gradually resuming your normal activities. The recommendations are: Avoid strenuous activity, including sex and heavy housework, for at least two weeks (walking and mild stretching are fine); avoid alcohol, steam baths, and saunas for several months. Above all, get plenty of rest and allow your body to spend its energy on healing.

At the beginning, your face may look and feel rather strange. Your features may be distorted from the swelling, your facial movements may be slightly stiff and you'll probably be self-conscious about your scars. Some bruising may persist for two or three weeks, and you may tire easily.

By the third week, you'll look and feel almost normal. Most patients are back at work about ten days to two weeks after the procedure.

Your New Look

You will have some scars from your facelift, but they are usually hidden by your hair or in the natural creases of your face and ears. They will fade within time and should be scarcely visible.

Having a facelift doesn't stop the clock. Your face will continue to age with time, and you may want to repeat the procedure one more time-perhaps in ten years time. But in another sense, the effect of even one facelift is lasting; years later, you will continue to look better than if you'd never had a facelift at all.

Follow up

Here at Beauty Renaissance we uphold the highest degree of post operative quality care that goes beyond monitoring. For that reason detailed postoperative controls are made so that the patient feels safe and secure. There are a number of consultations to check that the healing process is without trauma.

The first postoperative consultation is made the following day and the recovery process is followed in detail. The definitive discharge date does not occur until a year after the procedure.

All Surgery Carries Some Risks

When a facelift is performed by a qualified plastic surgeon, complications are infrequent and usually minor.

Complications that can occur include haematoma (a collection of blood under the skin that must be removed by the surgeon), injury to the nerves that control facial muscles (usually temporary), infection, and reactions to the anesthesia. Poor healing of the skin is most likely to affect smokers.

You can reduce your risks by closely following your surgeon's advice both before and after surgery.

Note: The information offered in this Web site is directed to support and not to replace the relationship between you and your surgeon.

For more information about this or any of our other procedures please click here and complete our enquiry form.