Face lift is a popular cosmetic surgery term that has been used for decades. The scientific name of a face lift is a rhytidectomy, but people will either say “face lift” or “face lift surgery” when referring to it. If someone undergoes a face lift procedure, it is really a cosmetic surgery where the surgeon attempts to make the person’s face look younger and smoother. All visible aging signs are reduced or eliminated from these areas.
As people get older, they start to develop more saggy and wrinkly skin on their face and neck. They’ll notice a lot of saggy skin hanging from the jawline in particular. Other factors which contribute to facial skin laxity include sun damage, gravity, stress, weight gain, and heredity. Some of these factors are controllable, and some are not. You must do your best to control the ones you have power over.
Face lift surgeries are no longer reserved just for movie stars and rich people. There is an increasing number of people in the general public who seek face lift surgeries for themselves as well. Everyone is under pressure to look their best in their jobs, careers, events, parties, and personal relationships. Not only can a face lift surgery make you look younger, but it can make you feel better about yourself as well.
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Overview
When you undergo a face lift surgery, the surgeon works to reduce the severity of the skin folds and sagginess on the jawline and cheeks of your face. That way, you can have a youthful-looking face again with smoother facial skin. A face lift can also tighten up loose skin areas, such as the double chin on your neck.
In some cases, the cosmetic surgeon may perform eyelid surgery and a brow lift in conjunction with the face lift. This may be necessary if your saggy skin symptoms also appear on your eyelids and forehead areas too. And if you lose too much fat volume in certain areas of your face, then fillers may be injected to compensate for them. Either that or fat deposits will get transferred from one area of your face to another area that needs it more.
During the actual face lift procedure, the surgeon targets skin flaps on the left and right sides of your face. Those flaps get pulled back in order to stretch the folds and sagginess of the skin. The underlying skin tissues must be surgically modified to restore the youthful facial contours as well. Any excess skin that is still hanging around will be surgically removed altogether. After that, the surgeon will stitch the flap closed.
Contrary to popular belief, face lifts do not reduce wrinkles and creases in the skin. There are other cosmetic treatments you can try to target those skin issues. Face lifts are merely for targeting skin folds and sagginess only. However, the surgical nature of a face lift makes it much more effective than a noninvasive skin rejuvenation treatment.
Preparation for the Procedure
A face lift procedure is not for everybody. The cosmetic surgeon will give you a medical exam and review your medical history to determine if you’re right for the procedure. Your personal consumption habits are considered too, such as your use of prescription drugs, dietary supplements, vitamins, over-the-counter drugs, tobacco, or alcohol.If all the preliminary tests check out fine, the cosmetic surgeon will examine your facial skin and bone structure. Numerous photographs of your face will be taken at different angles. Based on your skin quality, level of fat, and the shape of your face, the cosmetic surgeon will know the best course of action to take.
If you are found eligible for the face lift procedure, you’ll be given a list of instructions to follow before the procedure. Basically, you must avoid blood-thinning medications for two weeks. On the night before the facelift procedure, you must avoid eating. The next morning, you must use a special germicidal soap to wash your face and hair.
During the Procedure
A local anesthetic or general anesthetic will be administered, depending on the extent of the face lift that you need to be done. In most cases, the surgeon administers a general anesthetic to knock you out if the procedure affects the entire face.
Next comes the incision. There are three types of incision that may be used here: a traditional face lift incision, a limited incision, or a neck lift incision. The traditional face lift incision is where the surgeon starts cutting at the temple area next to your hairline and proceeds around to the front and back of your ears. The surgeon keeps going until the lower scalp is reached.
A limited face lift incision is like the traditional face lift incision, except the incision stops when the surgeon reaches the front ear. They don’t go all the way down to the lower scalp area. A neck lift incision is just the opposite because it begins in the frontal area of the earlobe and proceeds to go around the ear until it reaches the lower scalp.
The entire face lift procedure shouldn’t take more than 2 to 4 hours. But if you’re getting other cosmetic procedures done along with the face lift, then it could take longer than 4 hours.
After the Procedure
You may experience several different symptoms after the face lift, such as bruising, swelling, pain, and numbness. Follow-up appointments are required for the next two months following the procedure. Meanwhile, do not pick at the treated areas of your face. Do not put a lot of pressure on your face. Give it at least 3 weeks to heal completely or else you might face some unpleasant consequences.
