As we get older, skin and tissues naturally lose their elasticity. This leads to sagging and wrinkles. A facelift, also known as Rhytidectomy, is a surgical procedure that lifts and tightens these facial tissues. A facelift can involve removing excess skin, smoothing out folds or wrinkles, and tightening facial tissue. It doesn’t include a brow or eye lift, although these might be done at the same time if your Board Certified Plastic Surgeon approves.

A facelift is only focused on the bottom two-thirds of the face and also the neck might be included. After consulting your plastic surgeon and there is no medical obstacle, you can be a good candidate for Face Lift. If you have a realistic expectation, this surgery has a high satisfaction rate as the results can make the patient look 10 years or more younger. Traditionally, an incision is made in the hairline near the temples. The incision goes in front of the ear, down in front of and hugging the earlobe, then back to the lower scalp behind the ears.

Fat and excess skin may be removed or redistributed from the face and the transferred fat can give a youthful fullness to the face.The muscle and connective tissue of the face are redistributed and tightened. If there’s minimal skin sagging, a “mini” facelift may be done. This involves shorter incisions. If a neck lift is also going to be performed, the excess skin and fat will be removed. This is often done through an incision just under the chin.

After the surgery, your plastics surgeon will likely prescribe pain medication. You may or may not have some pain or discomfort along with swelling and bruising. Once the swelling goes down, you’ll be able to see the difference in how you look. To help extend the results of your facelift, moisturize your face daily, protect it from the sun, and live a generally healthy lifestyle. Since there are many variations of this surgery, discussing your options with your Board Certified Plastic Surgeon will help you to get most precise treatment plan for the Face Lift Surgery.