Facelift Surgery

As we age, wrinkles, creases, and droopy skin become apparent on our face. Everyone goes through this and it is impossible to stop. However, it is possible to reverse those effects once they have set in through the means of a facelift. This surgical procedure, also known as rhytidectomy, has the ability to remove a wide variety of common signs of aging from a person’s face and neck.

At New York’s Madison Avenue Plastic Surgery, we offer the best quality facelifts performed by our skilled plastic surgeons. We take special care to ensure that our patients can rest at ease knowing that they are in capable hands.

Different Types of Facelifts

Facelifts are of various types depending on the extent of the corrective surgery that is required. Each specific type targets a different portion of the face. Below is a brief list of some common forms of facelifts that are available today:

Full Facelift

The full facelift aims to enhance the entire face – from the sagging cheeks and lines around the mouth to the forehead creases and crows’ feet. It gives the face a complete overhaul and makes it look equally youthful all over. Full facelift is also the ideal option for patients with considerably deeper wrinkles and substantial loss of skin elasticity.

The next two sections don’t really follow their headings. This should be divided into full facelift and mini facelift.

Upper Facelift

If you have wrinkles all over your face or your upper face requires improvements, then a mini facelift might not be for you. The reason is that mini facelift can produce a very imbalanced appearance in this instance (i.e. having a youthful looking lower portion of the face and an aged upper portion). The best solution for this problem is to go for a full facelift.

Mid Facelift

An upper facelift targets the top of the face (around eyebrows area) while the mid facelift targets the bottom half of the face (usually from the cheekbones to the jaw). Then, there is the mini facelift which is the most common type of facelift that people undergo because the procedure does not take long and the recovery time is relatively short.

Mini Facelift

Mini facelift is used to treat the areas around the jaw, cheeks, and neck while the top of the face is left alone. During the procedure, the loose sagging skin is eliminated, the muscles are tightened, and unwanted fat is removed. Moreover, if there is any sagging on the face due to fat loss, then those areas will have fat grafted into them in order to give the face an overall youthful look. This procedure is more often preferred by middle-aged individuals who are just beginning to show the signs of aging.

Ideal Facelift Candidate

Generally, the ideal candidate for a facelift procedure is someone who is realistic about the results of the surgery. This means the person realizes to what extent a facelift can augment their features and he/she is also aware of the types of scars which may be left behind post-surgery.

The candidate would also have to be in a good state of health because facelift is an invasive surgery. In addition, it requires a significant amount of time for a full recovery and, if the person has poor health, it would prolong the recovery time. Smoking and alcohol consumption can also lead to the possibility of having unnecessary complications.

It is important to note that during the surgery, the excess loose skin will be trimmed off. Therefore, the remaining skin will be stretched taut and this makes it necessary for the skin to have some of its natural elasticity in order to heal properly.

Facelift Procedure Process

There are various techniques used by plastic surgeons to perform facelifts and the one that’s best for you depends on your unique situation. For example, an endoscopic facelift is used mainly to correct drooping facial muscles and to remove excess tissue and fat. This facelift does not tighten the skin and thus wrinkles and lines would not be corrected via this method.

Not every technique is compatible with every patient’s case due to the different areas targeted by each technique. Regardless, in the majority of cases, there will be incisions made which will leave scars. These incisions, however, are made in discreet areas so that they are not clearly noticeable such as the hairline and around the ears. General or local anesthesia will also be used prior to the procedure.

Facelift Recovery

Like with other forms of surgery, there will be swelling and bruising afterwards. Cold compresses can be applied to reduce swelling while pain, if there is any, can be taken care of by medication. Additionally, some facelifts require dressing at the surgery location which will remain in place for the first few days. If non-absorbable stitches were used, they will be taken off in about a week or so.

It will take about three weeks for substantial recovery to take place, but you should be sufficiently healed to continue working and start going out to public places in about two weeks. Remaining scars can take some time to completely disappear, but they can be covered up with makeup, if needed.

In addition to the above, here is a list of items that a patient is generally required to abstain from:

• Alcohol
• Smoking
• Saunas
• Swimming
• Aspirin

Remember, it is crucial to visit your surgeon after the surgery as he/she has directed. This will allow the surgeon to ensure that there are no complications and the healing process is moving along as scheduled.

Book Your Consultation

Book your consultation today with New York’s Madison Avenue Plastic Surgery to determine whether you are an ideal candidate for a facelift. Our team of highly experienced and talented plastic surgeons will assess you and inform you of everything that will be required. You can schedule your consultation easily online from the comfort of your home via the contact form available on our website.