What is Face Lift Surgery?

Face lift is a procedure to tighten the skin and also reposition the muscles, skin, and fat. It removes the excess skin on the face and makes the face look younger. Additional procedures may be necessary to achieve best results on the face. Find cost & types of Face lift surgery.

CANDIDATES FOR FACE LIFT 

The best candidates who could opt for a face lift surgery are the people who show signs of facial aging but still have some elasticity in their skin.

PREPARING FOR THE SURGERY

The face lift surgeon will want to review your medical history to know your medical status. The doctor will examine your facial skin and make a note of the scars, skin irregularities and other specifications. The face lift surgeon may also take a picture of the face to make a medical record. You will be asked to perform a few tests if required. Before the face lift surgery, you may have to avoid medications like avoiding the intake of aspirin, anti-inflammatory drugs and other medicines that would increase bleeding. You will also be asked to stop eating, the day before your surgery. Try to arrange for help on the day of the surgery and also during your recovery.

PROCEDURE

For the procedure, you are either given general anesthesia or a sedative through an intravenous line and local anesthesia to numb your skin. Next, the surgeon makes an incision that starts in the temple area and circles around the front of the ear. The skin is raised, and the muscle and tissue underneath is tightened. The surgeon may remove some fat and skin. The skin is then redraped over the face and the incision is sutured. The incision usually falls along the hairline or in a place where the skin would naturally crease so that it does not show after the surgery.Some people are able to have a limited-incision face lift. This surgery uses shorter incisions at the temple and closes to the ear. Sometimes an incision is made within the lower eyelid or under the upper lip.A neck lift can tighten sagging jowls and loose skin under the chin. The incision starts in front of the earlobe and goes behind the ear to the lower scalp.

The face is then covered with bandages.

RECOVERY STEPS

The dressings are usually removed 1 to 2 days later. If a drainage tube has been placed (usually behind the ear), it will also be removed 1 to 2 days after the surgery. Your doctor will remove your stitches in 5 to 10 days.

Your doctor may prescribe medicines to relieve pain after the surgery. Expect to have swelling and bruising of the face. Cold compresses can help relieve these side effects. Keep your head elevated and still as much as possible.

It is important to avoid smoking and even second-hand smoke for 2 to 4 weeks before and after surgery. Tobacco smoke increases the risk of skin and tissue death and will delay your face’s healing process and make scarring worse. Most people can return to their normal activities 2 to 3 weeks after a face lift surgery. At first, your face will feel stiff and will probably look and feel strange to you. This is normal, but it is important to be prepared for it. Numbness of the skin may last for months after the surgery. Your skin may feel rough and dry for a few months. You will have to visit the doctor a couple of times till you recover completely. Follow a healthy diet, a healthy lifestyle and stay happy to look more youthful.