FACE
LIFT
What is Face Lift?
As part of the natural process of aging, there comes a
point in your life when you look at your reflection in the
mirror and find that your appearance is no longer consistent
with your self-image or even how you are feeling.
Disguising your appearance through changes in hairstyle,
hair color or make-up cannot hide the fact that time has
taken its toll on your once-youthful appearance.
Face lift or Rhytidectomy, is intended to restore a
more younger-looking appearance by smoothing out and
tightening major wrinkles and sagging skin of the face, neck
and jaw line. The muscles of the face and neck are elevated
and secured together with the removal of any excess skin.
This helps in maintaining the improvement of the contours of
the face and neck. The goal of Face Lift is to give you a
natural revitalized appearance instead of a look that is
overly tight and unnatural.
Back to Top
Effects of Face Lift
Due to factors such as age, exposure to the sun, and
genetics, the skin starts to wrinkle and sag. The reason
why children and young adults have smooth and well-defined
faces is because of their evenly distributed fatty tissues
in their facial contours. As time passes by, the skin sags
and prominence of folds usually along the chin, jaw line,
and the neck appears. Getting a Face Lift will improve your
facial appearance and would have a dramatic effect on the
neck, enhancing its contour and profile. This procedure can
make you look 5 to 10 years younger.
After
undergoing a face lift surgery, patients are happy and
satisfied with their new, more youthful appearance. By
lessening the most visible signs of aging and enhancing your
best features, this procedure can help you look as good as
you feel.
Back to Top
Candidates for Face Lift
Face Lift is recommended if you have any of the following
conditions:
·
A “jowly”
appearance of the jaw line or a lot of loose skin and flesh
under the jaw where definition and contour of the border of
the jaw is lost.
·
A deep
line, naso-labial fold, which goes from the corner of your
nose to the corner of your mouth.
·
There is
laxity of the skin near the cheekbones that causes a tired
appearance of the face.
·
Presence
of wrinkles, loose skin, or excess fatty tissue in the neck,
with loss of contour.
Ideal candidates are men or women, 40 to 80 years of age,
who are in good physical health.
Back to Top
Your
Consultation
BHMG’s Certified Surgeon will discuss how your face can
look and what you can expect from this procedure. A lot of
factors influence the overall impression of the visible
signs of aging of the face such as the quality of the skin,
the presence of bags or excess skin of the eyelid.
Additional procedures that can be done as an option or
alternative to Face Lift surgery may be discussed by BHMG if
you are not sure whether a Face Lift is right for you. For
instance, it may be more beneficial for patients who are
younger or those without deep lines around the nose and
mouth to have a combination of skin care, Botox treatments,
or injectable fillers such as collagen to soften the early
signs of aging. A Face Lift is held in reserve if a Brow
Lift and/or Blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery) may be
more suitable if the problem is isolated to the forehead and
eyelids. A Skin Resurfacing procedure may be a possible
alternative if your problem is severely sun-damaged skin in
order to achieve your goals.
BHMG will discuss with you and explain all of the pertinent
options available to address your areas of concern and to
recommend a procedure or a combination of procedures that
will achieve the results you desire. BHMG has a widespread
experience with all of the available treatment options for
the signs of facial aging.
It is
important that expectations and goals for a Face Lift are
realistic. A successful Face Lift surgery should make you
look “better” and not “different”. It is the goal and
objective of BHMG to create a naturally youthful appearance
that is satisfying to you, highlighting your positive
features while lessening the negative ones.
Back to Top
The Face Lift
Procedure
Face Lift Surgery is done in an outpatient surgical center,
under a light general anesthesia in order to maximize your
comfort and safety. With this technique, vital signs are
monitored and controlled continuously, pain or anxiety will
be lessened, and there would be no sudden movements,
maximizing the surgeon’s precision during this delicate
procedure.
The incisions are placed in inconspicuous areas such as at
or inside the hairline at the temple, in front of the ear,
then around the earlobe behind the ear, ending at the scalp
area or along the hairline at the nape of the neck. The
underlying supporting tissues are revealed by lifting the
skin. These supporting layers are then tightened and
elevated for maintenance of the long-term results of the
Face Lift. It is important to avoid too much tension on the
skin. For that reason, slack and excess skin is removed in
precise amounts. If needed, a small separate incision below
the chin is done to remove fatty deposits beneath the chin
and neck. Fine sutures are used to close the incisions.
It takes approximately 3 to 4 hours to finish the procedure
depending on whether there are any other procedures
performed at the same time.
Back to Top
Recovery
Patients are required to spend 1 or 2 nights post surgery
at a local aftercare retreat where a specially-trained
nursing staff will be there to monitor your progress.
During your pre-operative visit, BHMG will take care of the
necessary arrangements for this. During the initial period
after surgery, you may have a large soft dressing that is
wrapped around your head. Surgical drains may be in place
for the prevention of fluid accumulation beneath the facial
skin. These drains are to be removed in approximately 24
hours. Your progress will be monitored personally by BHMG
on a daily basis for the first few days post surgery.
Showering with assistance and shampooing are generally
allowed within the first 48 hours after the procedure. In a
few days, stitches done around the ears or eyelids are
removed. Then the scalp sutures will be taken out in 7 to
10 days.
Depending on several factors, your recovery period may vary
in length. It could take up to 1 to 2 weeks for swelling
and bruising to subside. If a Skin Resurfacing procedure is
done together with your Face Lift, use of make-up after a
few days to conceal minor discoloration can be done. Social
activities may be resumed comfortably in approximately 3 to
4 weeks. The incisions are usually not readily noticeable
and will fade eventually. It is recommended that that sun
is avoided for several weeks post surgery most especially if
a resurfacing procedure is done.
Most
patients return to work and social activities looking
refreshed, with renewed energy, and a high self-esteem after
the initial healing phase. The healing process of this
procedure is gradual so you may continue to notice an
improvement in your appearance even for up to six months.
The longevity of the results is dependent on several
factors, including your genetic background, habits (i.e. sun
exposure, smoking, alcohol use), and your skin’s
pre-existing quality. Your progress will be continually
monitored by BHMG and a program of healthy lifestyle, skin
care, and periodic maintenance procedures will be arranged
for you to improve the longevity of your result and to keep
you looking your best.
Back to Top
Risks
Complications after a Face Lift surgery are rare and
usually minor. On the other hand, differences in anatomy,
general health, and healing characteristics may influence
the risk of complications. These complications may include
bleeding, infection which is usually rare, poor healing or
loss of skin, facial nerve injury which is usually
temporary, discoloration of the skin, numbness, asymmetry,
and scarring. The risk of bleeding is greater in men or if
you have taken aspirin or blood thinners within 2 weeks of
the surgery. Patients who are diabetic, with a history of
radiation, a history of autoimmune and collagen disease, and
even smokers have an increased risk of wound complications.
It is expected for the facial skin and area around the ear
to be fairly numb several weeks after the surgery. Some
discoloration, which is temporary, may also be expected as
healing begins. This may take a few months before it
disappears. The facial nerve may be bruised during the
procedure which results in temporary weakness of the facial
muscles of expression; however, this happens very rarely.
Permanent damage to the facial nerve is also exceptionally
rare.
Back to Top
Frequently Asked
Questions
Q: Will
I lose sensation in my face after a Face Lift?
A:
There may be temporary loss of sensation in the areas of the
skin that are undermined during the procedure. Full normal
sensation will return within a few weeks. During the early
post-operative period, it is important that men be extra
careful when shaving to avoid nicks and cuts. Also, all
patients must steer clear of hot compresses.
Q: Are
signs of sun damage corrected by Face Lift surgery?
A:
Generally, no. Improvement of skin laxity which is a
function of aging and hereditary or environmental factors is
done by the face lift surgery. On the other hand, other
types of treatment are required for fine wrinkles caused by
sun damage. Some of these treatments are chemical peel,
laser resurfacing or dermabrasion.
Back to Top |
