Facelift

You are overweight, with a BMI of over 32, smoke or vape, are in bad health and are taking anti-coagulant medication or are diabetic.

Incisions are carefully tailored around the ear and into the hairline so that the scar is nearly invisible when healed fully. The skin is lifted and then the layer beneath (SMAS) is tightened and it is this that creates the long lasting lift and not by pulling the skin. A glue is used to reduce the risk of bleeding and all wound are close with dissolving stitches and no drains.

A facelift (sometimes known as a Rhytidectomy) is an operation to correct the sings of facial raging by redrawing skin and by tightening and lifting the layer beneath the skin.

 

It is done under GA (General Anaesthetic) ie asleep.

Where your aim is to look younger and less tired.

If you want a long lasting solution to raging in the neck and jowls then facelift may be the right solution. As the signs of ageing appear, you are likely to continue to look much younger than your actual age. Further surgery and/or fillers can be undertaken to optimise the effect eg dermal fillers can be started at 1-2 years after surgery. This, along with good skin care, no smoking, sunscreen and avoiding the sun will maximize how long the effect lasts. A good facelift will turn back the clock but it won’t STOP it and it is normal to have a small amount of wrinkles.

As long as you are healthy, have no major medical problems, are realistic about results, and really want to remove some signs of ageing, specifically the loss of facial fat and sagging of the face and neck then a facelift is probably the right procedure for you.

A good face and/or necklift can rejuvenate the face for 7-10 years, however, this depends on several factors including the condition of your skin, if you smoke or drink regularly and the age you had surgery. It doesn’t stop time but it re-sets the clock!

The procedure takes between 3-4 hours to perform depending on how many other additional procedures are needed at the same time eg fat transfer or eye surgery which many people have.

No. It will dramatically rejuvenate the lower part of the face, but it doesn’t remove the wrinkles around the mouth area or the eyelids.

If you would like to eliminate wrinkles, a range of treatments would be recommended for example, filler, botox, chemical peels or lasers.

This is very important for a facelift. There are three phases:-

Phase 1 – 7-10 days Patients are presentable to their family

Phase 2 – 10-14 days presentable to friends

Phase 3 – 3-4 weeks presentable to the public

You are advised to take between 2-4 weeks off, as bruising and swelling are variable.

However, the swelling in the face and the neck, especially the face, will take 4-6 weeks to go down. The numbness around the cheek areas will resolve in 3-4 months.

You shouldn’t have a significant amount of pain, if any at all. You may have a feeling of tightness as you will have a head dressing on. You may also have 2 drains in place, which will be removed with your dressing. If you have had eyelid surgery this may produce some discomfort. The key is to keep your head elevated and to try to relax if you can. This will help keep your blood pressure normal.