Facelift (Rhytidectomy)
Facelift or rhytidectomy is typically performed to remove loose or sagging skin from the face and neck. The goal of the facelift operation is to achieve a more rested and youthful appearance of the face.
As people age, the effects of gravity, exposure to the sun, and the stresses of daily life can be seen in their faces. Deep creases form between the nose and corners of the mouth; the jaw line grows slack and jowls form and become pronounced; folds and fat deposits appear around the neck. A facelift can "set back the clock," improving the most visible signs of aging by removing excess fat, tightening under-lying muscles, and re-draping the skin of your face and neck. A facelift can be done alone, or in conjunction with other procedures such as a foreheadlift (to pick sagging brows and smooth a creasing forehead), eyelid surgery, or nose reshaping.
Through an incision which begins in the hair near the temple, continues in front of the ear, around the ear lobe, behind the ear and into the hair, the skin is separated from the underlying tissue. The underlying sagging tissue is then tightened, facial skin is re-draped, the excess skin is removed and a smoother appearance is achieved. If you have loose skin and excess tissue under your chin, this may be addressed in the same procedure. The procedure is usually done as an outpatient procedure either under local anesthesia with sedation or under general anesthesia. Depending on the extent of skin laxity and any other combined procedures, the operation may take several hours.
This is the very perfection of a man, to find out his own imperfections
Saint Augustine (354-430)
Roman religious figure, philosopher
Minimal facelifts can be performed quickly and with little risk, but the degree of correction achieved by these lifts is also less. More extensive techniques can give better correction of the aging changes in the face, but at the cost of greater operating time, more risk, longer swelling, slower recovery, and greater cost.
The operation may be associated with temporary bruising, swelling, numbness, tenderness and skin tightness. Some of the complications associated with this procedure are infection, bleeding from the cut tissues, leading to bruising and possible accumulations of blood under the skin, poor healing with wound separation (especially in smokers), raised scars, asymmetry, either temporary or permanent injury to one or more of the nerve branches which control the muscles of facial expression.
Patients usually feel and look better surprisingly quickly after a facelift. Despite the fact that it is a large operation, there is usually very little pain. Swelling disappears within a few days, and bruises are usually gone by two weeks, as are the stitches. Patients generally feel a sense of tightness and numbness that should gradually return to normal within several weeks. To improve healing you will need to wear an elastic supportive garment briefly after the procedure and should limit exposure to sun for several months. Many patients are able to return back to work in two weeks and to resume more strenuous activities in 3 to 4 weeks.
Contrary to popular opinion, a face lift will not give someone beautiful skin unless they have beautiful skin to begin with. It is important to understand that while a face lift will tighten the skin, it will not change the texture of the skin. As a result any pre-existing acne scars, age spots, fine lines and "smokers' creases" will soon return to their original texture, no matter how tight the skin is pulled. Only chemical peels or other skin treatments can change the nature of the skin.
After recovery, patients can expect a more rested and often youthful appearance. Although a facelift can improve the appearance, time marches onward. The skin continues to age and gravity begins to pull the skin down immediately upon completion of the surgery. Although a face lift can last for many years, patients continue to age, therefore, it is impossible to predict how long it might be before an individual would consider a second lift.
As regards the current cost of Facelift, our fees are extremely competitive, not only within our own metropolitan Memphis area, but also in comparison with fees charged elsewhere in the United States.
Can a Facelift answer your particular needs ?
If you would like to learn more about it and see what it can do for you, please, call (901) 752-1412 to schedule your consultation.
· You may see other Facelift Before-and-After images HERE (American Society of Plastic Surgeons).
· You may get more information about Facelifting at the American Society of Plastic Surgeon's web site. You may see more Before-and-After images in its Photo Gallery.
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