Time and gravity can alter our facial symmetry to distort our looks and make us appear older. As aging skin loses its tone and elasticity, more wrinkles, creases and sagging skin appear.

     Of all the cosmetic surgical procedures that our physicians do, the facelift is possibly the one procedure his patients want most yet are most anxious about.

     For our physicians a natural, refreshed look is preferable to the old-fashioned "windswept" or "tunnel" look of a too-tightly pulled lift.

     As a result, our physician's patients are extremely pleased with the outcomes of their facial plastic surgery. When they see their new "look" post-surgery, they see firmer, toned, and refreshed faces that have been subtly "adjusted" with as little noticeable scarring as possible. This is extremely important especially for older men who have very little hair with which to hide any scars that might show.

     Women and men in their mid 40s to mid 50s, at a time when the signs of aging begin to show in the face, may be the best candidates for partial facelifts. When they reach the mid 50s to mid 60s, they are more likely candidates for full facelifts.

     As facial cosmetic surgery is "superficial", with only a minimal amount of blood loss, no entry into body cavities, and no strict confinement to bed rest after surgery, almost everyone who doesn't have serious health problems can have facial surgery.

What do you want to change?

When you are dissatisfied about your facial appearance and structure, you poke here and there, pull your skin up behind your ears or into your hairline. Our physicians will also do this during his examination of you to help you determine what you most dislike, what you want improved, and how to do this for you with the most naturally looking results. This may be a full facelift, a partial facelift, or other surgery that will correct your nose, your drooping or baggy eyelids, or a too-weak or too-strong jaw.

     There are 4 main areas of the face where the sagging effects of aging are most apparent, in the forehead, in the temporal and cheek area, in the lower jaw, and in the neck. With aging, facial fat either descends or goes away, or a combination of both, and muscle tissue may lose mass and laxity.

     Depending on the extent of this movement or reduction of fat and tissue and the sagging of your skin, Our physicians will consider what will give you the best and most natural looking outcome from your surgery. He will determine during the consultation whether a full facelift is best, or whether the results you want can be achieved by doing a partial facelift.

Procedure

The face is divided into 3 parts for surgical diagnosis: forehead, temporal region and cheeks, and neck. If you are having a full facelift, incisions are made in the hairline and in the creases in front of the earlobe and at the back of the ear. Our physicians will place incisions inside the ear if possible, and in all ways work to minimize visible scarring.

     The surgery, using local or general anesthesia, can take 2-5 hours to perform depending on the extent of the work involved.

Recovery time

To minimize swelling, you will be given cold packs for the first day while you keep your head elevated. Drains may be used to take away excess fluids and to promote healing.

     Swelling will subside in 2-3 weeks to nearly normal and in 3-6 months it should be gone. Total healing takes about a year. You will need about 2 weeks away from work for this procedure. About 3 weeks after surgery, you may resume normal activities. Avoid sun exposure for several months post surgery.

Possible complications

There may be some bleeding in the first 24 hours which may take a few weeks to dissipate. Minimal bruising, a common complication, will take many weeks to finally dissipate. For most of this time, concealing makeup will be sufficient to cover all evidence of bruising.

     During surgery, one or more of the nerves that control facial muscles may be injured; if they are bruised, the symptoms should subside in 3-12 months. Sensory nerves in the area of the ear may be cut and some numbness may occur there.

     Some collected bleeding may occur in the first 24 hours. During surgery, the motor facial nerves may be injured, but this should be extremely minimal in an experienced professional hand.

     After a combination facelift and neck lift, it takes up to 3 weeks to look near normal, 3-6 months for all swelling to subside, and a year until the face and neck are completely healed. Vigorous activity and work should be avoided for the first 2 weeks. Exposure to the sun should be limited for the first few months.