When Father Time starts catching up to you, a facelift can restore your youthful appearance. However, like any surgery, there is a recovery period, and you will likely experience bruising and swelling. A facelift tightens deep facial tissues and removes excess skin to rejuvenate the appearance of your neck and chin. This is the best solution for individuals not yet ready for a full rhinoplasty.
What Is a Facelift?
The facelift is a surgical procedure that can help you look younger by reshaping and tightening your facial skin. It also elevates the deep facial muscles — medically known as the superficial musculoaponeurotic system (SMAS) — and eliminates excess tissue for a dramatic yet natural-looking improvement.
The best facelift in San Francisco surgery option depends on your specific needs and goals. Those with more significant loose skin may consider a complete or traditional facelift. At the same time, those with only early signs of aging can often benefit from less invasive options such as the mini facelift or limited incision facelift.
Combining a facelift with other cosmetic facial procedures like a brow lift and eyelid surgery (blepharoplasty) can provide complete rejuvenation. The longevity of your results depends on the surgical technique used and your skin’s elasticity. Although the results may vary, many patients enjoy the benefits of a facelift for 10 to 15 years, and sometimes even longer.
How Does a Facelift Work?
Natural collagen levels decrease as people age, and loose skin develops around the face. Over-the-counter or prescription creams may be moderately helpful, but there comes a point when aging is best corrected through surgical techniques.
A facelift, technically known as rhytidectomy, is a cosmetic surgery procedure that can tighten the jowl and jawline area to provide a more youthful appearance. This surgery involves making a series of incisions that will be concealed once healed, blending with the hairline and facial features.
Fat is redistributed or sculpted during the procedure, and excess skin is removed to give the face a more youthful contour. The incisions will leave a scar, which can be hidden with makeup and hair.
Choosing a board-certified cosmetic surgeon with extensive experience performing this type of surgery is essential. Closely follow your surgeon’s aftercare instructions and protect the surgical area with sunscreen to help the incision scars fade naturally.
What Is the Recovery Like?
A facelift is a major surgery, and recovery takes time. However, preparing ahead of time can reduce anxiety and ensure you have the support you need to get through your first week at home. You can expect some swelling, which peaks around days three and four.
This is not uncommon, and it typically resolves within weeks. You may also experience numbness or tingling in the face, neck, and ears, which is typical and usually returns to normal within a few months. The incisions during a facelift are designed to be hidden and fade over time to become nearly invisible. You may still have bruising and swelling, but this will be minimal.
By the end of the second week, you should be able to return to work or other activities without any apparent signs that you had surgery. You can usually cover any bruising with makeup if necessary.
Also Read: Role of Ethics in Plastic Surgery
What Can I Expect from a Facelift?
A facelift can reverse signs of aging in the upper neck, jawline, and chin. This surgical procedure tightens sagging skin, improves wrinkles, and helps the facial muscles work better. It can provide longer-lasting results than other facial treatments.
The best candidates are people whose faces and necks have started to sag but whose skin has not lost much elasticity. They should be free of serious health problems like high blood pressure or diabetes. They should also be realistic about the procedure’s results and not expect a miracle cure. Before you undergo a facelift, arrange for someone to drive you to and from the surgery and stay with you during your first night at home.
Since you’ll be under general anaesthesia, having a safe ride back and forth is essential, and you may need someone to help with other tasks around the house. You should also avoid taking aspirin, ibuprofen, or other NSAIDs before the surgery, as these medications increase your risk of bleeding during and after the operation. Instead, stick with acetaminophen.
