A FACE LIFT IS CLINICALLY REFERRED TO AS A RHYTIDECTOMY
Facelifts are performed to reverse the effects of aging on your face. Over time, your face starts to show the results of gravity, sun, and life in general. A rhytidectomy, or facelift, can be performed to reduce the effects of aging by getting rid of lines and creases in the face.
The facelift procedure involves making incisions in the hairline from just behind the ear into the scalp by the temples. Also, if the neck is being worked on, a small incision will be made just below the chin.
Once the incisions are made, the plastic surgeon will separate the skin from the fat and muscle below. Sometimes, in order to provide you with a sleeker and tighter face, fat below the skin is trimmed or suctioned away. The surgeon will then tighten the muscle and other tissue beneath the skin, re-drape the skin, and remove excess skin from the face. Stitches are used to close the incisions, and your hair covers up any scarring that is left after the face lift procedure.
Generally, local anesthetic is sufficient for a facelift procedure. Patients are usually also given a sedative so that they will be drowsy through the procedure, patients will not feel any pain during the procedure, just occasional tugging. If the plastic surgeon prefers general anesthetic, then patients will sleep through the procedure. Depending on the results that you want, a facelift can be performed in conjunction with blepharoplasty or facial liposuction.
The best facelift candidates are men and women who have begun to notice the effects of aging through the appearance sagging in their face and neck. Patients should have strong, well-defined bone structure and their skin should still be fairly elastic. Facelift patients are usually between their 40s and 60s, but facelifts have been performed on people in their 80s.
A facelift can provide you with a younger, fresher looking face. However, it will not give you a completely new face and it cannot give you the health and vitality that you had at a younger age.
Do I need a Facelift to get a promotion? Probably not. For more information, read an article on this topic.
Before deciding on getting a facelift or not, schedule an initial consultation with a plastic surgeon in your area. They will work with you to determine what results you are seeking, and inform you about facelifts and what can be realistically expected from them.
For more information on facelifts and related procedures, try looking in the Facial Procedures Articles.
