Facelift
As we age the effects of gravity, sun-exposure and stresses of daily life are reflected in our faces. Deep creases form between the nose and mouth, the jowls droop and the neck begins to sag. The goal is to reverse these effects and remove sagging skin without leaving the face looking stretched.
A facelift procedure helps to restore the face to a more youthful appearance by tightening underlying muscles, removing excess fat and re-draping the skin. The facelift is the most effective way of treating aging changes of the neck, lower face, and cheeks. Aging changes of the eyes and brow are treated by separate procedures, which can be performed in conjunction with the facelift.
Candidates include men and women, usually in their forties to sixties, who have visible signs of aging including sagging of the skin in the cheek, jowls, neck and chin. The procedure involves incisions, usually begun within the hairline at the temples, extending inside the front of your ear and continuing behind the earlobe to the lower scalp. Facial skin is then lifted, fat may be directly excised or suctioned, underlying muscles are tightened and excess skin is removed. A small incision under the chin may be necessary if the neck needs tightening. Patients who only need their necks “tightened” may be candidates for a neck lift, which can be done with a more limited scar.
The procedure takes 5-6 hours, and is performed as an outpatient. The patient will need to wear a chinstrap garment for at least one week after surgery. A facelift cannot stop your face from aging, but it can improve your appearance by "setting the clock back."
