Aging alters the body in many ways, but nowhere are these harsh realities as visible as on the face. A facelift, also known as a rhytidectomy, improves the appearance of aging facial skin by removing excess fat and sagging skin that has lost elasticity from the cheeks and lower portion of the face to the jawline and neck. At Water’s Edge, we offer a mini facelift and a full facelift, and we’ll explain that in more detail below.
Coupled with the sun’s damaging rays, the aging process coarsens the texture of the skin, diminishes its youthful layer of fatty tissue, and causes the angularity of the face to be lost. As the skin makes its downward descent off the cheeks, jaw and neck, it pouches into unsightly bags and overhanging jowls. These outward signs often generate comments of tiredness and questions of sadness that really belie an inner vitality.
A facelift addresses concerns such as severe wrinkles, deep facial folds and jowls. The result is a younger-looking, refreshed, healthy face. It’s no wonder that a facelift is one of the most frequently performed cosmetic surgeries.
A facelift may be performed at the same time as a neck lift, forehead lift, eyelid lift, nose reshaping or chin surgery.
Facelift FAQs
Facelift surgery can be performed on men and women of a variety of ages. The techniques chosen depend on each unique individual and vary from a mini-facelift to a full face and neck lift.
A patient who wishes to undergo facelift surgery should be in good physical and psychological health. For best results, the patient’s skin should still have some elasticity. As with any form of surgery, prospective patients need to discuss any current or past medical problems with medications, including over-the-counter medicines, with our physician’s input during the consultation
It is important for those who are considering facelift procedures to have realistic expectations of what can be achieved. It is important to understand that this procedure cannot drastically change a person’s appearance and it doesn’t stop the process of aging. It can, however, bring back and restore a more youthful appearance to the face.
Those who wish to undergo a facelift procedure should be non-smokers. Smoking increases surgical risks and interferes with the healing process. Smoking affects blood vessels and blood flow in the face, delaying healing and often resulting in damage to skin tissue. Those who smoke need to quit and be smoke-free for at least six weeks prior to any cosmetic surgery.
- Dermal fillers
- Botox Cosmetic
- Kybella
- Laser skin resurfacing
A mini-facelift firms the lower facial skin, improves jawline definition and refines the neck-chin angle. Because it is less invasive and not as extensive of a procedure, a mini-facelift is popular among people who are not quite ready for a full facelift, but would benefit from facial rejuvenation. This procedure may also be used as a follow-up procedure by people who’ve already had a full facelift. The great value of a mini-lift is that it can help counter generalized facial sagging and give the face a more rested and youthful appearance. The procedure does not change you; it simply makes you look the way you did years ago.
In every face, regardless of the person’s age, some slack can be found. Following the procedure, the aging process continues and the skin loses more of its elastic properties. Gravity causes the loose skin to accumulate along the jaws, along the sides of the mouth and in the center of the neck under the chin. It is impossible to predict when – and to what extent – this may happen. Genetics, age, ethnicity, stress, illness and nutrition all play a role in how soon other mini-lift procedures may be considered. However, on the average, it may be 10-15 years before you need any additional tuck up.
A full facelift involves the midface, lower face, and often the neck. It provides more extensive correction, lifting deeper facial tissues to address sagging in multiple areas. If both the face and neck show signs of aging, a face and neck lift combined may be the best way to help you reach your facial goals.
A facelift surgical procedure takes on average between two to four hours, depending on personal circumstances and the desired results. Although this procedure is frequently done on an outpatient basis with just a few hours needed for recovery and observation, some patients may wish to stay overnight. This should be discussed with your physician prior to the facelift surgery so you can make advance preparations.
Two weeks before the surgery, stop taking over-the-counter pain relievers that can thin the blood, such as aspirin and ibuprofen. It is also important to stop taking any other over-the-counter preparations and supplements, such as vitamins and herbs. Also avoid alcohol during this time period. All of these mentioned products can increase the risk of bleeding during and after surgery. They also can increase bruising and interfere with proper blood clotting during the healing process.
Drink plenty of water before and after the facelift surgery to remove toxins and promote healing. Limit salt in your diet before and after the surgery to reduce the risk of inflammation and swelling. The day before surgery, we may recommend you follow a liquid diet.
A neck lift is not always necessary when a facelift is performed; however, most patients who are ready to undergo a facelift can benefit from the addition of a neck lift to provide consistent rejuvenation of the lower face and neck region. Prominent jowls and excess skin below the jawline and chin are typically best corrected with the combination of a facelift and neck lift. During your consultation, your surgeon can discuss the procedure or combination of procedures that can help you achieve your cosmetic goals.
Our physicians are always mindful of keeping facelift incisions as hidden as possible to minimize the potential for visible scarring. Incisions are typically concealed within the hairline, behind the ear, and beneath the chin (if a neck lift is being performed). Throughout the healing process, it is important to refrain from smoking (to promote optimal blood-flow and healing) and to care for your incisions as outlined in your post-operative instructions.
Keeping the incisions clean and dressed, as well as taking your antibiotics as prescribed, helps prevent infections (which can affect the appearance of scars) from developing. As healing of the incisions progresses, redness gradually fades and scar tissue texture should flatten. Scarring should heal within six months to a year following a facelift; however, this estimate can vary.
When scars are completely healed they are typically undetectable without a close examination and trained eye. For patients who are concerned about the appearance of scars, we offer laser skin resurfacing and RF microneedling treatments, which can be effective in reducing the prominence of scar tissue; however, the majority of our facelift patients do not find this kind of scar reduction treatment to be necessary.
- The technique used to accomplish the facelift
- The simplicity or complexity of the facelift procedure
- Additional procedures or treatments performed during the surgery (i.e. neck lift, liposuction, eyelid lift, etc.)
- Whether it is a primary or secondary facelift procedure
- Anesthesiology costs
Temporary swelling following facelift surgery is to be expected, but there are many things you can do to help reduce swelling and provide more comfort during the recovery process:
- Recline with your head elevated while you rest and sleep. Additional pillows can help provide adequate support.
- Cool compresses can be carefully applied to the face.
- Drink plenty of water, avoid alcohol, and reduce salt intake.
- Eat nutritious foods.
- Get plenty of rest.
- Take all post-operative medications as prescribed.
If swelling becomes bothersome or excessive, you can always call us to discuss your concerns. When necessary, our team can schedule an urgent appointment for you to be seen.
A facelift for a woman and a man are very different; facelifts are even different between patients of the same sex, as every patient’s anatomic structures and aging process are different.
Our physicians always customize the facelift procedure to suit the aesthetic preferences of the patient and to maintain a natural look. The goal is always to enhance the appearance of a patient’s face without changing the essence of the way a patient looks. Your surgeon will make variations that take into account the differences in skin thickness, depth of aging, bone structure, and desired outcome to suit masculine and feminine appearances.
When you choose one of our physicians to perform your facelift surgery, we will walk you through all steps of the process so that you can feel comfortable and know what to expect during every phase of care.
There is no best age for a facelift, as every individual ages at a unique rate based on genetics, skin quality, environmental exposure, and other factors.
Typically, facelift surgery is best suited for women and men who are experiencing noticeable skin sagging, tissue displacement, muscular laxity, deep wrinkles, and/or jowls in the lower portion of the face. While the majority of facelift patients are 40 or over, younger individuals can potentially be candidates based on the condition of their face and the severity of aging.
During your consultation, your surgeon can perform a full evaluation of your face and neck to determine whether a surgical procedure is needed, or if less invasive facial rejuvenation methods may provide adequate correction for visible signs of aging.
Our Plastic Surgery Locations
What To Expect: The Full Facelift Procedure
The facelift procedure takes several hours to complete. Dr. Giachino or Dr. Cromwell will begin the surgery by making an incision just behind the hairline at the temples. If they are performing a neck lift in conjunction with the facelift procedure, the doctor may make a second incision beneath the chin. After separating the facial skin from the underlying muscle, your surgeon will remove excess fat and tightens the muscles. Then, the doctor will carefully tighten and smooth the skin, close the incisions and bandage the area.
Recovery From Full Facelift Surgery
After surgery, patients may experience some swelling, discomfort, or numbness. Any pain can be managed by taking medicine prescribed by Dr. Giachino or Dr. Cromwell, and resting with the head elevated can reduce swelling. Most patients are able to engage in mild activity a day or two after surgery and return to work in one to two weeks. While it may take several weeks for the face to recuperate after facelift surgery, the vast majority of patients are thrilled with their more youthful appearance.
What To Expect: The Mini-Facelift Procedure
You will only need local anesthesia, which is a relatively painless local injection of an anesthetic mixed with epinephrine to numb your face. The idea behind avoiding major anesthesia is so the patient will have a safer procedure and be able to go home right after. Dr. Giachino or Dr. Cromwell are an experts in keeping even the most anxious patients relaxed and comfortable.
A mini-facelift removes excess skin and fat from the face and neck area through well-planned incisions that start in the hairline and run down in front of the ear, up behind the ear. It repositions and supports the underlying structures and drooping fat, muscles and skin. The pre-operative analysis evaluates the quality of the skin, looseness at the jaw line, the angle from the chin to the bottom of the neck and the amount of fat and excess skin present in the neck area. The results are dependent on the elasticity of the skin. If the skin has had extensive damage, additional procedures may be required. A mini-facelift can best correct skin laxity in the face and neck as well as contour problems caused by protruding fat.
Recovery from Mini-Facelift Surgery
By avoiding anesthesia, swelling and bruising is significantly reduced. You should be able to go out in public with the help of makeup within a few days, but this varies with each patient. It’s important to limit your activities for several days following your procedure. It will probably be four to seven days before you can return to work.