Facelift ("Rhytidectomy")
Description
Improves
sagging facial skin, a slack jaw, and
loose neck skin by removing excess fat,
tightening muscles, and redraping skin.
Most patients who desire a facelift are
men and women over 40 years old, seeking
to remove the most visible signs of
aging.
Length
Several
hours.
Side Effects
Temporary
bruising, swelling, numbness and
tenderness of skin. Tight feeling and
dry skin. Men will permanently have to
shave behind ears, due to the
repositioning of beard-growing skin.
Recovery
Back to
work: 10 to 14 days. Avoiding strenuous
activity: 2 weeks or more. Bruising: 2
to 3 weeks. Facelift patients should
avoid alcohol, steam baths and saunas
for several months. Must limit exposure
to sun for several months as well.
Results
Usually
lasts 5 to 10 years.
Technology
(Placement
of the incisions and the sequence of
events depend on a patients facial
structure and the surgeons technique)
Generally, incisions begin above the
hairline at the temples, extending in a
natural line in front of the ear, and
continues behind the earlobe to the
lower scalp. The surgeon separates the
skin from the fat and muscle below,
trimming or suctioning fat from around
the neck to improve the contour. He or
she then tightens the underlying muscle
and membrane, pulling the skin back, and
then removes the excess.
Patient Status
Outpatient -
Usually outpatient. If general
anesthesia was used, some patients
require a short inpatient stay.
Anesthesia
Local with
Sedation
General
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