Face Lifts

You look into the mirror one day and notice something rather unsightly different about yourself –skin that is old, wrinkled, sagging. Your brain is already ringing you bells and your gut feel is loudly telling you that it is no longer character that determines the look on your physical appearance. You know for sure that you are going through the process of aging. And whether you think of embracing such a phase, you may not be ready to accept the downsides that aging brings to your physical appearance.

Sure, your skin needs a serious perking up that you would kill for that refreshed, beautifully pulled back look. And then you think of getting a facelift.

By definition, facelifts, also coined as Rhytidectomy, Facialplasty or Cervicofacial Rhytidectomy, is a cosmetic surgical procedure that usually involves redirecting of some facial and neck skin tissue to counter the signs of aging. Its purpose is to improve your facial appearance by repositioning your outer skin tightening the underlying skin muscles and tissues that have lost its ability to defy gravity with the onset of aging. Although facelifts may be otherwise known as Rhytidectomy which literally implies “surgical removal of wrinkles”, it can not eradicate all facial wrinkles however.

Facelifts come in different variations that are designed to meet the needed expectations in getting your desired facial improvement. These variations can go from feather lifts, midlifts to deep plane lifts. Since a facelift is naturally an invasive cosmetic surgical procedure, the extent of a patient undergoing a facelift may be determined by a number of factors. These include the area of the face; the number of skin muscles, tissues to be treated during the procedure and the type of incision.

A naturally painful and invasive cosmetic procedure, its invasiveness comes with certain degrees. That is why, some people tend to be a little queasy with the prospect of subjecting their faces under the scrutiny of the knife. A mini-facelift, however, would be considered as the least invasive and would work especially for those who are ‘waitlisted’, particularly younger ones, on the list of ideal facelift candidates.

Patients who would make good candidates are those in their 40’s, 50’s and 60’s with visibly lax and sagging skin. It would also be better if you have good, well-defined facial and bone structure because it may yield more significant results. Those with cardio and respiratory problems may experience more serious complications. In addition, those taking certain types of medication such as pain relievers and aspirin may be advised to stop intake for a specific period of prior to and post procedure as it may also run high risk complications.


The patient takes anesthetic during the procedure to numb the pain. Then, the surgeon starts by making an incision within the hairline just above the ear. Incision sites are situated in areas that would keep any trace of the procedure discreet. Then the surgeon will use other different kinds of instruments in order to separate the facial skin from its tissues underneath and then moving down to other areas that need to be improved. A pressure bandage will be put on the patient after the surgery to lessen the risk of hematoma. The patient may be required to stay in the recovery room for a couple of hours to make sure that bleeding is avoided, after which, s/he is advised to remain in a reclining position for the next 24 hours, keep away from moving too much and consume a liquid diet. Antibiotic intake is necessary until the first stitches loosen out. It may take more than two weeks to gain full recovery and resume normal activities.

Patients considering a facelift should first consult with a qualified surgeon who has extensive know-how’s this type of practice. There are a good number of surgeons that specialize in facelifts. Some of the best facelift surgeons can be found in Atlanta, Beverly Hills, Manhattan, Miami and New York, among many others.