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Rhytidectomy - face lift
The best candidate for a facelift is a man or woman whose face and neck have begun to sag. Most patients are in their forties to sixties, but facelifts can be done successfully on people in their seventies or eighties, as long as you are fit and healthy. A facelift can make you look younger and fresher, and it may enhance your self-confidence in the process. But it can't give you a totally different look, nor can it restore the health and vitality of your youth. Before you decide to have surgery, think carefully about your expectations and discuss them with your surgeon. When a facelift is performed by a qualified plastic surgeon, complications are infrequent and usually minor. Still, individuals vary greatly in their anatomy, their physical reactions, and their healing abilities, and the outcome is never completely predictable. Complications that can occur include haematoma (a collection of blood under the skin that must be removed by the surgeon), injury to the nerves that control facial muscles (this is temporary in 1 in 150 cases and permanent in less than 1 in 1000 facelifts, according to the plastic surgical literature), infection, and reactions to the anaesthesia. Poor healing of the skin (and even death of part of it) is most likely to affect smokers. Numbness of one ear occurs in about 1 in 100 facelifts. You can reduce your risks by closely following your surgeon's advice both before and after surgery. Facelifts are very individualized procedures. In your initial consultation your surgeon will evaluate your face, including the skin and underlying bone, and your pattern of facial aging, and discuss your goals for the surgery. He will check for medical conditions that could cause problems during or after surgery, such as uncontrolled high blood pressure, blood clotting problems, or the tendency to form excessive scars. Be sure to tell him if you smoke or are taking any drugs or medications, especially aspirin or other drugs that affect clotting. Your surgeon will explain the surgical techniques and anesthesia he will use, the hospital where the surgery will be performed, and the risks and costs involved. Don't hesitate to ask your surgeon any questions you may have, especially those regarding your expectations and concerns about the results. |
A facelift (technically known as rhytidectomy) can't permanently halt the ageing process, but it can "set back the clock," improving the most visible signs of ageing by removing excess fat, tightening underlying muscles, and redraping the skin of your face and neck. A facelift can be done alone, or in conjunction with other procedures such as a forehead lift, eyelid surgery, or nose reshaping.
