For additional information on this procedure see youthfulface,com/cheek neck lift and asiancosmeticsurg.com/face lift

The Procedure

Aging is a natural process which frequently results in sagging skin and wrinkles of the face. In addition, as we age, the muscles of the neck may weaken. The "face lift", as we commonly refer to this procedure, "lifts" the face and neck in one operation. A "double chin" can be improved at the same time by a surgical procedure called submental lipectomy. Additional procedures, such as forehead lifting or eyelid surgery, can be performed at the same time to effect a more complete facial rejuvenation.

Facelift for Loose Skin

As time passes, skin stretches and gravity pulls it down. This happens to everybody, and is one of the hallmarks of the aging process. These changes occur at different rates in different people, and are unavoidable. Anything that will cause the skin to lose elasticity will hasten the process: familiar examples are sun exposure and weight fluctuations, but heredity is probably the most important factor.

Pulling the skin tighter and raising it back up constitute the traditional goals of facelift surgery. This "tucking" is quite analogous to the job of the tailor: when the tissue has stretched out and is too loose, the only way to make it fit is to pull it tight and take a little tuck out. Unfortunately, we do not have a"skin shrinker" that will perform this job without surgery. Note one other very important similarity: taking a tuck does not alter the nature of the fabric! Thus, satin is still satin, velour is still velour and corduroy will still have wrinkles. Similarly, the texture of the skin will not be changed by a facelift, and acne scars, age spots, fine lines and "smokers creases" will soon return to their original texture, no matter how tight the skin is pulled. Contrary to popular opinion, a face lift will not give someone beautiful skin unless they have beautiful skin to begin with. Only chemical peels or other skin treatments can change the nature of the skin.

Face lifting for fatty neck or fatty face

Everyone's body stores fat in different places, that is why we look different from each other. Some people's bodies choose to store a lot of fat in the face and neck. For these people, a facelift to remove the fat can make a big improvement in appearence, even before aging changes take place.

How is a facelift done?

The incision for your face lift usually begins in the hair near the temple and continues in front of the ear, around the ear lobe, behind the ear and into the hair. This placement prevents easy detection. The muscles and sagging tissue are tightened, excess skin is removed, and the remaining skin is repositioned to create a more youthful look. If there is a double chin, submental lipectomy may be performed. A small incision is usually made under the chin so that the fat may be removed by liposuction.

How long does a facelift take?

The surgery takes an average of two to three hours and can be performed using either a local or general anesthetic. Preferences will be discussed with your cosmetic surgeon during your consultation. Facelift surgery generally requires a few hours to perform, depending upon the complexity of the condition and the desired results.

Do I have to stay in a hospital after the surgery?

This operative procedure can be performed in the hospital or in an office surgical suite.

How safe is it?

Minimal facelifts can be performed quickly and with little risk, but the degree of correction achieved by these lifts is also less. More extensive techniques can give better correction of the aging changes in the face, but at the cost of greater operating time, more risk, longer swelling, slower recovery, and greater cost. Make sure that you discuss your goals, budget, and risk tolerance with your surgeon to decide on the plan that is best for you.

Risks, complications, side effects?

Facelifting is a surgical procedure, and is subject to all of the usual problems that accompany surgery. Bleeding from the cut tissues, leading to bruising and possible accumulations of blood under the skin, are unavoidable in any surgery. It is a tribute to the great skill of today's surgeons that these problems are usually kept to a minimum. Infection can also occur any time the skin is cut, but again this is uncommon due to the careful attention that surgeons pay to sterile technique. Avoidance of infection also relies upon the patient's cooperation and depends upon the patient to excercise excellent hygeine.

Recovery time?

Patients usually feel and look okay surprisingly quickly after a facelift. Despite the fact that it is a large operation, there is usually very little pain. Swelling disappears within a few days, and bruises are usually gone by two weeks, as are the stitches. Patients generally feel a sense of tightness and numbness that should gradually return to normal within several weeks. It is important to follow a careful plan on return to strenuous activity, in order to avoid tension on the wound (which could lead to worse scarring). The scars will remain pink for a few months before maturing to the white scar which is less visible, and may need to be covered with makeup.

What other alternatives do I have?

The goal of a facelift is to make you look better. For some people, this involves trying to reverse some of the changes that occur with aging, for others it may involve changing a fatty neck or other problem that they have had since high school. Your facelift, therefore, will be tailored for you from a set of operations, rather than one operation, and will concentrate on correcting those things which are particular to your face.

Does a facelift prevent aging changes?

Although a facelift can improve the appearence, time marches onward for everyone. Thus, the skin continues to age and gravity begins to pull the skin down immediately upon completion of the surgery. There are many who believe that a facelift does in fact help prevent the skin from sagging, by holding it tighter to the face. This may be true, but how can we prove it?

At what age should someone have a facelift?

A person should have a facelift when they feel that they are ready for it, and could enjoy the benefits it might offer them. For a person with a fatty neck, that could be as early as the twenties. For others, it could be in the eighties.

Will a facelift make me beautiful?

The people who look best after a facelift are those who looked the best before it. (eg. Elizabeth Taylor.) A facelift can make the face look less tired, less haggard, etc., but it cannnot make someone beautiful unless they were so before.

How long does a facelift last?

After recovery, patients can expect a more rested and often youthful I appearance. Although a face lift can last for many years, patients continue to age, therefore, it is impossible to predict how long it might be before an individual would consider a second lift.

Dr McCurdy has developed an improved face lift technique that enhances lifting of the cheek and smile lines and has published scientific articles and lectured at numerous scientific meetings about his technique. Often spot liposuction of the face and neck using fine (small) instruments may enhance of face, cheek and neck lift surgery.

This information is only intended as an introduction to this procedure. It should not be used to determine whether you will have the procedure performed and should not be construed to guarantee the result.