The facelift operation is designed to remove wrinkling caused by loose skin and to lift or tighten tissues of the face and neck, which tend to sag with advancing years. It has become the second most popular cosmetic operation because, as medical advances increase the life span, many aging women and men find that they look older than they feel physically and mentally.

Naturally, everyone contemplating the operation is interested in how much improvement they can expect and for what duration.

The amount of improvement depends on the amount of wrinkling present. If it is marked, the results may be dramatic. If sagging is early and the operation is being done in an attempt to keep the patient looking young, the improvement may be more subtle. The remarks may be made that the patient looks “less tired” and “more alive”.

If the patient is scheduled for surgery, special medications are given one week prior to the operation. The operation is usually done as an outpatient under local anesthesia with heavy sedation or under general anesthesia. The operation technically consists of tightening the skin and underlying tissues of the face and excising the excess skin. This is performed with micro-canula liposculpture and microscopic suture technique. The patient is discharged from the outpatient setting after he or she is fully alert and awake. There is very little pain during the post-operative period and the patient is encouraged to remain out of bed after the first 24 hours. A turban-type head bandage is worn upon discharge, and the face is somewhat discolored; the discoloration usually fades away in a week to ten days.

Finally, it must be understood that the facelift operation will not eliminate the small vertical creases around the lips, bulging excess skin around the eyelids or horizontal creases of the forehead. These require separate procedures, which may be combined with the facelift. These include chemical peeling, brow lift, blepharoplasty and fat transfer.

Q&A

What is a good age to consider a facelift?
Although there is no specific age at which to have a facelift, it is generally considered best done in the late 40’s to early 50’s. The advantage of doing this at this early age enable you to be noticed…not your surgery. There is no upper age limit to this kind of surgery, as long as the patient is healthy and well motivated.

When can I return to my regular activities?
In most cases, one can return to work in ten days with resumption of exercise in two weeks.