Facelifts

Modern plastic and cosmetic surgical procedures can now change a person’s facial shape using a number of methods: removing fat from the cheeks, adding cheekbones, trimming the chin, lifting sagged jowls, creating eye folds, lifting wrinkles and even re-shaping the nose and ears. People who are more conservative or are not willing to make the commitment to a surgical facelift can opt for less radical and less invasive procedures such as lip augmentation, Botox® and Juvederm®. These procedures do not actually change the facial structure, but instead make the skin look tighter, smoother and refreshed through lasers, acids and other methods.

Stem cell fat injection and fillers can slow down aging, but facial procedures, such as a facelift, can last up to ten years. Fat injections and fillers can add volume and help erase creases, especially crow’s feet and marionette’s lines. A facelift, however, is a long-term solution to sagging and lax skin which has lost elasticity due to aging and has succumbed to the effects of gravity.

Patients with loose sagging skin are great candidates for facelifts, but those with fine jawlines can also opt for surgery.  Patients who do not smoke and do not drink alcohol are ideal candidates because they heal faster and have fewer complications.

What can a facelift do?

• Lift the forehead so the folds are less pronounced
• Remedy sagging mid-face so cheeks appear fuller
• Remove deep creases and extra fat along lower and upper lids
• Lessen the deep creases that run along the side of the nose to the mouth
• Remove loose skin and tissue along the jawline (double chin)

Upon consultation, your doctor will check for skin elasticity and will scrutinize two major areas – the jaw and the hairline. He or she will need to assess your expectations against the possible “after” results. You will also be advised against taking anti-depressants, blood thinners, aspirin, NSAIDS and “good” health supplements like green tea, Vitamin E, omega 3 fatty acids, ginger and ginkgo because these can increase the risk of bleeding during surgery.

There are various kinds of facelifts, but the most popular are the traditional, endoscopic and short scar facelift. Facelifts are performed under general anesthesia, but can also be done with a combination of mild anesthesia and sedation.

Women can grow out their hair to camouflage the incisions during the healing stage, while the incisions on men are usually done along the beard line. After the incisions are made, the extra fat is suctioned off. The muscle and skin tissues are tightened before the skin is sutured or stapled in place. While this procedure may seem “easy,” they are actually more complicated because all of the layers underneath the skin are “lifted” as well. 

Following surgery, your doctor will apply a special dressing. Compression garments such as the facial compression wrap play a key role during this time. Compressing the lifted tissues promote skin to tissue adhesion, help remove extra fluid, prevent inflammation, protect the incision and accelerates the healing process.  In addition, the facial compression wrap is comfortable to wear and it will lessen the pain. 

Other procedures like cheek fat removal, implantation and chin surgeries are all aided by the use of effective facial compression wraps.