A facelift (or rhyidectomy) is a cosmetic surgical procedure which aims to reverse the signs of ageing. This can be question of removing excess skin, tightening underlying tissue and replacing fat in areas where it has been lost. There are various methods. A facelift can be performed in conjunction with other surgical procedures such as eyelid surgery or a neck lift. It can also be combined with liposuction to achieve the best results.
Facelift: Am I suitable?
Aimed at both men and women, usually in their forties and fifties but can be performed on older patients. The most important factor in a patient’s suitability is whether they have realistic expectations and this is what a qualified and experienced cosmetic surgeon will ascertain at the consultation stage.
Facelift: What do I have to do to prepare?
Your surgeon will give you instructions to help you prepare for surgery and these may include guidelines on eating and drinking, smoking, and taking or avoiding certain vitamins and medications. While making preparations, be sure to arrange for someone to drive you home after your surgery and to help you out for a few days, if needed.
Facelift: What’s the treatment like?
There are a number of different methods.
Traditional facelift; an incision is made along the hairline, from the temple down to behind the ears and the skin is lifted away. Then the surgeon will tighten underlying tissue and muscles before excess skin is trimmed away. A sagging jawline will require a further incision under the chin.
MACS facelift (minimal-access cranial suspension); also called a short-scar facelift or mini facelift, the incisions are shorter that for a traditional facelift. The cuts are made in your temple and in front of your ears. Excess fat is removed and muscles are tightened with permanent stitches.
Keyhole surgery; tiny incisions are made and an endoscopic camera and special operating instruments are inserted into the cuts – the surgeon then performs the operation by watching the images from the camera. The benefit of this surgery is smaller scars and a much shorter recovery time and is suitable for brow lifts in particular.
Facelifts are generally performed under general anaesthetic but it is possible to use local anaesthetic and sedation. It can take anywhere from three to five hours depending on what is being done.
Facelift: What about after?
Recovery is often dependent on the patient’s health but you should be able to restart normal (non-vigorous) activities after a week and return to work after three weeks. There will be bruising and swelling so you will be advised to elevate your head and it will take several weeks for both to totally disappear.
Facelift: Are there any risks or side effects?
As well as the usual complications associated with surgery and a general anaesthetic, it is possible to suffer from haematomas (collections of blood under the skin that might require drainage), numbness, nerve damage and the possibility of asymmetry. Scarring is permanent but they will fade and a skilled surgeon will site them carefully to ensure they are hardly noticeable.
Facelift: What will it cost me?
For a full facelift; £5,000 to £7,000. For a mini facelift; £4,000 to £6,000.
FACELIFT: CASE STUDY ONE
Name: Kay Silver
Age: 54
Occupation: Hypnotherapist
Treatment: Facelift
What prompted you to have the treatment?
I had two reasons really: firstly there was the obvious one of ageing and looking older, but also I’ve had a lot of trauma to my face over the years by very poor orthodontic work, which then had to be corrected surgically, leaving the muscles very weak and misplaced. So I actually needed the muscles put back in the right position, because they hadn’t settled back down and weren’t engaging properly when I was talking.
