A Face Lift, technically known as a Rhytidectomy (the surgical removal of wrinkles), is a common procedure used in plastic surgery to give a more youthful appearance to one’s face. This cosmetic surgery procedure usually involves the removal of excess facial skin, with or without the tightening of underlying tissues, and the re-draping of the skin on the patient’s face and neck.
During the traditional face lift, an incision is made in front of the ear extending up into the patient’s hairline. This incision curves around the bottom of the ear and then behind it, and usually ends near the hairline on the back of the patient’s neck.
After the skin incision is made, the skin is separated from the deeper tissues with a scalpel or scissors (also referred to as undermining) over the cheeks, chin and neck. At this point, the deeper tissues (SMAS – facial suspension system of the face) can be tightened with stitches, with or without removing some of the excess deeper tissues.
The skin is then pulled upwards and backwards and the amount of excess skin to be removed is determined by feel. The excess skin is then removed and the skin incisions are closed with sutures and staples.
A Face lift works best on women who have thin skin and good bone structure. They are best for eliminating loose skin folds in the neck and wrinkles in the cheeks. The areas that are not well corrected by a face lift include the nasolabial folds and marionette lines.
A face lift may end up leaving long scars, yet the portion of the scars in front of the ear are usually inconspicuous. The scar behind the ear is hidden from casual view. Hair loss in the portions of the incision within the hair-bearing scalp can occasionally occur in some patients.
In men, one’s sideburns can be pulled backwards and upwards, resulting in an unnatural appearance. In women, one of the telltale signs of having had a face lift surgery is an earlobe which is pulled downwards and/or may be a little bit distorted. If too much skin is removed, the face can assume a pulled-back, “windswept” appearance, however this is something that occasionally happened several years ago.
Face lifts are commonly combined with eye surgery (blepharoplasty) and skin resurfacing (chemical peels or lasers). These cosmetic procedures are typically performed under general anesthesia or deep twilight sleep.
The most common complication with this cosmetic surgery procedure is bleeding, which usually requires a return to the operating room. Less common (but graver) complications include damage to the facial nerve and necrosis of the skin flaps.
Contraindications to face lift surgery include severe concomitant medical problems. While not absolute contraindication, the risk of postoperative complications in increased in cigarette smokers and patients with hypertension and diabetes. Patients should abstain from taking any aspirin or other blood thinners before their cosmetic surgery.
If you are considering a face lift, we suggest you click on one or more of the links below to connect with a qualified cosmetic plastic surgeon about all in more detail…
