Facelifts: Your Questions Answered

Shire Facial Plastic Surgery

Frequently Asked Questions: Facelift 1. How long is the recovery time?

Recovery time can be variable for everyone,but in general most patients look and feel good enough to be able to go out and be seen within a week or so. However, it does take 28-36 days to completely heal. Therefore, we restrict your activities; no bending, lifting, straining or cardiovascular activity for about one month. Then most people are right back to their normal life.

2. How long does a facelift last?

I have a two-part answer for this common question. First the surgery does lasts forever. What the surgery does is not going away. However the clock keeps ticking, and therefore the aging process continues. We are turning the clock back, so as one ages, you always will look better than if you didn’t have the surgery in the first place. The aging process is truly individual and is determined by one’s genetics, lifestyle/habits (sunning, dieting/ weight changes, smoking, drinking, amount of sleep, etc.), health issues and emotional stress.

3. How is a facelift different than a mini-facelift or midface lift?

These terms are used differently by different doctors and are not the official name of any specific operation per se. The term facelift can refer to any surgical procedure to improve the face, or it may refer to the lifting and repositioning of the lower face and neck area. The term “mini-facelift” is more of marketing tool too indicate that the operation is less involved, and is also used to refer to a skin only lift (pull). On the other hand some doctors refer to a mini- lift as a partial facelift as

apposed to a “complete facelift” that would include the eyes and forehead. The mid-facelift refers to a procedure that only treats the upper cheek (mid face) region.

4. How long should swelling and numbness last after a facelift?

Swelling and some numbness are normal in all facelift surgeries. The amount of swelling is due to the patients own body response to surgery combined with the doctor’s surgical technique and how the tissues were handled. The amount of numbnesscan be directly related to the amount of swelling present. The swelling generally resolves within the first 2 to 6weeks. The numbness can resolve in that same time frame but may last for a few months. Everyone is different, but it should always resolves.

5. How can I avoid getting a pulled up look from a facelift?

The most important decision in getting a facelift is selecting the right surgeon. The pulled, operated look is always due to the surgeons technique and incision design. These are mainly skinlifts and lifts where the underlying fibrous-muscle layer is pulled/lifted in the wrong direction. It is very important that the patient understands exactly how the surgeon designs the incisions and what is being done in the operation itself. Do your homework. Talk to patients who have had great results that you like, and look at a lot of the doctors before and after photos, not just a few. Make sure you like what you see and don’t be afraid to ask questions. Face lifting is an art form and you should select the artist whose work you like best.

6. How to avoid bruising after a facelift?

Bruising is individual. If you are a bruiser you are going to have some bruising. There are steps you can take to reduce and limit your bruising. Completely stop and/or avoid any and all products that have aspirin, NSAIDs or ibuprofen, Vitamin E, Fish Oil (omega 3), and many herbal products that are

derived from roots or bark for three (3) weeks before and 3 weeks after surgery. Also you must be off of any medication that effects the clotting of the blood. Some feel that Arnica Montana and Vitamin K help. The most important factor however is the surgical technique that is used, and that there is meticulous hemostasis during the procedure. Therefore selecting the right surgeon is critical.

7. What are potential facelift side effects?

With an experienced surgeon complications are rare. There are common side effects many of which can be completely avoided. Big visible scars can be eliminated by not pulling on the skin flaps (skin only lifts) and good surgical technique.Malpositioned ear lobes and ear shape and hair loss can be avoided with good incision design by the surgeon. These features create a strange or different appearance. All numbness should resolve with time. Again selecting the right surgeon is everything, and will make recovery and returning to normal activities smooth and easy.

8. Will I have visible scars from a facelift?

Noticeable scars are mostly due to your surgeon and the techniques that are uses. In my experience, scars with a facelift are completely hidden. In fact most hairdressers won’t know wherethey are.Understand with any incision or cut there is always a scar, however with good incision design, surgical technique, and wound care the scarring is almost imperceptible.

9. Is there a non-surgical alternative for facelift?

This depends on the patient’s condition and what corrections are needed. In general, there is no non-invasive procedure the can replace or substitute for a facelift. If you need a facelift, there is nothing else that can deliver a natural long lasting result. All the claims of “machines” and injections that will provide the resultsthat equal a facelift without surgery are a misrepresentation.

There may be some slight improvement, but the results are short lived and will not last more than a few months. If it sounds too good to be true, it usually is. If you are looking for a quick fix,or need only a freshening up or mild improvement and your skin is in good condition, many of the noninvasive alternatives may work well for you. Remember that the non-surgical options all require either multiple treatments and/or retreatments to maintain the results.

10. What other procedures can I combine with a facelift for a younger look?

There are a number of adjunctive procedures that are done in conjunction with a facelift depending on the patients needs. We can easily remove the bags under the eyes, or the loose hanging skin of the upper eyelids. If the brows are drooping they can be lifted to open up the eyes. Dermal fillers can be used to fill in the lines around the mouth. Chemical peels can be done to remove brown spots and improve wrinkled irregular skin. It all depends on the patient’s desires and needs. Talk with you doctor to make a plan that is best for you.

11. What is the best age for a facelift?

The best time to consider getting a facelift is when your appearance starts to bother you. Everyone ages differently, and what is good for one person may not be appropriate for someone else. Most patients now don’twant to wait until they “really need it”, instead they address the issue and concerns as they arise; they maintain there appearance by correcting things as they begin to appear.

Many patients today are beginning to explore their options to fight the aging process in their 40’s.

There is no perfect age for a facelift, only the right time for you.