The facelift, medically known as a rhytidectomy, is a cosmetic surgical procedure performed on your face by a plastic surgeon. A facelift prevents skin from sagging and eliminates skin folds along the jawline and cheeks. The results will leave you with a smoother and younger-looking appearance.

A facelift is accomplished as the surgeon pulls back the surface skin on the face, alters the tissue underneath, and removes any excess skin, making your skin tighter with more elasticity. While a facelift may not fully correct wrinkles and/or correct fine lines, there are other, more specific procedures for these concerns available on the market.

During your consultation, a physical exam along with a review of your medical history and lifestyle will be conducted.

Your surgeon will determine you are a good candidate for a facelift, some of the considerations include:

• You fully understand the process of recovery
• There is a sufficient amount of sagging or loose skin
• You have an ample amount of elasticity in the skin
• You are overall healthy
• Your expectations are realistic

If you are considering a facelift, there are several different options available. Among these options, each type focuses on various parts of the face.

• The Deep Plane/SMAS Facelift – This procedure eliminates sagging skin around the neck and chin by lifting the lax muscles to provide it with enhanced strength.
• The Mid-Facelift – The mid-facelift focuses on the cheeks to eliminate tissue or add more to ensure wrinkles, sagging, or fine lines are removed.
• The Mini Facelift – The technique used for the mini facelift consists of tiny incisions made along the hairline, after which the skin is tightened.
• The Cheek Lift – Similar to a mid-facelift, this procedure enhances the cheek’s appearance, while also decreasing the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines.
• A Jawline Rejuvenation – This procedure involves removing fat from the neck using liposuction, thus allowing the surgeon to reshape and contour the jawline to achieve a smoother, more youthful appearance.
• The S-Lift – This technique utilizes an incision in the shape of an “S” which is made along the bottom half of the face, making its way around the jawline and neck.
• Temporal Lift – Due to the close proximity of the eyebrows, having wrinkles smoothed will benefit both sides. If you have droopy eyebrows, which may also affect your vision, the temporal lift is a good option.
• The Cutaneous Lift – Another procedure that concentrates on the bottom portion of the face, the cutaneous lift consists of incisions placed at the hairline and around the ears. The skin’s top layer will then be separated and stretched to the hairline with the excess skin removed.

In order for your facelift to be as smooth and comfortable as possible, it is important to be prepared. Here are a few things that your doctor will want you to do:

• Live a healthy lifestyle – From the moment you schedule your facelift surgery, your lifestyle should be as healthy as possible. Eating a balanced diet, drinking plenty of water, and getting enough of sleep will help your body heal and may help extend the results of your surgical procedure.
• Quit smoking – Now is the time to stop smoking until after you have fully healed. By quitting now, you’ll have improved blood flow to help the healing process and eliminate the risk of complications.
• Make medication adjustments – When you sit down with Dr. Wayne or Dr. Rhodes, let them know about any medications you are taking. They make necessary adjustments so that no anesthesia-related risks occur.
• Take time off from work – With swelling and bruising expected, it is a good idea to schedule at least three weeks’ worth of vacation time. Plus, these three weeks are the usual amount of time required in order for you to return to normal activities.
• Have post-surgery arrangements made – With general anesthesia being used, you will need to be driven home by a friend or family member. It is also a good idea to have them continue to help you for at least a couple of days following the surgery.

Once your facelift procedure is complete, you will need to have someone drive you home and observe you overnight.

After you recover for at least five days, you will return to your doctor to have any staples or stitches removed. You will then have a bandage placed to keep the incision protected and clean as the healing continues.

You can also expect a significant amount of bruising and swelling to be present. While it may appear your facial swelling is worsening in the first few days, it will gradually recede in a couple of weeks. You may also notice some chest and neck bruising due to gravity pulling blood to the surface of the skin as you lie down and rest during recovery.

For at least two days following your facelift, some pain is to be expected. As a result, you may experience some pain and discomfort while eating and drinking the first week after your procedure.

While the average recovery time will vary from four to six weeks, your final result will be fully apparent within six months after the facelift.

When you have decided to have a facelift, you will need to be aware of both the benefits and risks involved. Your doctor will also have consent forms for you to sign so that you understand any risks and complications involved. While rare, the following risks may occur:

• Bleeding
• Infection
• Skin discoloration
• Scarring
• Persistent pain
• Prolonged swelling
• Numbness
• Nerve injury

Your surgeon will go over all of the possible risks before you sign the consent forms. So make sure that all of your questions are asked.

How long your facelift lasts will depend on which facelift procedure you have. Generally, a standard and mini facelift can last for at least 10 years. If you have a neck lift, you can expect the results to last for up to 15 years.

It must be understood that while long-lasting results are possible from facelifts, the aging process will continue following your surgery. Because of this, you may decide to have additional touch-ups in order to maintain your youthfulness.

A scar will always be present when the skin is cut. However, with Dr. Wayne’s and Dr. Rhodes’ experience and specialized approach, scarring will be minimal.

Following your facelift, a scar will be present, but it will be unnoticeable unless someone is specifically looking for it. Normally, the scar goes from the sideburn, along the ear’s contour, ending at your hairline, which makes it less visible. When a facelift includes a neck lift, an additional scar will be beneath your chin, where it too will be less noticeable.

You absolutely can, many individuals choose to combine a facelift with other cosmetic procedures, such as:

• Eyelid lifts (Blepharoplasty) – This procedure is commonly combined along with the facelift. With fine lines showing up around the eyes, this procedure is perfect when appearance becomes an issue. With eyelid surgery, the excess eyelid skin is removed.
• A brow lift – The brow lift is another cosmetic procedure often combined with a facelift. This can be accomplished using an endoscope to decrease numbness and scarring.
• Neck Lift – When these procedures are done together, a firmer, smoother neck will complement the results of your facelift as well as your overall facial structure
• Chin implants – If you are having a chin lift, you can also combine chin implants using the same chin incision. Having chin implants can also provide the jawline with more definition.

On average, a facelift can cost between $3,000-$11,000. For the traditional facelift, it can run between $7,000-$12,000. The higher price will be dependent upon the location of the surgeon and if specialized training is involved. The mini facelift will be less and between $3,000-$7,500 and will also depend on location. The mid-facelift can range between $4,000-$10,000.

The above prices are general price ranges and may not include other expenses, such as anesthesia or operating facility. To get a personalized price quote, contact us today to schedule a consultation.

There are several non-surgical options that can be used in place of or in conjunction with a facelift procedure, including:

• Hyaluronic acid filler/Biostimulatory fillers – These alternatives provide lifting that is immediate, visible, and provides a great amount of volume.
• Morpheus8 – This method incorporates radiofrequency and micro-needling. Radiofrequency is delivered through needles and results in heating the skin and the development of collagen.
• FaceTite – This concentrates around skin sagging and wrinkling along the face’s lower half. Radiofrequency is also used in FaceTite, but is incorporated with liposuction.
• Threaded Lift – The thread lift is a fairly new procedure that is receiving a great deal of praise. The process involves suture threads which lift the skin and encourage collagen development.

The age at which you decide to get a facelift can be a very personal decision. Deciding on what age is best for a facelift can be complicated as specific factors are involved in each procedure. Regardless, when rejuvenation is your goal, then a facelift will always be a good option. On average, patients who get facelifts are between the ages of 55-60. Once 60 is reached, the procedures for rejuvenation will work best.

With the aging process being a lot slower at an older age, excellent results are possible when the patient is between 70-80 years old. However, the expectations should be realistic so that extreme effects can be avoided.

The final results that you see will depend on which facelift procedure you have done. As swelling continuously subsides over time post-op, the results will begin to be more apparent. Generally, you will see great results within a month, while the best results will be achieved within 6 months.