Facelift

Who is a candidate for a facelift?

Faces age in many different ways and at different rates. Today, there are a myriad of facial rejuvenation paths available to you, both surgical and non surgical. Sometimes a combination of procedures is necessary to achieve the results you desire. A pure facelift (beneath the eyes to the neck) is indicated if you are noticing sagging, hollowing, or sinking of your face. Loss of elasticity and definition, puffiness, and deep lines and folds can also be corrected through facelift surgery.

Beautiful, natural looking results have replaced the tight, expressionless, “overhaul” looks of years past. Patients from mid forties well into their seventies can benefit from new facelift techniques.

How is it done?

A facelift is most commonly performed under general anesthesia. It is a very detailed operation and specifically tailored to your desires. The most successful facelifts involves more than what many visualize as pulling and tightening. Techniques in suspending, plumping, resurfacing and sculpting are artfully applied. It addresses layers beneath the skin. Achieving the best overall look sometimes dictates a combination of procedures be performed. See Other Options below.

Incisions are carefully made inside the hairline and around the curve of the ear. These incisions are precisely placed to allow the surgeon to visualize your underlying facial structure and fat deposits. Repositioning, redistributing and reshaping are the three key elements of returning you to a more rested, youthful appearance. The final step is to drape the skin over the newly sculpted foundation and reducing just the right amount of excess skin—a critical part of the surgery in avoiding the “tight” look. Incisions are closed using a combination of stitches, staples or skin adhesives.

Recuperation

Immediately following surgery you may experience swelling, bruising and numbness. Your head will be wrapped in bandages with or without a compression garment. A compression garment, if necessary will support tissues during initial healing and reduce swelling. You may have drainage tubes at the incision sites. You may be uncomfortable, but there is no severe pain associated with a facelift. We recommend an overnight stay at the Recovery Care Inn facility for supervised care, located at Mills Hospital in San Mateo. Medication and resting upright will help. You will need help the first couple of days as you begin to heal. Dr. Beck will see you the first, third and seventh day after your facelift.
Click here for information on our 24 hour RN care service.

Your stitches will be removed at one week. Be mindful of protecting your skin from the sun. In three to four weeks swelling and bruising should be gone, but it could take up to 2 months to be completely healed. Post operative use of the herbal supplement, arnica and vitamin K are useful in counteracting swelling and bruising. You will be able to resume routine activities in 10 to 14 days.
Click here for complete post operative instructions.

Other Options

Surgical: Necklift, Browlift, Eyelid Surgery, Rhinoplasty Click here for …. Non surgical: Lip augmentation, botox, laser resurfacing in conjunction with surgical rejuvenation.
Click here for skin rejuvenation.

A word about financing…
Facelifts can be made very affordable through our partners at Care Credit. Visit them at www.carecredit.com. Deborah would be happy to answer any of your questions or assist you with the necessary paperwork.

Insurance Notes:
A facelift is considered a purely aesthetic procedure and as such is not covered by insurance.

Ask Dr. Beck

Q:	*How long will my facelift last?*
A:	There is no way to give a definitive answer here because no rejuvenation will completely stop the aging process. A successful facelift can help you look younger than your years for more than a decade if you take very good care of your skin.

Q:	*I have heard endoscopic facelifts have fewer incisions and heal better. Why do a full facelift?*
A:	There is quite a menu of face “lifting” procedures available and the patient must be educated as to their effectiveness and application. For younger patients, a limited or mid-facelift procedure may be fine if only a small degree of correction is needed. An endoscopic facelift can only address muscle and is best reserved for browlifts since facelifts must take into account muscle, fat and skin. A suspension lift is a relatively new procedure and could be appropriate for younger patients who need an interim step before a full facelift. None of these procedures mimic the results of a true facelift.

Q:	What is a suspension lift? My dermatologist does them in her office in one hour.
A:	A suspension lift, sometimes erroneously called a “lunchtime” lift uses minimal incisions and barbed sutures which are threaded and tightened to suspend the skin. Even in the most capable hands, there is swelling and bruising with this procedure and associated aesthetic and medical risks as well.

Q:	*What about scars?*
A:	You will have scars from a facelift because incisions are necessary if the surgeon is to get familiar with your facial “foundation.” Telltale scars are not as common as they used to be. At Bay Area Aesthetic Surgery we typically place incisions….and use….so only your hairstylist will notice.

Q:	*Will a facelift take care of all my wrinkles?*
A:	A facelift is not the solution for wrinkles. While it will minimize deep lines and folds, wrinkles are best attended to with non surgical alternatives that can be requested as part of your procedure such as laser resurfacing.

Q:	How can I be sure I won’t look like I came out of a wind tunnel?
A:	A great facelift is dependent upon your anatomy, your choice of surgeon and his or her artistic sense. Make sure you see plenty of before and after pictures of the surgeon’s work. You cannot control your DNA, but you can choose wisely and carefully. A board certified plastic surgeon, or facial plastic surgeon with a good reputation will minimize the chances you will look unnatural.

Click here for Facelift Case Study.

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