subject: Facelift Surgery- What You Need To Know [print this page] You can improve your appearance and boost your self-esteem with facelift surgery. The procedure can also make you look 10 to 20 years younger. The best candidates for facelifts are people who have wrinkles, loose skin, jowls, and deep lines. Facelift procedures can correct many flaws such as sagging in the face, deep creases under the lower eyelids, fat that is displaced, and excess fat under the jaw and chin.
A consultation with a plastic surgeon is the way to an improved face. A consultation will be able to tell you if you are a viable candidate for facelift surgery. A cosmetic surgeon will look at your medical history and evaluate your bone structure, skin's elasticity, wrinkles, and hairline. Your surgeon will discuss the procedure, risks, fees, and your goals with you. Once your procedure is booked, your plastic surgeon will provide you with instructions for before your surgery to ensure it goes as smoothly as possible.
Your cosmetic surgeon may suggest that you pause your vitamin intake, supplements, aspirin, and certain medications two weeks prior to your surgery because some medicines and supplements increase the risk of bleeding. Omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin E, and gingko biloba may also increase the risk of bleeding during and after surgery. Make sure your doctor knows about any supplements or medicines that you take.
It is also important that you avoid smoking before and after your surgery. You should avoid smoking a month before and after the procedure because smoking reduces the blood flow to the face. As a result, some smokers experience necrosis or skin death at the incision sites if they smoke before or after surgery. This may cause the wounds to turn black and red, and the edges may start to fall apart. If this happens, your wounds may need a skin graft, which is an additional surgery in which skin is removed from one part of the body and moved to a different area.
The surgery is typically performed with a combination of local anesthesia, mild sedatives, and a mild intravenous anesthesia. Some procedures can be performed using local anesthesia only and other procedures are performed using general anesthesia.
The procedure takes a few hours. It is usually an outpatient plastic surgery procedure, but some people stay in the hospital or surgical facility overnight. You can manage pain or discomfort with prescription pain medications and over-the-counter pain medicines. Bear in mind that your skin may appear black and blue for the first 24 hours; this is normal. In addition, patients usually have drainage tubes in place to remove the excess blood and reduce swelling. Sometimes, drainage tubes are left in for several days.
You should always follow your doctor's pre-operative and post-operative instructions, and you should avoid any strenuous activity until your swelling disappears. This may take about four to six weeks. After two weeks, a lot of the swelling will be gone, so you can engage in some activities.
Bear in mind that all surgeries involve risks. The risks that are associated with facelift surgery include scarring, bleeding, infection, skin necrosis, anesthesia risks, facial asymmetry, numbness, fluid accumulation, pain, swelling, suture problems, hair loss, dissatisfaction with the end result, deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary and cardiac complications, and possibility of revision surgeries.
