Benefits of Getting a Face Lift Procedure

Your skin is the largest organ in your body and easily noticeable. Wrinkles or sagging skin may affect your facial appearance and social life and lower your self-esteem. However, there are different cosmetic procedures that your best Peoria oculofacial plastic surgeon at Arizona Ocular & Facial Plastic Surgery may recommend for you to help make your skin look healthy and younger.

What is a facelift?

A facelift, also known as rhytidectomy, is a cosmetic surgical procedure used to treat wrinkles and sagging skin on the face due to aging. This process involves tightening skin and removing excess fat beneath your skin’s surface.

You may consider having a facelift if you have specific characteristics like:

• Nasolabial folds. These are creases running from your nose to your mouth corners.
• Loose and sagging skin on your face.
• Extra fat deposit below your chin and jaw.
• Increased face volume as a result of facial fat.

Before undergoing the procedure, you will visit your doctor for consultation and diagnosis. During the visit, your specialist will:

• Review your medical history to check for previous surgeries, medical conditions, and any complications resulting from previous surgeries. Your doctor may also require tests to rule out smoking which may interfere with the surgical procedure and cause complications.
• Require you to list any medications that you may be using currently. Drugs such as vitamins and dietary supplements may cause heavy bleeding during surgery.
• Examine your face by looking at your bone structure and skin quality to recommend a practical approach during the surgical process. Your doctor may take photos of your face for comparison after the procedure.
• Ask you to describe the outcome you desire to achieve.

Various risk factors after rhytidectomy

Your doctor will discuss with you possible risks associated with a facelift procedure, including:

• Scarring. Incisions made during surgery cause permanent scarring along your hairline.
• Hematoma. After facelift surgery, blood may collect under your skin and causing swelling. This may require you to undergo surgery for the second time.
• Nerve injury. You may develop temporary loss of sensation or uneven facial appearance and expression, which may last for several months or a year.
• Infection. You may develop a disease when you fail to keep the incision area clean.
• Hair loss. You may lose hair at the incision site. If you experience permanent hair loss, you may consider a transplant to re-grow your hair.

There are different approaches that your surgeon may use depending on your facial characteristics and the kind of outcome you need. For example:

• Traditional facelift. During this procedure, your surgeon will make incisions in your hairline, around the front of your ears, and down to your lower scalp.
• Limited-incision facelift. The incisions used for this procedure are short. Your surgeon will cut your hairline around the front of your ear but does not extend to your lower scalp.

Post-operative guidelines

• Keep your head elevated to facilitate blood flow.
• Avoid vigorous activities.
• Do not peel scabs developing on your wound.
• Drink plenty of water to keep your body hydrated.
• Avoid applying make-up.

Modern treatment procedures like a facelift enable you to have younger-looking skin. Schedule an appointment with your cosmetic surgeon at Arizona Ocular & Facial Plastic Surgery for a wrinkle-free face.