Facelift 

Facelifts, technically known as a rhytidectomy (“removal of wrinkles”), rejuvenate the mid to lower face and neck.

A standard or “traditional” facelift will more fully address moderate to advanced aging around the mid-face and neck. While the surgery is more extensive than those for a mini-facelift, and thus more recovery time is required, the results are more dramatic. Through incisions located just behind the hairline, starting near the temples, and around the front of the ear, hidden in the natural folds, allowing the repositioning of deeper tissues beneath the skin and removal of excess skin to smooth creases, eliminate jowling and sagging skin under the chin, and restore a naturally youthful contour to the face and neck. Fat transfer may also be used to improve contour.

Patients who exhibit a mild degree of jowling and sagging skin are often good candidates for a mini-facelift. This is a less invasive technique that allows the tightening of deep facial tissues through shorter incisions, typically located along the hairline above each ear and/or in the natural creases surrounding the ear. Through these incisions, structural tissues around the cheeks are lifted and tightened to correct jowling, refine the jawline, and rejuvenate a “tired” appearance. A mini-face lift can help you address unwelcome signs of aging before they become too pronounced, postponing the need for more extensive surgery for many years.

The recovery process is surprisingly quick for most patients. At first, you may experience swelling, numbness, bruising, and a feeling of tightness or tension in the face and neck, and will be at their peak about 2 days after surgery. Most of these usually resolve within three to six weeks, but should be difficult to notice after about 10 to 14 days. Sensation typically returns to normal within a few months. Scars become less red, raised, lumpy or itchy in time. Patients typically return to normal daily activities after about 2 weeks (strenuous exercise will need to wait about 4 weeks) following a standard face lift, and these time frames are normally even shorter after a mini face lift. It’s especially important to keep your face protected from the sun. You will be more vulnerable to sunburn for several weeks after surgery, plus staying out of the sun will help scars heal as inconspicuously as possible, so apply sunscreen regularly.