A
facelift is a procedure which involves raising the
facial skin in order to eliminate or make less obvious
hanging folds and lines that appear as we age. Most
commonly, this involves the skin of the neck, the
area under the chin, cheeks and temporal regions.
Sometimes, the forehead and eyebrows may be included
as a separate part of this procedure.
In
order to understand the procedure, it is helpful to
know what causes the skin to sag as we age. Young
people have few facial lines; the skin is firm and
smooth, and fatty tissue lying under the skin is firm,
filling out tissue contours and resulting in a smooth-appearing
skin. As we get older, the fatty tissue decreases and
shrinks, causing the skin to fit more loosely; much
the same process occurs if an individual loses a great
deal of weight. Additionally, lines become evident
where facial muscles attach to the underlying portion
of the skin. Most patients considering this operation
often become aware of the changes in skin under the
chin, upper neck and jowl areas.There are many factors
which have a bearing on the way we age; for instance,
genetic characteristics are important. Often, people
with dry and thin skin show more profound signs of
aging than others. Also, overexposure to sunlight
has been known to dry the skin and produce earlier
wrinkling of the skin. The basic operation has been
designed to lift, stretch and remove sagging skin.
Today,
a more sophisticated face lift is being performed.
In addition to removing sagging skin, a layer underneath
the skin called the SMAS is tightened. This softens
the cheek folds around the mouth and makes the face
lift last longer.
As
is the case with many cosmetic procedures, the face
lift can be performed under local or general anesthesia,
depending upon the patient's preference. It can be
performed on an out patient basis with the patient
admitted to a surgi-center and discharged on the same
day, barring any complications.
Post-operatively,
the patient may feel a numbness or tension in the
neck and cheek areas as well as around the ear as
a result of separating nerve fibers in the skin during
the procedure. In almost all patients, the numbness
will disappear. Swelling and bruising will vary depending
on the patient, but usually lasts from ten to fourteen
days. Swelling around the eyelids is not uncommon after
the procedure.
