The Facelift

As you age, your skin sags. A facelift removes excess skin from your face and neck, leaving you looking more vibrant than before. It will not transport you back to the days of youth and health. You will still have the same body, just a younger-looking face. It is the only effective treatment to reverse the signs of time – creams and other non-surgical procedure can slow down the results of aging and help you delay the facelift, but they cannot replace it.

A facelift is a popular procedure, designed to combat the telltale signs of aging such as loss of muscle tone in the jaw muscles, the movement of fat tissue or simple those deep creases in the face, known as wrinkles. A facelift is often done along with eyelid surgery and brow sagging correction. During the facelift itself, your doctor may use facial implants, injections and other measures to achieve the best result. Sometimes a neck lift is performed at the same time as well.

If you're thinking about a facelift, keep in mind that you should have realistic goals and a positive outlook on life, regardless of your wrinkles. You should also be in good health and a non-smoker (if you are a smoker, you will probably be asked to quit smoking well before the operation). When you see your plastic surgeon, he or she is likely to discuss these very issues, your overall health, any substance abuse (legal or illegal) and your reasons for moving ahead with this procedure.

The operation itself consists of some form of anesthesia or local sedation. Incisions are then made, either along the hairline and down behind the ears, or a more limited incision in the ear area. The location of those incision is carefully considered so that any scars won't be noticable

After the operation, you may or may not require hospital stay. If you go through this as an outpatient, your surgeon will probably tell you to arrange for someone to drive you home and stay with you for at least one night. As will all medical procedures, make sure you follow your physician's instructions carefully, to ensure the best possible results, which you should be able to see once the swelling and bruising subside.