As we age, the elasticity of the facial skin decreases, and it becomes increasingly difficult to resist the effects of gravity. The folds between the nose and the lip, the wrinkles on the forehead deepen, and in the areas around and under the chin, the skin sags more and more.
A facelift is essentially the tightening of the skin of the face and neck and the underlying connective tissue (muscle under the neck) layer, and the removal of excess skin. The surgery can be performed under local anesthesia or general anesthesia. In both cases, the procedure is preceded by a consultation and examination.
If various cosmetic, wrinkle filling, light therapy, and laser treatments no longer provide a satisfactory solution or a visible result, then a much better result can be achieved with the help of appropriate plastic surgery operations, such as by wrinkle filling. In order to achieve a more visible facial rejuvenation, the desired effect in such a case can be achieved with the help of plastic surgery methods, by tightening the skin and the tissues underneath, and by removing the excess skin.
The surgical incision begins in the temporal region of the scalp, continues directly in front of the ear, then bends behind it, following the hairline, where the scars are hardly noticeable. From this incision, the skin is prepared forward from the cheekbones almost to the nasolabial folds and the corners of the jaw, as well as about 5 cm under and behind the ear. At this time, the connective tissue layer appears based on the preparation, which, depending on the surgical procedure, is only tightened, or the excess is also removed. During the gentle tightening of the skin, the amount that needs to be excised and the wound edges combined is shown. In the area under the chin, there is often excess fat, in such cases, liposuction is also used in this area.
There are also so-called "minor" facelifts (MACS Lift - Minimal Access Cranial Suspension), where the incision and preparation are performed in a smaller area. In this case, the doctor makes a smaller incision in the fold in front of the ear, but in the case of a mini facelift, it is not necessary to make a cut along the hairline. The purpose of this treatment is to counteract and eliminate the elongation of the middle and lower parts of the face.
In a forehead lift, the task is similar, the incision is made higher up from the edge of the hairline, or at the edge of the hairline on the scalp, and the desired effect is achieved by removing excess skin.
In lower eyelid plasty, not only the excess skin is removed. The "protrusions" of the excess fatty tissue in the eye socket that cause the "bags" and cushion the eyeball are also removed. The correction of the wrinkles under the eye and the sagging, sagging eyelid can bring about great aesthetic changes.
In the case of upper eyelid plasty, we cut out a skin area that is almost bay leaf-shaped.
With the above surgical procedures, we can create a 5-10 year younger impression. This advantage, of course, gradually decreases over the years.
Filling the face with your own fat is also a treatment that results in visible changes on the face.
A facelift is essentially like a neck lift combined with a facelift, as we also perform smoothing in the latter area. Patients can enjoy the final result for a long time, and the good quality of the connective tissues can extend this even further, such as 8-10 years. Thus, it may even happen that for the luckier ones, a new treatment becomes necessary after a 10-15 year period. Obviously, genetics also has an effect on this.
During the consultation, we provide all further informational information that is needed to be able to recover as soon as possible from the physical strain associated with the facelift surgery. By explaining the details and the personalized options, for which a gallery can also be viewed for illustration - if you decide on the surgery and choose the facelift and us, we can also arrange an appointment with you. Whether the surgery will take place under general anesthesia or local anesthesia depends on the extent of the facelift procedure. A full facelift surgery takes several hours, the procedure can take up to 4 hours, and mini procedures are shorter than this.
After the facelift, a special compression bandage must be worn for a few days to help the skin re-adhere. After the facelift procedure, the patient is under observation for a few hours, because, considering the rare but possible early complications, it is very important to observe them during this period. Icing is recommended for the first 24 hours. The drain (tube) inserted during the facial surgery is removed on the first day after the procedure. In the first week, swelling and bruising may appear corresponding to the prepared areas, which gradually disappear. The stitches are removed on the 5th-7th day. In the best case, the trace of the procedure is barely visible in the 3rd week. By the 5th-6th week, you can fully return to your pre-operative lifestyle. In the case of eyelid plasty, this time is about two weeks.
As we have already mentioned, icing the operated area is recommended for the first 24 hours. After that, the tube inserted during the plastic surgery is removed on the first day following the surgery, and the stitches are usually removed on the 5th-7th day, between these days. In the first week, swelling and bruises may appear, which will later disappear, and by the 3rd week, the trace of the procedure will be barely visible. 5-6 weeks after the surgery, you can fully return to your previous lifestyle, the use of creams and hair removal are now safely possible. The expected healing time is a few weeks, but in order for full healing to occur and the scar to disappear completely, it takes about a year. The loosening of the palpable hardening felt in the operated area takes 6 months, so this "after-effect" must be given time.
As with any medical procedure, complications can occur here as well, even despite the most careful work. Of these, the three most common are bleeding, inflammation, and wound healing disorders. Keloid scar healing (such as in the case of armplasty) may occur behind the ear, in the neck area, and skin necrosis may occur in a small area. In the case of a facelift, the most serious complication can be facial nerve injury, consequent facial nerve paralysis, and dysfunction in the mimetic muscles of the face. Fortunately, these problems only occur in 1-2% of cases following facelift surgeries.
We provide all information to facelift patients so that we can better project the possible solutions for them. In order to ensure that the surgery and recovery go smoothly, we ensure that the recovery can be spent in maximum comfort at our clinic. There are those who, in connection with the facelift, decide on lip filling, while there may be other procedures that can be performed simultaneously.
The effect of a facelift generally results in a youthful appearance, a procedure that tightens the facial skin, which makes patients look years younger. Since no two cases are alike, it is important that we can provide personalized treatment, so the end result will be the most effective. Removing excess skin and performing a facelift can help restore self-confidence.
