Facelift Surgery and Why It's Right for You

Facelift Surgery and Why It’s Right for You : Deep smile lines, fine wrinkles, and sagging skin are due to natural aging and are best corrected through cosmetic surgery rather than non-surgical ones.

A facelift surgery gives people in their 40s, 50s, and 60s better aesthetics and a more youthful facial appearance.

Why Is Facelift Surgery So Popular?

The skin gradually loses its collagen as you age, resulting in loose facial skin. Fat deposits also decrease in some areas while increasing in others. A facelift addresses age-related changes, including:

Sagging skin around the cheeks
Excess skin forming at the jawline
Deep skin folds starting from the nose’s sides to the corner of the mouth
Sagging skin or excess fat in the neck, making it appear as a double neck

While a facelift can help you achieve a dramatic facial transformation, it’s not a treatment for sun damage, fine wrinkles or creases, or uneven skin color.

Quick Facts on Facelift Surgery

In 2020 alone, cosmetic surgeons performed 15.6 million cosmetic procedures. Out of these, 234,374 were cosmetic facelift surgeries. That year, facelift surgery was among the top 5 cosmetic surgical procedures in the US, besides nose reshaping, eyelid surgery, liposuction, and breast augmentation.

Are There Any Risks Associated With Facelift Surgery?

Like other surgeries, a facelift poses the risk of bleeding or infection. And in some rare cases, patients can also react to the anesthesia. However, when done by a professional surgeon, facelift surgery is mostly successful, with a low risk of complications.

These factors may pose a risk to your surgical procedure or healing process.

Use of blood-thinning medicine or supplements
Using blood-thinning medicines like aspirin and supplements like ginseng can affect your blood’s clotting ability.

Medical Conditions

A surgeon won’t perform a facelift procedure if you have a condition that prevents blood clotting; these could include high blood pressure and poorly controlled diabetes. Other conditions increase the risk of poor wound healing or heart complications.

Smoking

Smoking causes poor wound healing, hematomas, and possible skin loss after a facelift.

Weight Changes

If you repeatedly gain and lose weight, you may not be satisfied with the surgery’s long-term outcome; such drastic weight changes could alter the contours of your face and the skin’s condition.

Here Are the Benefits of a Facelift

A facelift is the most effective way to “permanently” address loose facial skin and folds — the results last a decade or more. These are some of the benefits of a facelift.

It Redefines Your Neck for a Better

Sometimes, the skin on the neck starts to appear loose, saggy, or fatty, making one appear years older than they are. A facelift eliminates the excess fat and skin around the neck to return it to a more youthful shape.

It Eliminates Jowls

Fleshy skin sometimes accumulates and drops, making the cheeks appear droopy. A facelift procedure can remove these jowls, leaving a tighter, well-defined jawline.

It Tightens Loose and Sagging Skin.

A facelift procedure can address creasing at different points on your face. And tighten any loose skin below the eyelids, around the cheekbones and ears, and along the jawline.

It Gives You a Natural Appearance.

During a facelift, the surgeon makes incisions along your hairline and stitches them so that scarring is minimal or unnoticeable. The result of this procedure is a younger, natural version of yourself.

How to Prepare for a Facelift

Your surgeon will perform a medical evaluation and prescribe skin products you should apply before the surgery. The cosmetic surgeon will also advise on the medications to avoid, including aspirin, herbal supplements, and anti-inflammatory drugs, as they could increase bleeding and bruising during surgery.

Q&A

Q: Can you tell if someone has undergone a facelift?

A: It’s hard to tell because the incisions are minimally invasive and follow the hairline.

Q: Are there risks of having a facelift?

A: Like other surgeries, there’s a risk of bleeding or infection after a facelift

Q: Is a facelift worth it?

A: A facelift is the most effective way to eliminate sagging, wrinkles, and folds.

Q: How long do the results last after a facial rejuvenation?

A: A facelift results in a more youthful appearance that lasts more than a decade.

Q: How should you sleep after a surgical facelift?

A: Sleeping on your back after a facelift for several weeks is advisable.

Q: How long will it take to heal after a facelift procedure?

A: You should heal two to four weeks after surgery.

Q: Should you take up other skincare routines after surgery?

A: Yes. Your skin will continue to look youthful if you eat a healthy diet, drink plenty of water, and apply only mild, natural skincare products.

Q: Are most people satisfied with the surgery results?

A: Yes. Most patients are happy with their facelifts and feel much younger.

Q: What should you not do before a facelift procedure?

A: Before your facelift, you should avoid smoking, caffeinated drinks and beverages, and medications such as aspirin that reduce clotting.

Q: Can you lift heavy items after a facelift?

A: You should not lift over 10 pounds or perform strenuous activities other than walking.