Facelift
What is a facelift?
A facelift is an operation to tighten and lift the soft tissues
of your face and neck.
Is a facelift suitable for me?
As you get older, gravity pulls down on the skin and soft
tissues of your face. You are most likely to benefit from a
facelift if you have deeper folds of skin on the sides of your nose
and mouth, your cheeks have begun to sag or you have a double
chin.
Your surgeon will carry out a detailed assessment before
deciding if surgery is suitable for you.
What are the benefits of surgery?
If the operation is successful, your face should look
younger.
Are there any alternatives to a facelift?
Resurfacing or injecting Botox can smooth out fine wrinkles.
Deeper wrinkles can sometimes be filled out using implants. Fat
grafting involves injecting fat from other areas of your body into
your face to make you face look more full.
What does the operation involve?
The operation is performed under a general anaesthetic and
usually takes about two to three hours.
SMAS facelift – Your surgeon will make a cut on both sides of
your face in the hairline around your ears. They will cut under the
deeper layer of tough tissue (SMAS layer), lifting and tightening
it. Your surgeon will then tighten the skin towards your ears and
remove any excess (see figure 1).
MACS facelift –Your surgeon will tighten the SMAS layer with
special suspension stitches to avoid cutting underneath it. This
involves less surgery but the results may not last as long.
Other types of facelift – These include the mid-facelift and
composite facelift and involve lifting deeper layers of the
face.
What complications can happen?
1 General complications
- Pain
- Bleeding
- Minor infection
- Unsightly scarring
- Blood clots
2 Specific complications
- Loss of skin or hair
- Developing a collection of blood under the skin
- Developing pale or dark areas on your face
- Hair loss
- Damage to the facial nerve
- Cosmetic problems
How soon will I recover?
You should be able to go home the same day or the day after.
You should be able to return to work after the second week,
depending on your type of job.
You should not have sex for the first two weeks.
Regular exercise should help you to return to normal activities
as soon as possible. Before you start exercising, you should ask a
member of the healthcare team or your GP for advice.
The results of a facelift last for a long time. Your face will
still continue to age but should always appear younger than if you
had not had surgery.
Summary
A facelift is a cosmetic operation to make your face appear
younger. It is only suitable for certain people. You should
consider the options carefully and have realistic expectations
about the results.
Acknowledgements
Author: Mr Eoin O'Broin MD FRCS (Plast.)
Illustrations: Mr Eoin O'Broin MD FRCS (Plast.)
This document is intended for information purposes only and
should not replace advice that your relevant health professional
would give you.