The Facelift: How It Works

Millions of men and women across the country and around the world have elected not to let the effects of aging get them down. Their option: to get a facelift. Popular with both sexes, the facelift can take years off your appearance when factors such as age, sun damage, and smoking have led to wrinkles and sagging. While not for everyone, the effects of a well done surgery can be dramatic. Here is a little bit about how this miraculous form of plastic surgery works.

The facelift is designed to remove large wrinkles and creases from around the nose and mouth. It can also be beneficial to someone who has sagging skin around the neckline and a generally drooping appearance that can happen as a person gets older. It is performed as an outpatient procedure in most instances, with the surgery itself taking only a couple of hours.

The surgical procedure consists of the doctor making a long incision from one ear to the other, traveling up through the hairline. The incision is made in such a way to hide the scar in the hair and behind the ears. Men who have a receding hairline may have visible scars following the procedure, though the scars will usually not be highly noticeable. Once this incision has been made, the doctor will then pull that layer of skin away from the muscle and tissue beneath. Sometimes some of the extra fat will be trimmed away. The muscles and tissue underneath will be tightly pulled and sutured. The skin will be replaced and pulled tight as well, with any excess skin being trimmed away.

Following the procedure, the patient’s skin will be sutured back into place. In some cases, the doctor will leave a drainage tube in the incision point, meant to drain away an excess buildup of fluid over the next few days. The patient must be careful with their tube, which can promote healing and prevent a great deal of swelling from occurring. The patient will be wrapped in gauze, which will typically stay in place for a couple of days before being removed at a follow-up appointment. In almost all cases, the patient will be given some sort of prescription pain medication to take while waiting for the swelling and pain to go away.

Of all cosmetic procedures, the facelift is among the most popular. That isn’t to say, however, that it is without risks. If you are thinking of having the procedure done, make sure to research the involved risks and come to an informed decision about whether you feel comfortable having the surgery.