Many factors cause the skin to wrinkle and sag. Some of these are excessive exposure to the sun, heredity, and the natural aging process. Children and young adults have smooth, round faces due to fatty tissue that is evenly distributed throughout the contours of the face. As you age the skin sags and fits more loosely. These folds become prominent, especially around the chin and jaw line, and along the neck.

The doctors at The Maxillofacial Surgery Center may perform a facelift to enhance your appearance and correct these conditions. A facelift involves tightening of the facial and neck muscles as well as the removal of excess skin. The procedure is often performed in conjunction with additional cosmetic procedures such as eyelid surgery, forehead lift, chin augmentation, liposuction, or nasal surgery. These procedures can be performed whenever signs of aging have appeared. This will help you attain and maintain a more youthful appearance

Before Surgery

We will evaluate your medical history in order to determine your overall health. The doctors at The Maxillofacial Surgery Center will discuss with you how your face can look and what you can expect from surgery. Our objective is to create a natural appearance that is pleasing to you. Photographs and computer imaging are performed to estimate the amount of improvement after surgery.

We will provide you with preoperative instructions. These will include the elimination of specific drugs containing aspirin several weeks before surgery to minimize bleeding. Antibiotics may also be prescribed to prevent infection. You may be instructed to shampoo your hair the night before surgery. A small amount of hair may be shaved around your ears and temples.

Surgery

A facelift can be performed under IV Sedation or general anesthesia in our modern and fully accredited surgical facility. These options will be discussed in detail with you. Premedication is administered for relaxation. Incisions are made inside the hairline at the temple, running in front of the ear then around the earlobe and behind the ear, ending in the hair of the scalp. The loose skin is separated from underlying tissue and is repositioned upward and backward. Excess skin is removed. Sagging muscles and connective tissues are tightened. Excess fat deposits can be removed from beneath the chin and in the neck. Small sutures are used to close the incisions. The procedure may take up to five hours if these additional procedures are performed at the same time.

Postoperative Care

It is recommended that you stay one night in the recovery care center to receive specialized care from our nursing staff. Bandages are applied to the area of surgery and are removed within a few days. Pain is moderate and controlled with oral medications. Your sutures are removed within the first 5 to 10 days. In order to minimize scarring, the doctor may remove the sutures in stages. Scarring fades quickly. Swelling and discoloration decrease within two weeks. Tightness in your face will be present for several weeks and there may be slight changes in your hair pattern around the incision.

It is recommended that you avoid the sun for several weeks after surgery. Healing is gradual so you will not notice final results for up to 6 months. Improvement varies, depending on your initial condition. In most cases, a single procedure achieves the desired results. Most patients who have had facelifts are well pleased with their new, youthful appearance.