A facelift smoothes loose skin on your face and neck, tightens underlying tissues, and removes excess fat. Your bone structure, heredity, and skin texture all play a role in how many "years" a facelift can "remove" and, to some extent, influence how long it will last.
There are many variations to the facelift procedure and the placement of incisions. The goal of every facelift technique is to keep the incisions hidden as much as possible; following surgery, scars will be concealed by your hair or with makeup.
Your plastic surgeon will free your facial skin from its underlying tissue and trim off the excess. In some instances, the deeper tissues may also need to be repositioned to restore a more youthful contour to your face. If necessary, a small incision beneath your chin permits the removal of fat and smoothing of the cord-like structures of your neck.
If you do not have a significant amount of excess skin, you could be a good candidate for an endoscopic facelift. This minimally invasive procedure requires small incisions that are placed inconspicuously according to your individualized surgical plan.
When facial sagging in the cheek area is pronounced, a procedure called a mid-facelift may be performed. Incisions are often made inside the lower eyelid or may be placed in another area that provides superior access to the central cheek region.
After facelift surgery, you will experience temporary skin discoloration and some tightness or numbness in your face and neck. Since you skin will remain somewhat sensitive for a few months, protection from sun including daily use of a sun block is essential. You can wear cosmetics a few days following surgery and patients often are back to work within two weeks.
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