Facelift (Rhytidectomy)

Everyone deserves the chance to turn the clock back, to look younger and to feel better about the way they look. A facelift can improve the visible signs of aging. It can tighten sagging facial muscles and loose neck skin, and remove excess fat to give you a more youthful appearance. Very often a facelift is done in conjunction with eyelid surgery or a forehead lift.

Your surgeon will make an incision in the hairline at the temples and continue along the natural creases in front of the ear, around the earlobe and along the lower scalp. Sometimes an incision is made just under the chin to remove excess neck fat and tighten the neck muscles. The skin is separated from the fat and muscles. The fat is removed from around the neck and chin to improve the contour, then the muscles are pulled back and tightened. Excess skin is removed and the incisions are closed. Scars are hidden in the hairline and in the natural creases of your skin. They will fade with time.

You will need to take it easy for about a week. Bruising and swelling should fade over the next two to three weeks and can be camouflaged with makeup. Any discomfort from the surgery can be controlled with pain medication prescribed by your surgeon. You may experience temporary numbness of the skin, but this usually resolves over time.

The final results of your facelift won't be apparent for several weeks. The puffiness you see in the mirror will gradually resolve as your new look emerges.