Who Is The Best Candidate For A Full Face Lift Surgery?

Because a facelift is a surgical procedure involving invasive methods and general anesthesia, it is important to know if you qualify as a suitable candidate for a facelift before you plan anything. For some, this may imply undergoing specific labs and tests or nurturing their skin in a certain way.

Check out the criteria a suitable candidate must fulfill before being eligible for facelift surgery.

• Good health
• Elastic skin
• Balanced bone structure
• Realistic expectations
• Commitment to body maintenance

Preparation

A facelift involves pulling back a flap of skin on each side of the face and surgically altering the tissues beneath the skin to restore the contour of the face to give you a more youthful appearance. Excess skin is removed before saturating and closing the flap.

A facelift may not reduce fine creases or wrinkles on your skin due to sunburn. However, combined with other cosmetic treatments, it can improve the appearance and quality of your skin. People often opt for neck lifts (platysmaplasty) with a facelift to decrease fat deposits and drooping skin on the neck.

Surgery Details

A Full facelift generally includes lifting the skin and tightening the underlying tissues and muscles. It can sculpt, eliminate, or redistribute the face and neck fat. During the procedure, the facial skin is regrafted over the newly adjusted features of the face, excessive skin is removed, and the incision is stitched or taped to avoid any mishap.

There are several types of facelifts, but in general, the surgeon will:

• Make incisions above the hairline at the temples that extend down in front of your ear, beneath your earlobe, and behind your ear, if there is a need to elevate the jawline
• Make incisions beneath the chin
• Remove the excess facial skin
• Pull the remaining skin backward and upwards before grafting it to your face
• Sometimes facial fat and tissue are redistributed or added to the face bandage to reduce bruising and edema
• It usually takes 2 to 3 hours, and in most cases, the patient has to spend the night in the hospital
• If you experience any discomfort, your surgeon will provide medications to relieve your pain

After Surgery

Your wounds will most likely be wrapped in bandages to apply slight pressure to reduce swelling and bruising. A tiny tube is inserted beneath the skin behind your ears to drain any extra blood or fluid.

Following the full facelift surgery, you will require to:

• Raise your head to rest
• Consume pain relievers as prescribed by your doctor
• Apply cold compresses to the face to relieve discomfort and swelling

You may notice:

• Mild to moderate discomfort
• Drainage from the wounds
• Swelling, bruising, or numbness

If you have any of the following symptoms, consult your dermatologist right away:

• Severe discomfort on one side of your face or neck after the surgery
• Breathing difficulty
• Chest pain
• Heartbeat irregularities

Home Recovery

• A facelift candidate requires 2 to 4 weeks to recuperate fully. You must take a leave from work to get this procedure done
• You cannot drive for many days following the procedure; your surgeon will advise you on this
• Avoid showering and getting the bandages wet after the first two days of surgery
• Avoid excessive activity, saunas, and massages for at least two weeks
• Relax with your head supported up with cushions for a few days to decrease swelling

Stitches are removed after roughly a week (unless you have dissolvable stitches). However, bruises, scars, and redness take weeks to disappear. You will experience the effects of the full facelift within 6 to 9 months.