Many factors cause the skin to wrinkle and sag — exposure to the sun, genetics as well as 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, the jaw line, and along the neck.
Dr. Bunel, Dr. Legan, and Dr. Hastings perform rhytidectomies, or facelifts, to enhance your appearance and correct these conditions. A facelift involves tightening of the facial and neck muscles as well as the removal of any excess skin. The procedure is often performed in conjunction with additional cosmetic surgeries such as blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery), forehead lift, chin augmentation, liposuction, and/or rhinoplasty (nasal surgery). These procedures can be performed any time after signs of aging appear in order to attain a more youthful appearance.
Before Surgery
We will evaluate your medical history in order to determine your overall health. Dr. Bunel, Dr. Legan, or Dr. Hastings will discuss with you how your face should look and what you can expect from surgery. Our objective is to create a natural appearance that is pleasing to you. Photographs and digital images are performed to determine the amount of improvement after surgery.
We will provide you with pre-operative instructions that may include the elimination of specific drugs containing aspirin several weeks before surgery to minimize excess 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 rhytidectomy can be performed under general anesthesia with you asleep or under IV sedation and local anesthesia in which the area of your face is numbed and you remain sleepy. Pre-medication 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 pulled up and back. Excess skin is removed. Sagging muscles and connective tissues are tightened. In some cases, fatty deposits are removed from beneath the chin and neck. Small sutures are used to close the incisions. The procedure may take up to five hours depending on whether any other procedures are performed at the same time.
Post-Operative Care
Bandages are applied to the area of surgery and are removed within a few days. Pain is moderate and controlled with oral medications. We will determine when your sutures are removed. In order to minimize scarring, the doctor may remove the sutures in stages. Scarring fades quickly. Swelling and discoloration disappear within two weeks. Tightness in your face will be present for a while 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 may not notice final results for a few more weeks. Improvement varies depending on the your initial condition. In most cases, a single procedure achieves the desired results. Most patients who have had facelifts are pleased with their new youthful appearance.