Face & neck lift

A facelift is a highly personalized cosmetic surgery procedure. It restores the natural shape of the face and corrects the sagginess, the jowls and the neck bands produced by aging. A well-done facelift avoids that unnatural “over stretched” look. In fact it is not the skin but the deep structures of the face that need to be pulled and lifted in order to obtain a natural, rejuvenated result. Skin is simply re-draped without tension. Surgery is done under sedation or general anesthesia and takes between 2 and 4 hours. Recovery is rather quick and bruising is typically gone in less than 3 weeks.

What you should know about Face & Neck Lift

There are many facelift techniques available because each face ages differently. In some faces, the jowls and the neck skin sag due to increased laxity and loss of volume in the mid and lower face. In others, laxity is associated with an excess of fat in the neck area that leads to the double chin look. Most patients have a combination of these age-related facial changes and the surgical technique has to be carefully chosen to suit each patient’s needs.

For patients with a “light” face (skin and muscle sagging without excess fat) a Small Incision Facelift or S-Lift can be done under local anesthesia or light sedation. This offers an excellent result with quick recovery and minimal bruising.

Surgery and Recovery

Surgery is done under local or general anesthesia depending on the patient’s preference. A Small Incision Facelift takes 2 hours. A lower Face & Neck Lift can only be done under deep sedation or general anesthesia and takes 4-5 hours. All patients go home the same day.

Most patients take between 7 and 10 days off after a facelift surgery. Stitches dissolve or are removed at 10 days. Bruising and swelling can be expected for a couple of weeks. Cold compresses are applied to reduce swelling and bruising in the first 48 hours. Antibiotic and pain medication may be prescribed for a few days. Strenuous activity should be minimized for several weeks. Warm compresses may be recommended after several days to increase blood flow to the area and promote healing.