Facelift

What is Facelift Surgery?

Facelift surgery rejuvenates and enhances the face and neck by reversing the changes that have occurred with ageing. Facelifts used to be considered something for those in their late 40’s or 50’s or later, but now with the wide variety of subtle minimal access lifts available, people as young as in their 30’s are seeking surgery.

The ageing process affects us all. Many of us have looked in the mirror at some stage and lifted and pulled at areas of skin and wondered what a difference a facelift would make. Different people age at different rates and people seek facelift surgery for a variety of reasons.

Genetics, exposure to sunshine, smoking and life style are the most important factors that affect the ageing process. This leads to loss of tone in the skin and ligaments of the face resulting in the appearance of jowls, loose neck, deepening nose to mouth lines and droopiness of eye brows and eyelids. In addition, as we grow older facial skin develops wrinkles and lines due to damage caused by environmental factors such as sun and smoking. As we grow older we lose fat and our skin becomes thinner and more fragile.
 
Why is Facelift Surgery so popular and what are the benefits?

As we age our skin loses its elasticity, it becomes thinner and the muscles slacken. This causes wrinkles, creases and folds of skin to appear. The corners of the mouth can also droop creating a "jowly" and sad appearance. Fat can also accumulate on the neck and beneath the chin. Whilst this is part of the natural ageing process, it is accelerated by factors such as weight loss, smoking or exposure to the sun, which is why people often turn to facelift surgery.

Facelift surgery tightens facial skin and underlying muscles, and if performed correctly, gives a natural, youthful and "refreshed" look. Facelift surgery has to be tailored to the individual face. Different people have different faces. Jaw Lift, Cheek Lift and Neck Lift, performed either separately or combined rectify the face in different ways as required.

Our surgeons like to make a joint decision with the patient about facelift surgery and what is required.

What are the risks and likely after-effects of Facelift Surgery?

Facelift surgery, like any other surgery, involves a "trauma" to the human body and there are risks associated with any procedure. Each person's body is different, and your general health, level of fitness, age and genetic profile will all have an effect on the speed of healing and also on the risk of side-effects.

If you smoke, drink alcohol, are overweight and/or take drugs for medical or other reasons, the risk of complication during and after facelift surgery can be greatly increased. Smoking, in particular, is discouraged because it increases the risk both of infection, wound breakdown and thrombosis (blood clots).

After facelift surgery it is normal for all patients to experience some pain and discomfort, swelling, numbness and bruising. These symptoms can be controlled and reduced by taking regular prescribed medication.
 
What does Facelift Surgery involve?

At Linia, facelift surgery is generally performed under local anaesthetic with or without sedation, although in many other clinics it is performed under a general anaesthetic.
Surgeons who perform face lift surgery under local anaesthetic state that there is minimal distortion due to there being no anaesthetic tube and they can make the face move as they want, therefore they believe that this way they can often achieve better results.

To achieve the lift, incisions are made in the existing skin creases and hair bearing regions surrounding the ear. The skin is lifted as a flap. The loose fat is re-draped or removed and the muscles tightened and lifted. Then excess skin is removed and stitched to create a smoother, more refined contour for your neck and jawline. Self dissolving sutures are used. You will find that this gets rid of loose skin and problem lines and wrinkles with the overall effect of giving the face and neck a much softer, refreshed and younger look.
 
What will happen after the Facelift operation?

Following your facelift surgery, your surgeon will see you when you have recovered to check that all is well. You'll be given medication and post-operative instructions and will wear a small bandage over the incision site for 1-2 days. You will also be given appropriate telephone numbers in case you need to contact us at any time.
 
Week 1-2

Most of our facelift patients resume normal activities within 7 days. It depends on the individual. You will also receive a check-up 7-10 days after your surgery. Most of our surgeons use dissolving stitches. The puffiness and bruising usually clears up in 2 weeks and normal make-up may then be applied.
 
Weeks 8-10

Your surgeon will see you again, usually 8-10 weeks after the facelift surgery for a full post-operative consultation.
 
Full Post-Operative Cover

We're confident that you will be delighted with the results of your facelift surgery. For that reason, we guarantee that we will provide post-operative cover for a full three years after your procedure. It's our way of ensuring that you have peace of mind and confidence in LINIA.