The objective of a facelift is to make the face look younger. This can be done by removing excessive facial skin using surgical methods, as aging causes the face to lose skin elasticity as well as muscle tone. People in their late fifties and sixties sometime choose to have a facelift operation, but sometimes the neck lift procedures are done sooner. There are different types of facial rejuvenation surgical methods for facelift corrections.

Improving the Neck and the Facial Jowls

Surgery can help people improve sagging neck and facial jowls. This procedure involves raising the deeper tissues of the face and neck, and tightening them by trimming the excessive jowls. During surgery, incisions are made in front of the ear, underneath the ear and the back of the ear.

The skin is incised in the standard fashion and the hair follicles are removed from the inside skin. The hairline should not be changed, as it will give a bald look to the temporal area. Another incision is made underneath the chin that helps to tighten the neck muscles by suctioning the fat from the neck.

Facelift for Middle Age

Nowadays thorough facelift operations are done via deep plain procedures in which the underlying tissues are lifted. The incision is made downwards, in front of the ear, and then upward behind the ear. The fatty tissues and the skin are lifted from the underlying muscle and fascia so as to correct the loose skin problem. The wound is closed with skin staples so as to tighten the underlying muscles and fascia.

Sometimes a drain is left in the wounds to remove excessive blood and then bandages are applied. This way the cheek fat pad is elevated and placed in its original anatomic position. It gives a new appearance to the loose and droopy face.

Facts Related to Facelift Surgery

The facelift surgical procedure can be carried out in a hospital or a facility center, but the center should have passed the state surgical center codes and should be certified by the appropriate ambulatory surgery credentialing board. The facelift operation is performed by giving anesthesia, which can be light or heavy depending on the patient.

Patients undergo a medical examination and medical clearance before the surgery so as to test for allergies and blood pressure variations. All anti-inflammatory products are stopped ten days before surgery. Even vitamins and alcohol should be discontinued as they may cause bleeding. The patient should also inform the doctor about any vitamins and herbal products that he is taking.

The face is wrapped with a tight bandage which is used to keep the skin flat. After the surgery, the patient will only stay for a few hours in the recovery room, as the majority of patients are discharged and able to go home the same day. The final results of the facelift surgery are visible between the sixth and eight week, post-operatively.

Advantages of a Facelift

Despite the one-week recovery time, the patient can begin routine activities just one day after surgery. The pain and the discomfort during surgery are usually minimal. A facelift can be beneficial in that it gives a person a younger appearance and has a long lasting effect on both the mind and the body.