Time and gravity play major roles in that loss. Such effects of time and gravity are most apparent in our faces. In a society where visual impressions are key, it is only natural to want to put our best forward.

Under the influence of aging, laugh lines can become etched in our faces. Lax muscle and skin tone as well as fatty build up can cause the sagging flesh beneath the chin. Loss of the skin's stretchable nature creates those loose pouches on the cheeks, also known as jowls. There are solutions for these tragic indicators of aging.

Once upon a time, facelifts were only for the rich and famous. These days, it is not just the celebrities that need to look and feel young and vibrant. Fortunately, with the advances in surgical techniques, facial surgery has become more affordable. A rhytidectomy, or face lift, has become a viable option for ordinary people.

As with any surgical procedure, it is important that you know the risks and benefits before going under the knife. First, a facelift is designed to remove fat that has collected as well as loose skin. Your procedure will also repair muscles that have been stretched to a point of sagging.

As a potential patient, it is also extremely vital for you to know what a face lift will and will not accomplish.

This process will remove excess, sagging flesh, including large wrinkles. It cannot, however, correct fine lines from sun exposure or blemishes such as brown spots.

Additionally, a facelift will not stop the aging process. Your skin will continue to age at its normal pace, but plastic surgery removes the most visible signs of the progression.

There is no average time that a rhytidectomy lasts. Your results depend on your body and how fast it ages. Some patients do not consider a second lift for six to ten years and many never request a second procedure.

Another factor to consider as you think about facial surgery is what you see now. Whenever your age begins to tell too much is something only you can decide. Some wait until the laugh lines and sagging are quite obvious. Others get the procedure done as soon as the signs appear.

The surgical procedure itself is a straight forward one. The incision is made from the temporal hairline (on or just behind your temple) and runs down along the front of your ear. It then curves around the earlobe, behind the ear and into your hairline along the back of your neck. The incision is placed as discreetly at possible to conceal the scarring that will occur. Your doctor may also place a cut beneath your chin for further skin and muscle repair.

The surgeon then removes your accumulated fat, loose, extra skin and repairs any stretched out muscles. With this procedure, there are a few risks. These include skin damage around the ears and facial nerve damage. If you are a smoker, skin damage is more common.

Recovery time can take as long as twenty-one days for the bruising to fade, so plan your surgery date with a reasonable recovery time in mind.

After your procedure, your face will be wrapped in turban style bandages. These stay on for one or two days, until your first follow-up visit. This dressing will be replaced with a lighter one. In three to five days, during a second follow-up, the sutures around your ears will be removed. Your third visit, seven days later, will be for the removal of the remaining sutures. All or most bruising should have faded within fourteen to twenty-one days after surgery, though swelling may take longer to fade.

Two to three weeks after surgery, most patients can return to normal activity. For proper healing, it is important that you follow all directions, including those about showering, getting haircuts and hair colorings. As you consider going in under the knife, it is in your best interest to know all of the face lift facts.