Facelift & Neck Lift in Jupiter and Palm Beach County
As people age, the effects of gravity, exposure to the sun, and the stresses of daily life can be seen in their faces. Deep creases form between the nose and mouth; the jawline grows slack and jowly; folds and fat deposits appear around the neck.
A facelift (technically known as rhytidectomy) can’t stop this aging process. What it can do is “set back the clock,” improving the most visible signs of aging by removing excess fat, tightening underlying muscles, and redraping the skin of your face and neck. A facelift can be done alone, or in conjunction with other procedures such as a forehead lift, eyelid surgery, or nose reshaping.
If you’re considering a facelift, this will give you a basic understanding of the procedure when it can help, how it’s performed, and what results you can expect. It can’t answer all of your questions, since a lot depends on the individual patient and the surgeon, therefore, a personalized consultation is with Dr. Koger is always recommended.
- The best candidates for a facelift
- All surgery carries some uncertainty and risk
- Planning your surgery
- Preparing for your surgery
- Where your surgery will be performed
- Types of anesthesia
- The surgery
- After your surgery
- Getting back to normal
- Your new look
The best candidates for a facelift
The best candidate for a facelift is a man or woman whose face and neck have begun to experience the changes of aging. Most patients are in their forties to sixties, but facelifts can be done successfully on people in their seventies or eighties as well.
A facelift can make you look younger and fresher, and it may enhance your self-confidence in the process. But it can’t give you a totally different look, nor can it restore the health and vitality of your youth. Before you decide to have surgery, think carefully about your expectations and discuss them with Dr. Koger.
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All surgery carries some uncertainty and risk
When a facelift is performed by a qualified plastic surgeon, complications are infrequent and usually minor. Still, individuals vary greatly in their anatomy, their physical reactions, and their healing abilities, and the outcome is never completely predictable.
Complications that can occur include hematoma (a collection of blood under the skin that must be removed by the surgeon), injury to the nerves that control facial muscles (usually temporary), infection, and reactions to the anesthesia. Poor healing of the skin is most likely to affect smokers.
You can reduce your risks by closely following Dr. Koger’s advice both before and after surgery.
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Planning your surgery
Facelifts are very individualized procedures. In your initial consultation Dr. Koger will evaluate your face, including the skin and underlying bone, and discuss your goals for the surgery.
Dr. Koger will check for medical conditions that could cause problems during or after surgery, such as uncontrolled high blood pressure, blood clotting problems, or the tendency to form excessive scars. Be sure to tell Dr. Koger if you smoke or are taking any drugs or medications, especially aspirin or other drugs that affect clotting.
If you decide to have a facelift, Dr. Koger will explain the techniques and anesthesia he will use, the type of facility where the surgery will be performed, and the risks and costs involved. Don’t hesitate to ask Dr. Koger any questions you may have, especially those regarding your expectations and concerns about the results.
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Preparing for your surgery
Dr. Koger will give you specific instructions on how to prepare for surgery, including guidelines on eating and drinking, smoking, and taking or avoiding certain vitamins and medications. Carefully following these instructions will help your surgery go more smoothly. If you smoke, it’s especially important to stop at least a week or two before and after surgery; smoking inhibits blood flow to the skin, and can interfere with the healing of your incision areas.
If your hair is very short, you might want to let it grow out before surgery, so that it’s long enough to hide the surgical marks while they heal.
Whether your facelift is being done on an outpatient or inpatient basis, you should arrange for someone to drive you home after your surgery, and to help you out for a day or two if needed.
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Where your surgery will be performed
A facelift may be performed in an outpatient surgery center, or a hospital. Certain conditions such as diabetes or high blood pressure should be monitored after surgery, and may also require a short inpatient stay.
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Types of anesthesia
Facelifts are usually performed under general anesthesia. However, it is possible in some instances, to use a different form of anesthesia. In either case, your anesthesia options will be discussed with you during your consultation with Dr. Koger.
The surgery
A facelift usually takes several hours-or somewhat longer if you’re having more than one procedure done. For extensive procedures, some surgeons may schedule two separate sessions.
Incisions usually begin above the hairline at the temples, extend in a natural line in front of the ear, and continue behind the earlobe to the lower scalp. If the neck needs work, a small incision may also be made under the chin.
In general, Dr. Koger separates the skin from the fat and muscle below. Fat may be trimmed or suctioned from around the neck and chin to improve the contour. Dr. Koger then tightens the underlying muscle and membrane, pulls the skin back, and removes the excess. Absorbable sutures secure the layers of tissue and close the incisions. There are no visible sutures on ther outside of the skin that need to be removed.
Following surgery, a small, thin tube may be temporarily placed under the skin behind your ear to drain any blood that might collect there. Dr. Koger may also wrap your head in bandages to minimize bruising and swelling. The drains and bandages are removed 24 hours after surgery.
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After your surgery
There isn’t usually significant discomfort after surgery; if there is, it can be lessened with the pain medication prescribed by Dr. Koger. (Severe or persistent pain or a sudden swelling of your face should be reported to Dr.Koger immediately.) Some numbness of the skin is quite normal; it will disappear in a few weeks or months.
Dr. Koger will tell you to keep your head elevated and as still as possible for a couple of days after surgery, to keep the swelling down.
Don’t be surprised at the pale, bruised, and puffy face you see. Just keep in mind that in a few weeks you’ll be looking normal.
Getting back to normal
You should be up and about in a day or two, but plan on taking it easy for the first week after surgery. Be especially gentle with your face and hair, since your skin will be both tender and numb, and may not respond normally at first.
Dr. Koger will give more specific guidelines for gradually resuming your normal activities. They’re likely to include these suggestions: Avoid strenuous activity, including exercise and heavy housework, for at least two weeks (walking and mild stretching are fine); and strenuous sports for at least four weeks. Above all, get plenty of rest and allow your body to spend its energy on healing.
At the beginning, your face may look and feel rather strange. Your features may be distorted from the swelling, your facial movements may be slightly stiff and you’ll probably be self-conscious about your surgical marks. Some bruising may persist for two or three weeks, and you may tire easily. It’s not surprising that some patients are disappointed and depressed at first.
By the third week, you’ll look and feel much better. Most patients are back at work about ten days to two weeks after surgery. If you need it, special camouflage makeup can mask most bruising that remains.
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Your new look
The chances are excellent that you’ll be happy with your facelift-especially if you realize that the results may not be immediately apparent. Even after the swelling and bruises are gone, the hair around your temples may be thin and your skin may feel dry and rough for several months. Men may find they have to shave in new places-behind the neck and ears-where areas of beard- growing skin have been repositioned.
You’ll have some surgical marks from your facelift, but they’re usually hidden by your hair or in the natural creases of your face and ears. In any case, they’ll fade within time and should be scarcely visible.
Having a facelift doesn’t stop the clock. Your face will continue to age with time, and you may want to repeat the procedure one or more times-perhaps five or ten years down the line. But in another sense, the effects of even one facelift are lasting; years later, you’ll continue to look better than if you’d never had a facelift at all.
Serving South Florida, including Martin, St. Lucie, and Palm Beach County.
