Facelift: everything you need to know
The principle
With the passing of the years the cheekbones go down, the oval of the face changes, the cheeks sag, wrinkles and furrows dig into the face. The term "lifting" refers to all the surgical operations intended to correct the sagging of the facial tissues ( cheeks, face and neck contour) and to reduce wrinkles.
Also called traditional facelift, the cervico-facial lifting treats the mandibular area and the neck. The face is globally rejuvenated, the skin is smoother, wrinkles are reduced, the cheeks floppy and the double chin disappear.
In general, this rejuvenation operation is possible from the age of 40. But there is no "predetermined age" because we all age differently.
Practically
The hospitalization for the facelift lasts between 24 and 48 hours, but the intervention is only 2/3 hours, under general anesthesia or neuroleptanalgesia (local anesthesia with deep sedation).
After incision of the scalp and skin around the ear, up to the nape of the neck, the skin is unglued and then stretched again on the face and neck. Don't worry, the incisions are made in such a way that the scars are as discreet as possible.
In reality, the facelift does not only affect the skin but also the underlying layers of fat and muscle, such as the muscles of the neck and cheeks.
See also
The postoperative course
During the 8-10 days following the surgery, the face is swollen, swollen: however the operative course varies depending on the patient. In some cases it will be necessary to carry out a containment bandage to limit the swelling.
Like all surgeries, facelifts can have side effects. The most frequent is the occurrence of a hematoma which tends to reabsorb spontaneously.
To know
- A facelift lasts between 8 and 10 years. It is possible to renew the operation 2 or 3 times in a lifetime. Attention, the facelift does not prevent aging: this resumes its normal course but with a "delay" of 10 years!
- Tight skin does not change its appearance, lifting does not give a velvety skin.
- More and more patients are using laser or peeling to optimize the effects of the facelift and to smooth out the last wrinkles and fine lines - ask your doctor for advice!
- The lifting can be associated with a liposuction at the level of the neck when there is an excess of fat, or with fat-based fillings of the areas that need more volume, such as cheeks and lower eyelids.
- Although progress has been made in the field of surgery, the facelift always remains a surgical intervention: it is therefore essential to contact a specialized plastic surgeon to ask for advice and evaluate the risks and benefits of the operation.
