Face Lift Surgery also known as Rhytidectomy is a surgical procedure that repair excess drooping, sagging and aged wrinkled skin of face and neck so you look much younger. This doesn’t mean that you’ll look younger forever then after as aging process can’t be stopped. Your youthful appearance may last about 10 years. In order to get better result with your complexion you may need additional procedures.
Face Lift Surgery works best for mid-aged womens with fair or normal complexion with minimum amount of adipose tissue. The results may not be so satisfactory for overweight people with hyper-pigmented thick skin. Not every one is suitable for face lift surgery. Peoples with connective tissue disorders or under immunosuppressive therapy are advised not to undergo such procedure. Research suggests that smokers have 12 times more risk of complications then who doesn’t smoke. So it is advised to stop smoking 1 or more months before and after surgery so the chances of complications can be limited. So before you plan to get a face lift talk to your doctor about detail health condition.
This procedure can be done is outpatient settings either in surgeon office or hospital. During the surgery you may be given local anesthesia and sedatives, some surgeon may prefer general anesthesia depending on the case. The time of surgery may take between 2-5 hours depending on the area and number of procedures being operated. The procedure is not painful or discomfort as you are given anesthesia and sedatives. Within 3-5 days the dressings are removed and you can start using makeup so you can cover the bruising. Usually the recovery takes place within a week after surgery, some may varies with the number and type of procedure. The outcome are usually satisfactory but additional surgery may be needed for few cases.
Are there any complications ?
Complications can be limited if you followed the advice and guidelines of face lift surgery before and after surgery. Few complications you might experience are:
- Infection
- Bleeding and hematoma
- Loss of sensation and muscle function which are usually temporary.
- Hypertrophic scarring of the skin.
- Loss of hair with in the incision area.
- Smokers often may experience skin necrosis
- Sometimes in very few cases permanent nerve damage may occur. This may be due to excess anesthesia during procedure, hematoma or infection.
You may sometimes have mild swelling for several weeks and may experience numbness for several months. Your doctor will advice you the Do’s and Don’ts after surgery and advice you to avoid sun exposure, be sure to follow the guidelines given by your doctor.