Options for facelifts

For those who want a refreshed look, there’s no need to search for the fountain of youth. The facelift, medically known as a rytidectomy, is a surgical procedure that allows a patient to turn back the clock.

A full facelift involves dissection under the facial skin and neck skin, tightening or lifting – depending on a surgeon’s specific technique – an aged face.

“Duration of surgery is surgeondependent, but it is fairly common to be about six hours for a full facelift, and you go home the same day,” LSU Health Shreveport’s chief of plastic and reconstructive surgery Dr. Mary Kim said.

Kim is an assistant professor of clinical surgery at the medical school. She earned her medical degree at Tufts University School of Medicine in Boston and completed her surgical residency at the State University of New York Health Sciences Center Downstate. Kim completed her plastic surgery fellowship at University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey.

Those interested in facelifts should not smoke or have history of smoking, as this causes additional risks during surgery. Kim said patients should be in good health in order to undergo the anesthesia required for surgery. She recommends two weeks of recovery, meaning no work or strenuous activity, following a facelift.

Kim said realistic expectations are key for a patient preparing for a facelift. Though the surgery is elective, that does not mean it will be without soreness or swelling.

“One needs to realize that it is surgery – that there will be scars. One cannot stop the aging process, and a patient has responsibilities to follow post-operative instruction and follow up as needed,” she said.

Kim said prices of facelifts vary from patient to patient and surgeon to surgeon. Not all hospitals or surgical centers cost the same amount either.

A patient who may want a less-invasive procedure can opt for a “mini facelift.” The “mini facelift” minimizes dissection under the skin, unlike the traditional full facelift, and pulls the skin tightly, removing excess skin.

The procedure does not require a patient to be put to sleep; the use of local anesthesia makes the procedure available to those who are not usually candidates for surgery.

The procedure is quicker, lasting about an hour, and results in little to no swelling or bruising.

Recovery is almost immediate. Results from the “mini facelift” are not as dramatic and do not last as long as a traditional facelift.

If a patient does not want to have surgery but desires a more youthful appearance, Kim said chemical or laser peels can be a good option if a patient has the right skin type.

Results are not as dramatic as surgery, but the peels can create a more refreshed look.

In plastic surgery, the patient has to relay how he or she wants to look during consultations with his or her surgeon. Kim said patients should be honest with their surgeons in order to achieve the results they desire.

“It is best to express one’s concerns about his or her face. Point out exactly what is bothersome. One may not need a facelift, but rather just eyelid surgery or other surgical procedures to enhance facial rejuvenation, such as fat grafting to the face,” Kim said.

– Tara Bullock

Try This:

The best way to know if a facelift is right for you? Talk about it. A consultation with a plastic surgeon will give you an idea of what is possible for revitalizing your look.