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Facelift
Kansas, Facelift Kansas City, Facelift in Kansas
Few plastic surgical
procedure carry as much mystique as the facelift.
While facelifts have been around for a long time, results have
never been better. The facelift is an important part of the cosmetic surgeons
armamentarium. It is
important to realize that a facelift will not produce a totally
different look, nor will it make a fifty-year old look twenty.
Fortunately, patients usually find this comforting.
Rather, it will reverse many of the adverse effects of time and
gravity, and make you look more like you did before these effects took
their toll on your appearance.
What
does the facelift do for me?
It is important that
the patient know what a facelift does and does not do.
Laser surgery is an effective treatment for fine facial lines and
some facial wrinkles and for some patients with minimal facial sagging,
this may suffice, because there is some skin tightening which
accompanies the laser resurfacing.
However, the effect is limited.
To most effectively treat jowls, neck skin loosening, and elevate
the cheek tissue, there is no substitute for a facelift. A facelift
ideally elevates the deep tissue of the face, and treats the cheeks,
jowls, and neckline to achieve a harmonious result which truly
rejuvenates.
How
old should I be?
There is no specific
age that one should use in determining when to have a facelift. There is
no “ideal age”. A very common age is around 50, probably due to
patients’ reflection on this watershed time in their lives. There is,
though, a consensus that early rather than late facelifts, while the
skin has improved elasticity along
with proper skin care and maintenance,
will provide the longest lasting result.
Will
a facelift help wrinkles around mouth or eyes?
Remember that a
facelift restores facial skin tone - it does not smooth wrinkles around
the mouth or eyes. It does
not treat the forehead. That
is why the procedure is often combined with blepharoplasties, laser skin
resurfacing, and endoscopic forehead lifts. These techniques complement one another.
Other advantages of an improved result (techniques complement one
another), less cost, and usually only minimal if any increased recovery
time.
What
do I need to do before surgery? What if I am a smoker?
Prior to surgery
complete pre-and postoperative instructions will discussed with you.
A simple blood test is performed, and a cardiogram is obtained
for those patients over fifty. Sometimes
additional tests are performed. Smokers
are at an increased risk for wound healing problems after surgery, so
that we advise that smokers refrain from smoking for at least one week
prior to and one week after surgery.
Nicotine patches or gum cannot be used because it is the nicotine
that causes the small blood vessels to constrict and interfere with
healing. Because of its
effect of platelets, and the risk of increased bleeding, all products
containing aspiring are avoided for two weeks prior to surgery.
The surgery is usually performed as an out-patient.
How
does the facelift work?
The incision starts
within the hairline, above the ear, and continues down along the crease
in front of the ear. It then passes within the groove under the earlobe and onto
the backside of the ear, in the crease behind the ear. The incision then continues back into the hair a few inches.
Another incision is placed below the chin.
This is used to access the fat deposit under the chin.
Most patients have extra fat here which is removed by
liposuction. In most cases,
the muscles of the front of the neck are sutured together to correct any
muscle weakness or bands. These
vertical neck bands are a concern to most patients.
By suturing the muscle edges together, the bands are eliminated.
The same muscle is tightened at the side of the neck through the
facelift incision. This
also helps to further define the neckline.
A well-defined neckline is a very desirable feature and gives a
youthful appearance. In some cases deeper tissues are also elevated to further improve
the cheek region.
What
about after the surgery?
Swelling and bruising
are part of the healing process. There
is even more swelling when eyelid surgery or laser skin resurfacing is
performed simultaneously. All of this is also completely normal.
Patients usually do not have a lot pain, although they are
uncomfortable due to swelling and tightness.
Patients are usually seen on the morning after their facelift to
remove the head dressing and drains. Patients are able to start bathing
right away. The
bruising generally settles over about two weeks and patients return to
their normal activities quickly.
Are
there any risks?
All surgical procedures
carry some uncertainty and risk. Patients
vary in their anatomy, physical reaction to surgery and anesthesia, and
healing capabilities, so that the outcome is never completely
predictable. Complications
are uncommon and may include infection, the development of a hematoma (a
collection of blood under the skin that must be removed by the surgeon),
tearing or blurring of vision (which generally resolves without any
treatment) and nerve dysfunction resulting in facial muscle weakness
which is usually temporary. Sometimes
healing of the skin is impaired due to compromised blood supply (seen
most commonly in smokers). Scars
are usually well hidden within the hairline, or in natural creases
around the ear. They fade
with time and are usually barely noticeable.
How
long does it last?
A common question is
“How long does it last?”.
With time, the skin will gradually begin to loosen and the tissue
will gradually settle with gravity.
New wrinkles will appear as the muscles continue to work the
overlying skin to make creases. In other words, “time marches on”. As everyone ages at a different rate one can’t precisely
say how long a facelift will last although it is generally from 7-10
years. It is possible that at a future time, the tissues may have
relaxed so that the patient desires another lift.
It is usually possible to repeat a facelift, using the original
incisions, so that there are no new scars.
Proper skin care and protection can prolong the result that is
obtained with the facelift. Patient
satisfaction is generally very high after this type of surgery.
This introduction is intended to provide you with information about face lift surgery. Additional information, tailored to your particular needs, is provided at the time of consultation. The staff of the Swanson Center for Cosmetic and Laser Surgery is available to answer any other questions you may have or to schedule a consultation with Dr. Swanson. We would be happy to assist you in finalizing your plans.
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At the Swanson Center, Plastic Surgeon, Dr Eric Swanson MD provides an array of Cosmetic and Laser Surgery including breast augmentation, laser skin resurfacing, liposuction, facelift, rhinoplasty, microdermabrasion, BOTOX, abdominoplasty, etc. Serving Kansas city and the surrounding area.
