As age takes a toll on your facial muscles and skin, visible aging signs, such as deep creases, wrinkles, sagging skin, jowls, and neck laxity start to show. These signs should signal that it’s time you get a facelift surgery to rejuvenate your face.
A facelift surgery, also called a rhytidectomy, is a cosmetic procedure that creates a younger-looking face by reducing sagging skin and smoothing out wrinkles. During a facelift, your cosmetic surgeon pulls back a flap of skin on either side of your face to create a smoother, well-defined facial contour.
There’s no magic age to get a facelift; as long as you notice the signs of aging on your face and neck and you’re in good health, you qualify for this surgical procedure. However, most facelift patients are between 40 to 60 years old.
Signs of Facial Aging to Look Out For
Early signs of aging start showing at 30 to 40 years, depending on genetics, lifestyle, and health. The following are the signs of facial aging that may be solved by facelift surgery.
Fine Lines and Wrinkles
Fine lines and wrinkles are among the first and most noticeable signs of aging. And they are caused by declining amounts of collagen, elastin, and hyaluronic acid that make the skin smooth and elastic. As you get older, they get more profound and more visible.
Sagging Skin
Sagging increases as your skin’s collagen decreases due to gravity, making you appear tired or sad. Additionally, the nutrient flow to your skin slows down, and the skin further loses elasticity, causing sagging.
Loss of Elasticity
As elastin and collagen decrease with age, your skin loses strength and elasticity and appears more fragile. And while skin care products can delay the appearance of aging skin, a facelift leaves the face looking rejuvenated and achieves longer-lasting results.
Types of Facelifts
A facelift is individualized to each patient’s aesthetic needs, and the surgeon tailors the technique to suit these goals. There are two main types of facelifts as follows:
1. Mini-Facelift
This facelift is for candidates who exhibit mild jowls and sagging skin. The mini-facelift is minimally invasive, allowing your surgeon to make shorter incisions along the hairline to tighten deep facial tissues.
After making the incisions, the surgeon lifts and tightens structural tissues surrounding the cheeks to correct jowls, smoothen wrinkles, and refine the jawline.
2. Traditional Facelift
A standard/traditional facelift fully addresses aging signs around the mid-face and neck, including those at an advanced age. The surgical procedure is more extensive than a mini-facelift and achieves more dramatic results.
During this procedure, your surgeon starts near the temples and around your ears’ front. And makes incisions following the hairline, removes the excess skin, repositions the skin’s deep tissues to smooth creases, and eliminates jowls and sagging skin under your chin. The results are a naturally youthful contour and vibrant-looking facial and neck skin.
The Benefits of a Facelift
A facelift has numerous benefits, including a younger-looking face and neck. Here are more benefits of getting a facelift:
Tightening and Redefining Your Neck
A facelift coupled with a neck lift resolves the loose, saggy, or fatty skin tissue on the neck, making one appear to have a “double neck”.
Getting Rid of the Jowls for Good
Jowls hanging from the jawline are not a desirable look for anyone. But luckily, a facelift can help remove them for good for a more defined jawline and facial contour.
Tightening Up Sagging Skin
Sagging skin is an inevitable sign of aging. And while anti-aging creams keep the skin creasing at bay for a while, they become ineffective at some point. A facelift is the next best choice for addressing sagging skin and creating smooth, youthful skin.
Smoothing Deep Creases
Aging results in tissue volume and structure loss, leaving deep creases on the face and neck. A facelift restores these deep tissue structures to a more natural position and volume.
Facelift FAQ
Q: At what age does one achieve the best facelift outcomes?
A: Patients in their mid-40s achieve the best results, but those in their 50s and 60s can also benefit from the procedure.
Q: What type of anesthesia does the surgeon use during a facelift?
A: The surgeon performs a facelift under either general anesthesia or local anesthesia with sedation, depending on the patient’s needs.
Q: Which facial features does a facelift correct?
A: A facelift corrects aging signs on the cheeks and jawline.
Q: Can a surgeon perform other surgical procedures alongside a facelift?
A: Yes. A patient can choose to have a neck contouring, eye lift, and brow lift alongside a facelift.
Q: How long does it take to resume daily activities after a facelift?
A: A patient can recover within two weeks and resume light activities but should wait for four weeks after a standard facelift before continuing strenuous activities.
Q: After how long does bruising and swelling clear after a facelift?
A: Swelling and bruising are most pronounced in the first two days, but it resolves within 10-14 days.
Q: Why should I stay away from the direct sun after a facelift?
A: After a facelift, you are more vulnerable to sunburn, which can affect how your wounds heal.