Facelift / Lower facelift / Mini facelift

Facelifts are beneficial for both men and women with:

• Sagging caused by relaxation of facial skin
• Deepened fold lines between the nose and the corners of the mouth
• Fallen or diminished fat
• Jowls forming in the cheeks and jaw area
• Loose skin and excess fat in the neck, often resulting in a double chin or “turkey neck”
• Individuals with a positive outlook and realistic expectations
• Healthy individuals, non smokers who do not have medical conditions that impair healing

• You need to undergo lab tests or a medical evaluation.
• Take specific medications or adjust your current ones.
• Stop smoking.
• Avoid aspirin, anti-inflammatory drugs, and herbal supplements, as they can increase bleeding and bruising.

You must arrange for a friend or family member to drive you to and from the surgery and stay with you the first night following the procedure.

During a facelift procedure, medications are administered to ensure your comfort, with options including intravenous sedation and general anesthesia. Your doctor will recommend the best choice for you. The type of facelift—traditional, limited incision, or neck lift—depends on the degree of change desired.
A traditional facelift incision typically starts at the temples in the hairline, continues around the ear, and ends in the lower scalp. Fat is redistributed from the face, jowls, and neck, while underlying tissue, including the deeper facial layers and muscles, are repositioned and lifted. The skin is then redraped over the new contours, and excess skin is removed.
To further enhance an aging neck, a second incision under the chin may be necessary. Incisions are closed with sutures that either dissolve or need removal after a few days, or with skin adhesives. Once healed, these incisions are well concealed within the hairline and natural facial contours.

Following completion of a facelift, a bandage might be placed around your face to minimize swelling and bruising. Small tubes / drains may be present to draw off any excess blood or fluid.
You will be given specific instructions on how to care for the surgical site and drains, medications to apply or take orally, specific concerns to look for at the surgical site or in your general health and when to follow up with your plastic surgeon.

• For the first 72 hours after surgery, you should apply cold packs intermittently to the face to reduce swelling. Keep your head elevated when lying down. Avoid strenuous exercise, including going to the gym. Clean your face with mild soap and water and gently dab to dry the skin.
• Recovery following a facelift surgery takes about 3-4 weeks as you will wear a “stretched” or a “pulled up” look for a while. The drains are removed 48 hours & the sutures come off by the 7th day.
• It takes about 2-3 weeks for the swelling and the bruises to subside during which the prescribed meds and creams help.
• You will need to wear a pressure garment for a month following the surgery. Make sure to follow all instructions carefully.

• Anesthesia risks
• Bleeding
• Facial nerve injury with weakness
• Numbness or other changes in skin sensation
• Poor wound healing and skin loss
• Skin irregularities and discoloration
• Temporary or permanent hair loss at the incisions
• Unfavourable scarring
• Unsatisfactory results may include asymmetry, unsatisfactory surgical scar location and unacceptable visible deformities at the ends of the incisions