Facelift

As we all know, the body changes over the years. The face also goes through a lot of changes. Sun, weather, wind and life as such make the skin less elastic and the color changes. The muscles that have reflected our emotions on the face eventually give rise to small wrinkles and furrows. Over time, the fat under the skin decreases, even the facial skeleton breaks down. The result of these changes is of course aging. Most often, it does not reflect the inner age. The difference between the inner age and the outer appearance can sometimes be annoying.

The first signs of aging are usually seen in the area around the eyes and neck. In most cases, surgery on these areas gives the best results. The difference between perceived age and chronological age is reduced. Sometimes it is not only the neck and the area around the eyes that age, but also the cheeks and especially the skin below the corners of the mouth. As the skin becomes less elastic and sags, the face takes on a more square shape, instead of the round or oval it once was in youth. These “bulldog” cheeks are not fun and many men and women seek this out, often in conjunction with “turkey neck”.

surgery

To get rid of wrinkled and sagging skin with deep furrows and especially “bulldog” cheeks, a face lift can be performed. The scar will go from the hairline at the temple, in front of the ear, around the earlobe, behind the ear and into the hair behind the ear. Although it is a slightly longer scar, it often heals so well that it is difficult to see the scar at all after about a year. What may be slightly more visible is the scar behind the ear. Through a face lift, we can loosen the skin on the cheeks and neck and stretch the underlying muscles. The excess skin is cut away. A face lift is often done together with a classic neck lift , lower and upper eyelid surgery . A forehead lift or eyebrow lift may also be included.

Risks and complications

Common complications:

• Wide scars in the area behind the ears.
• Transient sagging skin under the chin.
• Bruising and swelling.

Unusual complications:

• Infection (treated with antibiotics).
• Bleeding.
• Impaired nerve function to muscles around the mouth (transient in most cases).
• Worse sensation in certain areas of the face.
• Poor blood circulation in the skin that is loosened (necrosis). Most commonly behind the ears.

This is how the operation works

In the morning, you will come to the operating room and meet your plastic surgeon, who will take photographs and draw up a plan of the operation. The operation takes about 2,5–4 hours, depending on how extensive it is. After the operation, you will be given a special dressing that you will wear around the clock for at least a week, preferably two to facilitate healing. After these initial weeks, the dressing is used as much as possible, most easily at times when you are at home and during the night.

Follow-up

After a week you will come back to remove the stitches and check that the healing and swelling look normal. After two weeks you will come back to remove any remaining stitches. Even though the skin heals quickly, it will still take a year before you see the definitive end result. The first few weeks after the operation you will be a little swollen. During the first and possibly second week you will have some bruising that will gradually disappear. A face lift does not hurt that much, and you can start working again after just a few days. If you have a job with a lot of meetings or in an exposed position, you may want to stay home for a couple of weeks.

Book a consultation and talk to a specialist to find out what is best for you.