Cosmetic Plastic Surgery: Face Lift Procedure for Women

A rhytidectomy, commonly called a face lift, is derived from the Latin word rhytid, which refers to wrinkles, and the suffix ectomy, referring to the removal of. The origins of this procedure can be traced back to the 20th century, when several German and French surgeons began experimenting with face lifting, with it eventually evolving into a widely practiced procedure today. The face lift procedure is intended to improve sagging cheeks, facial drooping, jowls, and loose neck skin; which can result from the aging process, and hereditary or environmental factors. The loss of skin elasticity contributes to deep line formations around the mouth and jowls; this combined with sagging skin will give an appearance of increased age and an overall tired look.

A face lift involves the removal of excess fat, tightening underlying muscles, and redrapping the skin of the face and neck, to improve the contour of the face and giving it a more smooth and softened appearance-youthful and refreshed.

Face lifts are considered elective cosmetic surgery, and therefore, are generally not covered by insurance. However, if the procedure is being done to correct genetic deformities or traumatic injuries, the patient may be reimbursed whole or partially, depending on their insurance coverage.

Face lift for Women Information:

Most Women, who decide to undergo a face lift, are between 40 to 70 years of age. The face lift may be done alone, or in conjunction with other cosmetic procedures like a forehead lift, eyelid surgery, and nose reshaping.

Pre-operatively, face lift candidates, who smoke, should follow their surgeon's instructions in regards to when they should stop smoking; because, smoking cessation will promote healing and proper recovery. Also, your surgeon may instruct you to stop taking certain medications prior and after your face lift; so, it is recommended to discuss, with your surgeon, the types of medications you may be taking.

Depending on your surgeon, your face lift may be done under local anesthesia with heavy sedation, or general anesthesia, where you will be totally asleep. This procedure may be done as an outpatient surgery, where you will go home the same day, or an inpatient procedure, requiring you to stay one to two days in their surgery clinic or the hospital. The face lift procedure should take anywhere from three to seven hours to complete.

The type of face lift performed will be based of the surgeons training, experience, and or the patient's specific needs. There are several different face lift surgeries all with the common goal of making it look as natural as possible. Incision sites are carefully considered, and placing them inconspicuously is the key. In general, incisions made during a face lift are usually made just in front of the ear and wrap around the back of the ear and hide within the hairline. In cases where the necke needs lifting, a small incision will be made under the chin. There are several types of face lifts, the Standard or Traditional Face Lift, Deep Plan face lift, Mini- Incision or Short Scar Face Lift, S-lift, and Mid-face lift.

In a Standard or Traditional Face Lift for women, a thin incision is made within the hairline above the ear, extends downward around and behind the earlobe, and then back into the hair. There will be no hair shaven. After the incision is made, the skin is raised, excess fat is removed, sutures are then used to tighten deep layers of muscles and connective tissue, skin is removed, and the face is lifted and tightened. A small drain and bulky bandage is put in place for up to one or two days after surgery.

Deep Plan Face Lifts, after incision is made, will elevate facial muscle and fat that lies below the SMAS (superficial musculoaponeurotic system) layer, and securing fat pads in the cheek and mid-face back into its natural position. This type of lift aims to reduce the appearance of deep creases that may have been apparent between the nose and mouth.

The Mini- Incision or Short Scar Face Lift is somewhat different from the standard facelift, because is disturbs less tissue. It is performed through a short incision made within the temporal hairline and down to the earlobe. There is no incision made behind the ear. Deep internal surgery is then done on the SMAS (superficial musculoaponeurotic system) and platysma muscle. These will be released and lifted to provide additional support and lifting of the cheeks. Next, excess fat is removed from the neck and jowls. Then the excess skin will finally be removed and the face lifted and tightened. A small drain and bulky bandage is put in place for up to one or two days after surgery.

Derived from its name, S-Lift refers to the shape of the excision that is used near the ear. This technique involves suturing the SMAS and ESP (extension of the supraplatysmal plane). By doing this, the soft tissue of the cheekbones will provide stability and fullness to the area.

With the Mid-Face Lift, tiny incisions will be made in the hairline and inside the mouth. Through these incisions, the fat pads of the cheek will be repositioned up and back over the natural position over the cheekbones.

Details About Face lifts for Women:

In preparation for having a face lift, the patient will want to make sure they have someone who can drive them home after the procedure, and then stay with them for at least 48hours. The patient should also plan ahead for their recovery, by organizing their recovery area. They should include items such as ice or frozen bags of vegetables for swelling, gauze and clean towels, a telephone that is easy to reach, ointments or creams recommended by doctor, thermometer to monitor for fever, magazines and books, and loose comfortable clothing.

After the face lift procedure, there will be minimal pain that will mostly subside by the second or third post-operative day. Any pain can be managed with medication that is instructed and prescribed by the surgeon. Patient may see swelling which is mild to moderate and then peaks at about the third post-operative day; and then, the swelling should disappear rapidly over the next three weeks. Minimal bruising may appear on about day two, and diminish by three to seven days.

Patients having the standard face lift can expect to resume activities within the first week, most activities by at least three weeks, and able to return to work in two to four weeks after surgery. Sutures are removed on about the fourth day and the remainder on the tenth or fourteenth day.

Those patients having the minimal incision face lift can expect to resume activities within the first week, most activities by at least three weeks, and be able to return to work in one to two weeks after surgery. Sutures are removed on about the fourth to seventh day.

As with any surgical procedures, a face lift for a woman does carry some risks such as those related to anesthesia, infection, bleeding, poor healing, and scarring.