Nowhere does aging leave it's imprint more noticeably than in the face. Sun exposure also contributes to facial wrinkling, as do smoking, your diet, and the amount of alcohol you drink. A
face lift, or rhytidectomy as it is called by plastic surgeons, can improve and sometimes eliminate wrinkles and sagging skin on the face and neck.
In recent years, the number of facelifts performed by plastic surgeons has risen dramatically and an increasing percentage of those patients are men. In fact, more than 10 percent of the facelifts performed each year are on male patients.
Whether male or female, the reason for having a facelift is often the same - the desire to improve your appearance. Although your bone structure, heredity, and skin texture all play a role in how many “years” a facelift can “remove”
it is fully reasonable to expect a facelift to expect a facelift to make you look good for your age.
IS IT RIGHT FOR YOU? A face lift may not be the only way to diminish the evidence of aging. In some cases, facial rejuvenation can be achieved through another procedure such as chemical peel. As with a facelift, the chemical peel can lessen
wrinkles around the mouth, forehead and cheeks, but unlike a facelift, it cannot remove sagging skin or firm facial muscles.
Some patients use their facelifts as an opportunity to also have baggy pouches of excess skin and fat removed from around their eyes. Eyelid surgery, called Blepharoplasty, can be performed at the same time as a facelift. Your plastic
surgeon will be able to advise you as to which procedure or procedures will best achieve the desired results.
THE PROCEDURE: A facelift will take place in the hospital under general anesthetic, which will make you sleep through the operation. Depending on the extent of surgery, the procedure usually takes from two to four hours, longer if there are
other procedures involved such as blepharoplasty and or lip augmentation.
In most facelift operations, the surgeon starts an incision inside the hairline at the temple continues downward in a natural line around the earlobe and into the back of the scalp or nape
muscle underneath. Then, the surgeon lifts the skin up and back around the temple and front and back of the ear. The surgeon removes the excess skin, tailoring it smoothly to the contour of the
face. When necessary, the surgeon will remove fatty deposits from under the chin and neck, and tighten sagging muscles to give the overall face a firmer appearance.
The surgeon uses sutures to close the incision and the surgeon may wrap the patient in large loose dressings.
POST OP
Elevate your head at all times for the next 2-3 weeks. (At least 45 degrees)
Use cold compress (1 cup frozen peas in Ziploc baggie) as much as possible, the initial 24 hours following surgery (preferably 10 minutes on and 20 minutes off)
Avoid turning the head or bending the neck. Move the shoulders and head as one unit. This is to be done the first 2-3 weeks.
FOR PATIENTS WITH SUTURES AND OR STAPLES
Dilute hydrogen peroxide with water 50/50 solution.
Using Q-tips dipped in the peroxide solution, you will begin to clean your sutures (located in front and behind the ear, under the chin and staples; located inside the hairline,
running from the temple area to the neckline.) Dip the Q-tips into hydrogen peroxide (diluted with 50/50.) Gently roll along the sutured and stapled areas. Vaseline to sutured areas only. (DO NOT apply on sutures or staples in the hair.)
This should be done two times per day until all sutures and staples are removed.
After cleansing these areas, apply Vaseline to the sutured areas. This should be done 2/3 times a day until removed.
Any bandages on face can be removed the morning after surgery.
A shower can be taken the morning after surgery. Gently let warm water run down the back of your head.
DO NOT use mousse, gel or hair sprays for 2 weeks after surgery, this could irritate the area.
FOLLOW UP CARE
A follow up visit after surgery is
required the following day, if it is a Friday Dr. O’Donnell will need to see you on a Monday.
If you are staying overnight in the hospital Dr. O’Donnell will be over to see you the next day.
SUTURES: are removed in eyes 5-7 days. Around the forehead
Ears and chin can vary due to recovery from surgery.
BRUISING: can and may last 7-10 days even as long as 21days. With each patient this may vary.
SWELLING/TIGHTENING/NUMBNESS: decreases over A period of time, 24-48 hours and as time goes on it continues to improve. You will
have some swelling, tightening and numbness, this is due to trauma. And a recovery period could take as long as 3-6 months. With individual patients this may vary.
Follow up visits are included in your surgical care. Dr. O’Donnell follows all surgical patients for a full year. The intervals between visits differ from patient to patient depending on your
recovery.
*If you have any questions or concerns please contact our office at 303-860-7575. We have a physician on call seven days a week, 24 hours a day.
