Face Lift • Spring Hill

There are a litany of factors which can cause the skin to wrinkle and sag, anything from thinning of the skin, loss of facial fat, gravity, sun damage, smoking, as well as heredity and stress. Children and young adults have smooth, round faces because they haven’t lost their elasticity. Fatty issues in the face are still evenly distributed throughout the contours of it and young people retain a youthful look. The skin loses its elasticity as you age which can lead to the facial skin relaxing and sagging, fold lines found between the mouth and nose deepening, fat deposits moving from one place to another or disappearing, the cheeks and jaws developing jowls, and/or the appearance of a double chin or “turkey neck” caused by loose skin and excess neck fat.

Before and After Patient Photos: Facelift Surgery

Dr. Hashemian performs facelifts, or rhytidectomies, to enhance your appearance and correct these conditions. A facelift involves tightening of the facial and neck muscles as well as the removal of any excess skin. The procedure is often performed in conjunction with additional cosmetic surgeries such as blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery), forehead lift, chin augmentation, liposuction, and/or rhinoplasty (nasal surgery). These procedures can be performed any time after signs of aging appear in order to attain a more youthful appearance.

Before Facelift Surgery

Dr. Hashemian will evaluate your medical records and perform a consultation to assess your fitness level for facelift surgery and anesthesia. The skin laxity in the face and neck, skin type, locations of fat deposits, muscle conditions beneath the skin, and the fortitude of the bone structure of the face will all be evaluated in consideration for your rhytidectomy. Current and past health problems along with specific lifestyle habits such as smoking or drinking should be disclosed to the oral & maxillofacial surgeon because being aware of any obstacles will allow them to better plan and perform your surgery. You should converse with the surgeon about your desired cosmetic goals so they may fit them into the surgery plan as well.

The surgeon will advise the patient to stop certain lifestyle decisions such as smoking for several weeks prior to the facelift procedure as it can pose a risk during surgery. Smoking can cause problems with the blood flow of a patient and interrupt healing post-surgery. Additionally, the surgeon may request the patient alter their medication schedule as certain prescription and non-prescription drugs can pose a factor to facelift surgery. Over-the-counter drugs such as aspirin may be required to be stopped as they can alter how a patient bleeds during surgery. Antibiotics may also be prescribed to prevent infection. You may be instructed to shampoo your hair the night before surgery. A small amount of hair may be shaved around your ears and temples. Photographs and computer imaging are performed to determine the amount of improvement after surgery.

Dr. Hashemian will approve the patient for face lift surgery and then prepare a surgical plan designed to meet the patient’s unique wants and/or needs. Surgical plans help to create satisfying results, they may include the technique of choice the surgeon will perform, whether there will be local or general anesthesia, how large the incisions will be, where the incisions will be, how to shape the face, where to operate, procedures duration and cost, whether additional surgery may be required, and the recovery plan.

Surgery

A rhytidectomy, or face lift, can be performed under IV sedation or general anesthesia in our state-of-the-art surgical facility. These options will be discussed in detail with you during your consultation. Premedication is administered to the patient for relaxation during the surgery. Incisions are made inside the hairline at the temple, running in front of the ear then around the earlobe and behind the ear, ending in the hair of the scalp. The loose skin is separated from underlying tissue and is pulled up and back. Excess skin is then removed and sagging muscles and connective tissues are tightened. In some cases, fatty deposits are removed from beneath the chin and neck. Small sutures are used to close the incisions. The procedure may take up to five hours depending on whether any other procedures are performed at the same time.

Postoperative Care

Bandages are applied to the area of surgery and are removed within a few days while pain is moderate and controlled with oral medications. Your sutures are removed within the first five to ten days however in order to minimize scarring, the doctor may remove the sutures in stages. If scarring does occur, it fades quickly with swelling and discoloration decreasing within two weeks. Tightness in your face will be present for several weeks and there may be slight changes in your hair pattern around the incision.

It is recommended that you avoid the sun for several weeks after surgery to protect yourself. Healing is gradual so you may not notice final results for up to six months. Improvement varies, depending on your initial condition. In most cases, a single procedure achieves the desired results. Most patients who have had facelifts are pleased with their new, more youthful appearance.