A facelift is a surgical procedure that helps create a youthful facial appearance. The cosmetic procedure reduces the sagging skin and folds characteristic of an aging face. It helps change the jawline and cheeks, making a contoured appearance.

Surgeons pull back the facial skin to alter the tissues underneath before removing the excess skin. It is helpful to understand the procedure for a facelift.

When to Perform a Facelift

The natural aging process alters the shape and appearance of the face, but a facelift helps reduce these changes. The procedure helps reduce the sagging of the cheeks and the excess skin along the jawline. It also helps enhance the skin from the mouth's corner to the nose's side.

In some cases, the procedure may include a neck lift to reduce the excess fat and sagging skin on the neck. The facelift does not treat sun damage, superficial wrinkles, and creases around the mouth. Other cosmetic treatments can help improve the skin's appearance.

Preparing for a Facelift

If you decide to get a facelift, you will meet with a plastic surgeon. During the visit, you will reveal your medical history. The surgeon will conduct a physical exam, a medication review, and a facial exam. Examining the shape of your face, skin quality, fat distribution, and bone structure is essential.

The surgeon will ask about your goals and expectations for the procedure. You need to understand how the facelift will change your appearance and what it cannot accomplish. After consultation, the surgeon will discuss whether you are an ideal candidate for a facelift.

Before a Facelift Procedure

There are things that you need to do just before the facelift procedure. Follow directions on any medications you are taking. You may need to stop taking certain supplements and medications at least two weeks before the surgery. Talk to your doctor about medication use. Use germicidal soap to clean your face and hair before the surgery.

Avoid eating anything on the day of the surgery. You can drink water and approved medications. Get someone to drive you home and help you as you recover after surgery.

During a Facelift Procedure

The surgeon can perform a facelift procedure at an outpatient surgical clinic or a hospital. Sometimes, they do it under sedation and local anesthesia that numbs the body parts. In many situations, surgeons recommend general anesthesia that leaves the patient unconscious.

The plastic surgeon will elevate the skin during the facelift and tighten the underlying muscles and tissues. They may remove, sculpt, or redistribute fat in the face. The skin is re-draped over the newly created contours before removing the excess skin and closing the wound.

The Surgical Incision

The incision you get will depend on the type of facelift you require or the desired degree of change. Surgical options include a traditional facelift and a limited incision or mini facelift. A traditional facelift is more extensive, requiring more incisions than a mini lift. Limited incisions are ideal for patients will less excess skin.

After the facelift, you may experience mild or moderate pain, swelling, numbness, bruising, and drainage from incisions. Contact the doctor immediately if you experience severe pain, difficulty breathing, or chest pain.

For more on facelifts, visit Texas Plastic Surgery at our office in San Antonio, Texas. Call 210.981.4490 today to schedule a consultation