What is a Facelift?
A facelift is a surgery to reduce excess facial skin that gradually falls as we age. It is intended to treat sagging skin of the cheeks and jowls, reposition facial fat pads to a more youthful position, and improve deep wrinkle lines that can develop over time in the cheeks or around the mouth. Factors that may increase the facial aging process include skin damage, tobacco use, weight gain and loss, and genetics. Keep in mind, a facelift does not stop the aging process, but will reduce excess skin that is present at the time of surgery. It is not intended to change your unique appearance, but more so to regenerate your youthful self.
The Consultation
During your consultation with Dr. Som Kohanzadeh, he will discuss your overall goals to create a treatment plan that is best for you. Depending on your goals, a facelift can be combined with a brow lift, skin resurfacing, blepharoplasty (eye lid surgery), or neck lift. Nonsurgical options such as JUVÉDERM® or Voluma™ fillers are a less invasive option, however, is intended for those with less excess skin and desire for a more subtle result. Fillers can improve your facial contour and recreate the youthful position of your cheek bones to generate a mild facial lift and more youthful appearance. These can be combined with minimally invasive techniques using Thermi Tight (radio frequency device) for skin tightening to achieve a mild to moderate improvement for those that are not ready to proceed with the more invasive facelift procedure. You can discuss these options with Dr. Som to determine which treatment plan is best for you. Having filler and or Thermi Tight procedure performed does not prevent you from being a candidate for a facelift if you should desire a more significant outcome.
“Dr. Som’s results were not only far better than what I had read online, but healed with almost no pain”
What to Expect
After your facelift, you will have a face wrap bandage that will stay on for 1-2 weeks after surgery at all times except for showering. You can shower and wash gently over the incisions typically 48 hours after surgery. You will likely have 1 small drain which is removed within the first few days post operatively. Bruising and swelling will be the greatest the first few days following surgery, then will gradually improve, with about half of the swelling reduced at 2 weeks, and the majority of swelling reduced at 6-12 weeks post operatively. You will continue to heal and the scars will mature, with the final result expected 3-6 months post operatively.
To learn more about face lift and what procedure may be right for you, contact Dr Som.