What’s a facelift?
We all want to look and feel young. However, as we age, our tissues and skin tend to lose their elasticity, which results in wrinkles and sagging. Facelift surgery helps to tighten and lift these facial tissues, helping to restore your youthful look. The procedure can involve smoothing out wrinkles or folds, removing excess skin, and tightening facial tissues. Note that a facelift doesn’t include eye or brow lift, but it can be done at the same time. A facelift is usually concerned with the bottom half of the face and may include the neck sometimes. A facelift can be done for various reasons. A common reason is to conceal the signs of aging.
What’s the right time to get a facelift?
If you’re above the age of 40, you’ve probably been there. You no longer recognize the face in the mirror. Like a great house in an older neighborhood, it’s time to remodel. Age doesn’t matter, and anybody can get a facelift. If you’re feeling self-conscious or your self-confidence has been affected by wrinkles and sagging skin, maybe it’s time to get a facelift. Perhaps you want to look young or want a solution for problems such as excess fat under the chin or loose neck muscles.
Who’s a good candidate?
- Any person with no underlying medical condition that may interfere with recovery from surgery or wound healing
- An individual who doesn’t smoke or misuse substances
- A person with realistic expectations of what facelift surgery involves
Before surgery, your plastic surgeon will take a look at your medical history to determine if you’re a good candidate. They will look at:
- Medications
- Blood clotting
- Blood pressure
- Cigarette smoking
- Allergies
- Scarring
- Drug use
- Skin condition
Also, your doctor will discuss with you what the procedure involves, the type of anesthesia used, where the surgery will take place, recovery, and possible complications.
Potential complications
Like any other surgery, undergoing facelift surgery has risks. However, facelift complications are rare, and cosmetic surgeries are generally safe, provided they are done by a qualified and experienced plastic surgeon. Possible facelift complications include:
- Prolonged swelling
- Scarring or pain
- Bleeding
- Cardiac events
- Loss of hair at the incision sites
- Problems with wound healing
- Infection
What to expect after the surgery
Some people experience pain or discomfort accompanied by swelling and bruising. This is normal. Your doctor will prescribe medications to relieve the discomfort and pain. Your doctor will also advise you on when and how to remove any drains or dressings. Once the swelling has gone down, you’ll be able to see the results.
Usually, recovery takes about two weeks, after which you can resume normal activities. However, for rigorous activities such as exercising, it requires up to four weeks. Your skin may take a few months before it ‘feels normal’ again.
How long will the results last?
Although there are no guarantees, most facelifts will last for many years. Some of the things you can do to extend facelift results include:
- Prevent sun exposure.
- Nourish your skin from the inside.
- Use proper skincare products.
- Use anti-aging products.
- Maintain a healthy lifestyle. Eat a healthy diet and stay smoke-free.
Things to Consider Before Getting a Facelift
People have different motivations for cosmetic surgery, and sometimes, they are realistic, but other times, they aren’t. Any cosmetic surgery, and more so facial plastic surgery, isn’t something to take lightly. Here are things you need to consider before you decide to get a facelift.
Motivation
What’s your motivation? You see, it’s crucial that you already feel good about the way you look – that you just want a younger version of yourself or want to improve your self-image. You don’t want to have a facelift because you want a new life. A facelift should be a way to improve your self-image. Maybe you look tired, older, or angry, and you just want to improve yourself a bit.
Expectations
A facelift won’t help you get your job back or bring your wife or husband back. It also won’t help you look like your favorite celebrity.
Your skin, cartilage, and structure determine the results. Facelift fine-tunes what you have, but can’t change you to someone else. For instance, it can help your nose look better on your face, but it can’t change it to somebody’s nose.
Support system
You’ll feel blue, and you want to have people around you who support your decisions.
Emotional state
If you’re going through a tough period, you just lost a loved one, lost your job, got divorced, or are depressed, it’s not the right time to have cosmetic surgery. Don’t be mistaken that facelift will pull you out of your emotional trauma. Instead, cosmetic surgery can make your depression worse.
Cost
You don’t want to add another financial trouble if you already have enough. Make sure you can afford facelift surgery before you see a surgeon.
Vision
It’s crucial to have a clear idea of what you want, and be able to make your plastic surgeon understand.
Useful Tips to Get a Successful Facelift
Prepare diligently.
You should consult your doctor about the things you should do and not do before cosmetic surgery. Common things include:
- Quit smoking.
- Don’t take alcohol and caffeine the weeks before the surgery.
- Scheduling time off from your daily duties
Focus on recovery and healing.
Recovering from a facelift surgery can take a couple of weeks. The key to a successful procedure is to ensure you follow post-operative instructions from your doctor.
Find a good provider.
Normally, insurance won’t pay for a facelift surgery since it’s a cosmetic procedure. An insurance-approved provider shouldn’t be a bother. However, you want to make sure your doctor is certified by the American Board of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery or the American Board of Plastic Surgery. It helps to make sure that specific standards of expertise, education, and best practices are observed. Check out Lexingtonps for remarkable cosmetic surgery services.
