Facelift | Auburn, AL
Facial aging can be accelerated by sun exposure, smoking and genetics. Skin thins and loses its elasticity resulting in descent of the skin and soft tissues. If you are bothered by the signs of aging in your face, facelift may be right for you.
What does facelift address?
- Sagging facial tissues creating deep folds and wrinkles
- Hollowness or loss of volume of the midface
- Loss of the youthful jaw line resulting in jowls
- Loose neck skin and/or excess neck fat
What is a facelift?
Facelift or rhytidectomy is a procedure that addresses the signs of aging of the mid to lower face. The goal is to turn back the clock and restore a youthful appearance naturally and safely. The procedure is individualized for each patient, but generally involves re-positioning the soft tissue of the face, restoring lost volume and removing excess skin.
Who is a good candidate for facelift or rhytidectomy?
- Someone with loss of facial volume resulting in sagging facial tissue
- Someone with significant jowling
- Someone with neck laxity or “turkey” neck
- Non-smoker
- A healthy individual
- Realistic goals and expectations
What other procedures often accompany facelift for rejuvenation?
Facial rejuvenation involves addressing the entire face. Many times brow lift and blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery) accompany a facelift procedure to produce whole face rejuvenation. These can be performed on the same day or as a staged procedure. Fat grafting and laser skin resurfacing can also be performed in conjunction with facelift to provide restoration of lost volume and rejuvenation of the skin.
What type of anesthesia is used for facelift surgery?
Dr. Aquadro prefers monitored anesthesia care, which is sometimes called twilight sedation. The advantages to this type of anesthesia is that you wake up quicker and have less risk of nausea after surgery. You do not routinely get a tube in your throat (endotracheal tube). Don’t worry, you will not feel or remember the surgery!
Where are your facelift surgeries performed?
Facelift can be performed in our office surgical suite or the ambulatory surgical center. Dr. Aquadro prefers the office for maximum patient comfort, convenience, and confidentiality.
What should every patient considering a facelift do prior to surgery?
Facial rejuvenation involves more than just relocating and tightening the facial tissues. The skin is one of the most important organs in the body. It shows signs of many years of abuse from the sun, smoking and other elements. Full facial rejuvenation cannot be addressed without improving the skin quality. Dr. Aquadro recommends every patient thinking of facial rejuvenation to undergo a full skin care consultation by our highly trained estheticians at Auburn Med Spa. During this visit, your skin will be examined under magnification and a full skin care history will be taken. Prescription strength skin care products such as Obagi, Revision, and Environ can have dramatic effects on the quality of your skin. More info.
What can I expect from a consultation with Dr. Aquadro?
At East Alabama Plastic Surgery we believe you should be well informed about any procedure you are considering. Feel free to bring photos of you when you were younger. The surgeon will present the different options for facelift surgery and discuss the pros and cons of each decision. There are many decisions to be made and we want to involve you in every step of the process. When you to leave East Alabama Plastic Surgery, you should feel at ease about the decision you have reached about facial rejuvenation with a facelift.
What to expect the day of surgery?
Most facelift surgeries are performed in the office with IV sedation. Sometimes the procedure is performed with general anesthesia. On the day of surgery, your surgeon will make some marks on you in the preoperative holding area and confirm the surgery details with you. The surgery can vary from three to six hours.
What is the typical recovery time?
You will see immediate improvement in the excess skin and fat. Mild bruising and edema will be present for up to two weeks. We ask you to sleep with your head elevated for the first two weeks. Sutures are removed in five to seven days. Most people can return to work within two to three weeks. Full strenuous activity can be resumed at four to six weeks.
