Children and young adults have smooth & round faces due to evenly distributed fatty tissues in facial contours. Over time, the skin sags and folds over the chin, jaw line and neck. The skin begins to wrinkle and sag as a result of age. Skin changes are among the most visible signs of aging. Evidence of increasing age includes wrinkles and sagging skin. The loss of youthful contours in the face can be due to a variety of factors, including environmental conditions, heredity, gravity, nutrition and stress. The greatest single factor, though, is sun exposure. Changes in the connective tissue reduce the skin's strength and elasticity. This is known as elastosis and is especially marked in sun-exposed areas (solar elastosis). Elastosis produces the leathery, weather-beaten appearance common to farmers, sailors, and others who spend a large amount of time outdoors.

Facial aging is also associated with a loss of tissue elasticity where the skin and underlying muscle can no longer rebound from the effects of gravity. While the aging process itself cannot be changed, non surgical aesthetic treatments can delay or reverse some of its effects. For example, over-active facial muscles can be softened with BOTOX®, wrinkles reduced by using lasers, peels or fillers. Newer lasers and Radiofrequency devices such can tighten the collagen under the skin to improve texture. Especially when used in combination, these treatments can make one’s face appear younger. Despite recent media popularity, these devices can give a minor lift in younger patients; however, they cannot substitute for surgical facial rejuvenation when a face or brow lift is indicated.

Face Lift Surgery or Rhytidectomy (Also referred as Face Sculpting)

A Facelift or Rhytidectomy is aesthetic surgery to improve and sometimes eliminate evidence of aging, such as wrinkles and sagging skin on the face and neck. During a face-lift, facial soft tissues are lifted, excess skin is removed and skin is draped back over the newly repositioned contours. A neck lift (platysmaplasty) is often done as part of a face-lift. You might choose to have a face-lift if your facial skin is beginning to droop — a common occurrence with aging. A face-lift might also boost your self-confidence.
A face-lift can be done in combination with some other cosmetic procedures, such as a brow lift or eyelid surgery. A face-lift, however, won't improve the quality of your facial skin. If you have wrinkles or sun damage, you might also consider a skin-resurfacing procedure like laser resurfacing or chemical peels. Dermal fillers may also be used in conjunction with a facelift to help fill hollow areas of the face.

Are you a good candidate for Face-Lift surgery?

The best candidate for a facelift is a woman or man whose face and neck have begun to sag, but whose skin still has some elasticity and whose bone structure is strong and well defined. You are a good candidate for facelift if you have one or combination of these following conditions -

• Deep wrinkles and smile lines
• Sagging in the middle of your face
• Loss of skin tone in the lower face that creates jowls
• Loose skin on neck and jaw

The Procedure

The facelift surgery can be performed under local anesthesia with sedation or general anesthesia. It usually takes 2-4 hours to perform the procedure and you can go home one the same day or after the overnight stay.
The extent of the procedure depends on what changes are desired and what your surgeon deems appropriate. When removal of pouches around the eyes is desirable, eyelid surgery (Blepharoplasty) may be done in conjunction with the facelift surgery. All forms of rhytidectomy are popular with both men and women who feel their face looks older than they feel. The surgeon will make incisions inside the hairline at the temple, in front of the ear, then around the earlobe and behind the ear, ending at the scalp area. Excess skin is removed and sagging muscles and connective tissues are tightened and fixed in a desired direction. In some cases, fatty deposits are removed from beneath the chin and neck. Incisions are closed with small sutures.
The facelift has always been regarded as a major surgical procedure but recent advances in technique have made it much safer and comfortable experience.

Your Recovery

Immediately after the Facelift surgery, bandages are gently placed about the head and face for 24 hours. In the Facelift, patients can expect some swelling of the face and eyelids and some discoloration is common with any type of facial surgery. This is most notable on the second and third days and gradually diminishes in approximately one week. Feeling of tightness in your face will be present for several weeks, which will soften gradually. You can return to your work after 2-3 weeks and will be able to resume light exercise after 4-6 weeks. Stitches around the ears will be removed in a few days. The scalp sutures will be removed in 7-10 days. To minimize scarring, the doctor may remove the sutures in stages. Scarring fades quickly. Once healed, the incision lines from a facelift are well concealed within the hairline and in the natural contours of the face and ear. However, this also depends on your type of skin, age and healing ability. We recommend you to avoid sun exposure for few weeks after surgery.

Expected Results

The visible improvements of a facelift appear as swelling and bruising subside. Your final result should not only restore a more youthful and rested appearance, but also help you feel more confident about yourself. The degree of improvement can be determined by such factors as age, heredity, bone structure and various individual characteristics of the skin and personal habits such as alcohol intake, nutrition and smoking. All these factors (to some extent) will determine how long a facelift will last. Life-long sun protection will help to maintain your rejuvenated appearance by minimizing photo-aging or sun damage. In addition, a healthy lifestyle will also help extend the results of your rejuvenated, more youthful appearance.

Prevention

While you cannot stop or even slow down the intrinsic aging process, you can prevent signs of premature aging by protecting your skin from the sun, quitting smoking. Prevention is a lifelong process.

• Avoiding deliberate tanning, including use of indoor tanning devices.
• Prevent sunburn if at all possible.
• Use a good quality sunscreen when outdoors, even in the winter. Sunscreen should be broad spectrum (offers UVA and UVB protection) and have a Sun Protection Factor (SPF) of 30 or higher. Sunscreen should be applied 30 minutes before going outdoors to all skin that will be exposed. It should be reapplied after sweating or being in water and should be repeated every 3-4 hourly in day time.
• Wear protective clothing and hats, when outdoors during the day.

Good nutrition and adequate fluids are also helpful. Dehydration increases the risk of skin injury. Sometimes minor nutritional deficiencies can cause rashes, skin lesions, and other skin changes, even if you have no other symptoms. Keep skin moist with lotions and other moisturizers. Moist skin is more comfortable and will heal more quickly. Do not use soaps that are heavily perfumed.