Face and Neck Lift

Facelift surgery, or a rhytidectomy, is designed to restore a more youthful appearance by removing major wrinkles and sagging skin. Children and young adults have smooth, round faces due to evenly distributed fatty tissues in facial contours. As a result of aging, sun exposure and genetics, the facial skin may sag and wrinkle, and folds of the chin, jaw line and neck may become prominent. Facelift surgery helps to temporarily reverse this process by tightening the facial and neck muscles and removing any excess skin. A facelift is frequently performed in conjunction with blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery), a forehead lift, and chin augmentation (and/or liposuction) to create an overall rejuvenation of the face. A single session often achieves the desired results.

Facelifts are performed in outpatient surgical centers or in an accredited physician’s office. Local anesthesia with intravenous sedation is most commonly used, with premedication to help you relax. General anesthesia is generally not required but can be used if desired. 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. In some cases, fatty deposits are removed from beneath the chin and neck. Incisions are closed with small sutures. The procedure may take up to five hours, depending on whether any additional procedures are included in the operation.

In the weeks following the surgery, the facial skin and area around the ear may be numb. There may also be some temporary discoloration as healing begins, which may take a few months to disappear. Occasionally, the facial nerve is bruised during surgery, resulting in temporary loss of function or sensation. Serious or permanent damage to the facial nerve is rare. The healing process is gradual, so you will not notice final results for up to six months. Most patients who have had facelifts are pleased with their new, more youthful appearance.

For a facelift in Thousand Oaks or Oxnard California contact plastic surgeon David Michelson