Facelift: The “King” assumes his throne once again

By asking a few questions about the different types of medical and cosmetic procedures, and the manner in which these are performed, our goal is to emphasise the value of knowledge, experience, and strict professionalism with regard to the classic plastic surgery of the face.  The facelift (rhytidectomy) represent the leading cosmetic surgical procedure, but perhaps the most misunderstood one as well.  Wishing to share my personal experience of 20 years as a Plastic Surgeon with the reader, I would like to note that…

The traps of beauty

I often read in magazines various new names for techniques using creams, injectable materials (liquid facelift, baby facelift, Vampire facelift etc.) , or also machines that attempt to mimic the facelift procedure, but there is no relationship between these, neither as procedures or with regard to the results.   In the media, we see faces with extremely swollen lips, cheeks, cheekbones etc., and there are comments about their “failed” facelifts.  The facelift procedure is not at all related with these types of effects, which are usually the result of the injection of materials such as fat, hyaluronic acid, hydroxyapatites etc. to an exaggerated degree, leading to a not-so-beautiful aesthetic result.

What we look like...in the operating room

The surgical facelift is a procedure that must be carried out by a speciated Plastic Surgeon in a well-organised clinic and following a full presurgical workup.  It is carried out under sedation (neuroleptic aesthesia) and local anaesthesia or, for those who wish, general anaesthesia.  It can be paired with other procedures, such as blepharoplasty (removal of bags from under the eyes).  Usually, an overnight stay at the clinic ensues, and the avoidance of social events for seven to ten days due to the swelling.

The results count

When a proper indication exists, in other words when there is sagging of the skin of the face and neck, usually at ages over 45-50 – in women as well as in men – the results are excellent.  This procedure can also be limited – if one wishes – only to restoration of sagging in the neck.  Contraindications include certain illnesses and heavy smoking.

The facelift thus represents the leading surgical procedure, and the only one that effectively treats sagging of the skin of the face and neck.  So, may the king (of facelifts) assume his throne once again!