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Sagging facial and neck skin, sunken cheeks, numerous wrinkles, excess fat tissue in the chin and neck areas - all these signs of aging can be minimized with a surgical procedure called facelift.
What Is a Facelift?
Facelift - a plastic surgery procedure aimed at correcting age-related changes in the skin, subcutaneous fat tissue, and SMAS layer (superficial musculoaponeurotic system, the framework that provides the clear contour of the face).
Photo: Temporal facelift
The best candidates for facelift are patients whose face and/or neck have started to sag, but the skin still retains elasticity.
The main goal of such a procedure is to rejuvenate the facial contour while preserving naturalness and individuality.
Types of Facelift
Depending on the extent of the surgical intervention, there are 2 main types of facelifts for the face and neck: traditional facelift (circular lift) and mini-facelift (temporal lift, lower face and neck lift).
Facelift can be performed using either the traditional technique or the endoscopic method.
Endoscopic Facelift
The endoscopic technique is one of the newest methods in plastic surgery, allowing to perform surgery with small incisions of 1-2 cm, minimal trauma, and a shorter recovery period. For a typical endoscopic facelift, about 3 short incisions are required, hidden in the hairy part of the head and/or behind the ears. Special endoscopic equipment is used during the operation. Abroad, this operation is also called "scarless facelift".
Photo: Endoscopic facelift
Unlike the traditional facelift, during endoscopic facelift of the facial contour only tissue redistribution and lifting of subcutaneous structures are performed without excision of excess skin. Endoscopic surgery is indicated for patients with visible signs of aging but without excess skin, typically patients under 40 years of age.
Circular Facelift
This procedure involves lifting the SMAS layer of all facial zones - upper, middle, and lower, as well as the neck. During the operation, excess skin and subcutaneous fat are excised, and due to the fact that the wound edges are sutured with a smaller area of skin - there is a lifting and rejuvenation effect of the facial features.
Indications for circular facelift: ptosis of the skin around the eyes, on the cheeks, chin, formation of jowls, sagging neck skin.
Photo: Circular SMAS facelift of the face and neck, 2 weeks after surgery
After such an operation, the facial skin becomes taut, sagging decreases, deep wrinkles smooth out, and the facial contour becomes more defined.
Temporal Zone
Temporal facelift is currently very popular - a lifting method performed in the upper third of the face. A small incision is made in the hairline on the temples, and the upper SMAS zone is tightened, and excess skin is excised.
There are several "secrets" to performing upper lift that help preserve the hair. The main one is that tissues are not coagulated in the hair growth area, and the skin is not sutured under tension, all tension is in the deep tissues.
The effect of temporal lifting is felt immediately: the corners of the eyebrows and the outer corners of the upper eyelids are lifted, the cheek fat pads and sagging cheek tissues are lifted, wrinkles in the corners of the eyes are smoothed, and nasolabial folds become less pronounced. Most patients can return to work on the second day.
Lower Face and Neck Lift
The lower facelift tightens the area near the corners of the lower jaw. Indications for lower face and neck lifting include: appearance of jowls, double chin, folds, ptosis, and sagging neck skin.
Photo: Neck lift without stitches. Author's technique. Combination of liposuction with thread lift in one operation
How the Operation Goes
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Anesthesia: general anesthesia (intravenous or inhalation)
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Operation Time: 40 minutes for mini-facelift, up to 2.5-3 hours for full facelift
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Procedure: 1) preoperative marking is applied 2) an incision is made in the skin at the required location 3) the skin is dissected, the SMAS layer is moved (lifted), and the skin is fixed in a new position 4) excess skin is excised 5) sutures are applied: internal sutures - absorbable, external sutures can be either absorbable or non-absorbable.
Contraindications:
- infectious diseases
- diabetes mellitus
- cardiovascular pathologies
- coagulation disorders
- hypertension
- cancer
- psychiatric disorders
Rehabilitation after Circular Facelift
To reduce the risk of complications after surgery and speed up the recovery process, it is necessary to fully comply with the doctor's recommendations.
- Full recovery may take up to 4 weeks
- Hospital stay: at least 1 day
- Pain sensations. Immediately after circular lift, patients experience pulling pain, which subsides within a few days. Analgesics are taken if necessary.
- Swelling reaches its maximum on the third day after surgery. It subsides within 2 weeks.
- Bruising and hematomas completely disappear within 14 days
- Wearing compression bandage for up to 5 days
- Physical activities are prohibited for 2 weeks
- Recommendations: proper nutrition, avoidance of alcohol and smoking (impairs scar healing after facelift, as nicotine negatively affects blood circulation), avoiding sun exposure, and refraining from applying makeup for several weeks.
Rehabilitation is a very individual moment: for most patients, it proceeds without complications, and patients look good, as in the Before and After photos and videos. But there are times when hematomas and swelling develop a little later because the maximum swelling increases by the 3rd day after surgery.
Facelift Results
The result of a facelift depends on the patient's age, skin condition, presence of diseases and bad habits, as well as lifestyle factors (work, diet, etc.). Repeat facelifts can be done every 5-10 years. However, the timing of the repeat surgery may be delayed if you provide quality care for your skin. Also, remember that weight fluctuations tend to stretch the skin, so healthy eating and stable weight can prolong the result.
For enhanced effect, endoscopic facelift can be combined with Thread Lift, Blepharoplasty, Lipofilling, Liposuction. During the consultation stage, the plastic surgeon will select the best combination of rejuvenating surgeries specifically for you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Causes of problematic rehabilitation (swelling, hematomas) after facelift
The first thing to consider is that maximum swelling occurs on the 3rd day after the facelift. Secondly, the causes of large hematomas and swelling can be medical errors: 1) if the doctor does not perform or incorrectly performs tissue infiltration at the beginning of the operation 2) if the doctor does not achieve good hemostasis 3) rough instrument handling 4) if the anesthesiologist does not reduce the patient's blood pressure during the operation 5) incorrect application of the fixing bandage. I can continue listing the subtleties of surgical technique that lead to problematic rehabilitation. But it must be acknowledged that sometimes even the perfect work of the surgeon does not prevent complex rehabilitation due to the individual characteristics of the patient's body.
What age is best for a facelift?
There are no strict age limitations for a facelift. It's all very individual. Facelift surgery is recommended when there are visible signs of aging, which vary depending on genetics, lifestyle, and other factors. Typically, patients aged 35-45 may benefit from a mini facelift for a good effect, while older patients may find a traditional full facelift more effective. Regarding the maximum age for a facelift, it's important that the skin still retains elasticity.
Facelift Reviews
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Review by Marina, 01/06/2022
Hello, Dr. Valentin!
As promised, I'm giving you an update. The swelling on the right side has completely gone down, and the incision sites no longer feel tight. I feel great, both externally and internally, and I feel 15 years younger. I’ve already contacted Tatyana, and next week my sister will come to you for a consultation. She is thrilled with the results of my facelift and wants one too. I am now your "walking advertisement."
Thank you once again for everything, and have a wonderful evening!
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Review by Alina, 02/04/2018
Hello! It's been less than three weeks since the surgery, and my new facial contour pleases me more and more every day! Thank you so much! You are an excellent specialist and a wonderful person!
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Review by Victoria, 11/12/2015
Valentyn Anatolyevich! This is Victoria Kozak) thank you so much for my facelift - even though I have a bruise under one eye - my face looks 10 years younger and the eyelid is normal!!! And not droopy! thank you! On the third day, nothing hurts anymore and the view is gorgeous, despite the bruise))) You are my favorite doctor)
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Review by Olga, 05/11/2021
At 45, I started considering a facelift. I spent a long time searching for a surgeon who could perform the procedure with precision, as I was most afraid of visible scars and a "pulled" look. I was recommended Valentyn Zykov, known as a true aesthete. After the consultation, I immediately knew I could trust this person with my face. The result of the facelift is very natural, and the recovery was almost painless. I want to thank Valentin and his entire team for their excellent care, attentiveness, and skill!
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Review by Lyudmila, 02/11/2017
Valentyn Anatolyevich, thank you for such a wonderful result. You are a true professional in your field. I look in the mirror and realize how right you were about the combination of facelift with lipofilling. Even my facial skin looks fresher, it's like magic. Wishing you and your family all the best.
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· 02/01/2019Hello, you can contact me through viber +380503818586