Facelifts are perhaps the most famous procedure in plastic surgery. It’s one of the fasting growing segments in the cosmetic surgery industry. A facelift today is far different from one of years ago – it is natural looking. Instead of looking “lifted,” our Atlanta facelift patients simply look refreshed, rested and healthy – and 5-10 years younger.

A facelift removes excess skin that is loose and sagging on the face and neck. It also can tighten underlying tissue. Eyelid surgeries are often performed at the same time as facelifts, to give a younger looking eye – with less puffiness and bags.
Incisions are “hidden” – they are made along the hairline from the temple down around the ear lobe and to the back of the ear. Sometimes a small incision is made under the chin to remove excess fat. After separating the skin from muscle and fat underneath, it is then pulled up and back and the excess skin is removed. Sagging muscles and tissues can be tightened and fat deposits removed.

As a result of a facelift, the tightened skin and tissue lessen and eliminate wrinkles, creases and lines as they restore the younger, natural contours of your face.

Our facelift procedure takes 2-4 hours. It is performed in the hospital outpatient department in Atlanta. There will be swelling and some bruising. You should expect to be out of work 1-2 weeks.

About Facelifts

The facelift or rhytidectomy is a surgical procedure in which the skin of your face is stretched and excess skin is removed so that your face looks less wrinkled and younger, because as we know the skin with the passage of time ages, loses elasticity, flexibility and muscle mass.

Facelifts or facelifts to look younger not only end up retouching the skin of the face, as many people complement it with other procedures among which stand out the neck lift, eyelid surgery, forehead lifts, eyebrow lift and even chin implants that increase the self-esteem of patients and give them more happiness.

The Facelift Procedure

What happens before a facelift?

The pre-surgery care will start from the last consultation with the doctor before the day of the surgical procedure, since on that day the doctor will tell the patient the specific care he/she must take according to his/her health condition and medical history.

However, as a general rule, if the patient smokes, he/she should stop smoking at least two weeks before the procedure, this is because for people who smoke, oxygen does not flow freely through the body and this could cause complications at the time of surgery and also affect the estimated recovery time.

Medications such as: Aspirin, vitamin E supplements and anticoagulant medications are usually regulated or eliminated by doctors as these could also cause complications during or after surgery, but it all depends on the doctor’s instructions.

Remember the importance of talking to your doctor about your daily habits and the medications you take on a regular basis, including contraceptives, as this could be very significant at the time of surgery.

Follow up of the recovery

Facelift Recovery Process

The patient the first day after surgery is likely to feel more discomfort than the rest of the days, in addition to being noticeably swollen. These symptoms are normal and can be controlled with pain and swelling medication prescribed by the patient’s doctor.

To ensure that the patient’s recovery continues to go smoothly, many doctors recommend that their patients return the next day to make sure the incisions look healthy, and if so, the patient should not miss their appointment.

At the end of the first week, approximately 5 to 7 days after the facial surgery, patients should go back to the doctor to have the sutures or staples removed, since by this time the incisions, if they have been well cared for, should be healthy enough to continue with the recovery process and give the skin space to heal, that is why it is so important to follow the specific indications of the surgeon, among which stand out:

  • Change the bandages as indicated by the doctor.
  • Give the indicated care to the drainage tubes.
  • Place cold compresses in the eye area.
  • Do not miss appointments assigned by the doctor.
  • Avoid getting your bandages or face wet.