Facelift
As we age, the flexible fibers of the skin lose their elasticity and humidity. This leads to the weakening of the musculature and of the connective tissue and as consequence of gravity the skin slackens. The face contour automatically changes because of the sagging connective tissue and of the sinking excessive skin. First fine lines may be formed between nose and mouth, on the eyes and on the forehead. Through a constant repetition of face movements the first mimic wrinkles will develop. These are wrinkles of laughing, folds on the forehead and crow?s feet. In the advanced stage a slacking face, a double chin and the creases at the neck may be especially disturbing. These wrinkles let the person appear often older and less advantageous than he/she actually is. This cosmetic surgery can help in these cases. Facelift and necklift counteract these problems by removing fat and tightening skin and muscles, giving your face a fresher, youthful look.
A facelift can be combined with a browlift, eyelid surgery or nose reshaping, or it can be restricted to the neck (necklift) if the patient?s problems center there. Facelift surgery can make you look younger and fresher by improving the appearance of the face. A facelift may also boost your self-confidence.
Instructions before the face lifting operation
- Before the operation examinations and laboratory tests are needed.
- Your general practitioner has to issue a medical certificate to release you for the operation.
- A routine laboratory test must be made (blood cell count, ions, liver and kidney function, Prothrombin, blood sugar, blood group).
- ECG
- Thorax Roentgen
- Smoking and drinking alcohol is forbidden.
- Do not take aspirin and any medicine containing aspirin for 2 weeks before surgery.
- If you are regularly taking medicines, you have to discuss with your surgeon which must be taken or left off.
- Do not eat or drink or smoke 6 hours before surgery.
- Chewing gums and drops not permitted either.
- Before surgery you have to take off your rings, jewellery, piercing and take out your dentures, contact lenses and remove your make-up.
- The surgery of women should be performed outside the menstruation period.
The face lifting operation
Facelift surgery may be performed under general anesthetic or with sedation (by using sleeping pills and sedatives). The form of the anaesthesia depends on the extent of the different surgeries: minilift, neck, face, forehead lift. Time in surgery may take several hours. Facelift may be performed by making an incision at the temples behind the hairline. The incision generally extends downwards, along the natural creases in the skin, in front or on the edge of the ear, in the crease of the ear lobe, and behind the ear. The surgeon then separates the skin and muscles of the face from the deeper facial tissues. In some cases the skin is removed, in others the skin and muscle tissues are reshaped. The underlying muscle may be tightened with the skin, or separately. After the tightening or removal of excess skin, the skin is re-draped and sutured or stapled in place.
There are different methods of the intervention:
Upper facelift:
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the skin of the forehead, temple, eyebrow and the nose will be tightened. The skin between the eyebrows will be corrected (either open or endoscopically). There will be usually not just the skin but also the forehead musculature separated. Forehead muscles that are the cause of the increased formation of wrinkles (so-called anger folds) may be separated or removed. It is also possible to raise the eyebrows at the same time.
Lower facelift:
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thightening of the cheeks and neck. In this case the incision line is made in the hairline behind the temples, along the ear, around the earlobe and either behind the hair of the neck or along the hairline of the neck. Then the skin will be separated from the underlying muscles and fat tissue. So is it possible to improve the appearance of the face by forming of the fat tissue of the neck, the chin and cheeks. Facelifting tightens not only the skin, but also the deep lying structures (SMAS) may be put into proper position. This leads to a clearly better result without producing a masklike face by excessive tension.
Neck-lift surgery:
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a supplement incision is made under the chin in order to remove excess fat tissue and/or in order to correct the neck muscles.
Minilift:
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only the skin will be separated and tightened on both sides of the cheek. Before closing of the wounds fine drainage tubes are inserted behind the ear in order to drain off blood and wound secretion. A flexible bandage helps reduce post-operational swelling in the first days after surgery. The final result can only be seen after approximately 3 months.
Recovery after your facelift surgery
After surgery, patients may experience moderate swelling of the eyelids and other facial areas. Immediately after surgery a large fluffy dressing is usually applied. Typically within one day after surgery it is removed and may be replaced with an elastic wrap. There is normally some discomfort following facelift surgery, which can be managed with medications. Strenuous activity should be avoided until the swelling has subsided. This can take four to six weeks. The skin may feel dry and feel rough for a few months. The drainage is removed on the first day. The bandage is removed in the first days. You should hold your head in the first days calmly and straight in order to be able to minimize swelling. In the first week you should sleep with a head upright. The sutures are removed after 5-7 days. It is recommended to wear another bandage for 10 days during the nights. First control takes place one week after the surgery. Using of make-up is permitted only in 2 weeks. In order to avoid infections, we ask you not to put on eyeglasses. Ear rings may be worn again at the earliest in 4 weeks. Eye make-up is permitted two days after removal of the sutures. Avoid sport for 6-8 weeks, and avoid more dangerous kinds of sport such as football, squash etc. for a half a year. Sauna is only permitted after 6 months. One should avoid intensive exposure to the sun of the scars for 2 to 3 months. Hospital stay: max. 24 hours
Risks and complications of facelift surgery
As for complications, haematoma, infections, the lesion of a facial nerve, a widened scar, thinned out hair on the temple scar may occur. If you are a smoker, you should know that smoking reduces blood flow to areas of the facial skin, so you shouldn't smoke a month before and a month after surgery. Stopping smoking will help the healing process. One in ten smokers will experience skin death at the incision site if they continue to smoke after surgery.
Price of facelift surgery
The prices below are just to your information. You can ask for a quotation if you send us pictures of the relevant area. However, the exact price of the surgery can only be given by the plastic surgeon after having a full consultation.
| ?Interventions | ?Prices in Euro from |
| ?Full consultation with a plastic surgeon | ?15 ? |
| ?Facial Procedures | |
| ?Facelifting OP (local anaesthesia) |
?1500 ? |
| ?Facelifting OP (general anaesthesia) | ?2000 ? |
| ?Facelifting with neck tightening | ?1800 ? |
| ?Neck tightening (general anaesthesia) |
?1400 ? |
| ?Neck tightening (local anaesthesia) | ?1200 ? |
| ?Double chin surgery with liposuction | ?450 ? |
| ?Rhinoplasty (Nose job) | ?2100 ? |
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If you have any questions concerning further plastic-surgeries, we gladly answer all your questions. For more information, please for a consultation appointment with our plastic surgeon.