Facelift

FACELIFT PROCEDURE

Rhytidectomy or facelift surgery is the kind of cosmetic surgery that can be performed under general anaesthesia or under sedation. Depending on the ageing degree, three types of surgery can be distinguished: mini lifting, complete lifting and face lifting combined with neck lifting. In any case, an incision is made in front of and behind the ear. Then, the sagging structures of the face (muscles and fat tissue) around the cheeks and/or neck are tightened and excess skin is excised. Tissue glue will be used to close the wounds, which rules out the removal of stitches afterwards. Another advantage of tissue glue is that it disappears completely after ten days. Immediately after the facelift operation a special bandage will be wrapped around the face by the plastic surgeon.

Facelift post Treatment

After the operation the patient has to stay for another hour in the clinic, during which the cheeks will be cooled down with iced washcloths. These iced washcloths help to prevent post operative swelling. When discharged, the patient’s facial bandage will be replaced with a special compressive face lifting mask. This mask needs to be worn day and night during the first week after the facelift. The second week it only needs to be worn during the night. Showering after the operation is permitted. (Tissue glue will dissolve on itself after ten days.)

The first couple of days, the face will be swollen. This swelling however, will diminish progressively and iced washcloths can help speeding up this process.

During the first months the cheeks will feel numb, but this feeling will disappear. If necessary, the patient can consider a couple of lymph drain sessions with a physical therapist in order for the swelling to subside more rapidly.

Bruising of the neck and cheeks may also occur after the surgery. For this, the patient can apply Auriderm XO gel to the cheeks and neck twice a day.