- Facelift surgery, or rhytidectomy, addresses aging in the lower third of the face primarily. It reduces sagging extra skin and tightens relaxed muscle layers to improve the jawline and neck contours.
- This improvement requires significant investments by both the surgeon and patient. Minimal incision facelifts are much talked about and may be appropriate for a few select patients. Most often, however, minimal facelifts give minimal results.
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- Patients should cease smoking and taking aspirin and ibuprofen for at least 3 weeks before surgery. Facelifts are performed in an operating room setting under anesthesia and may be performed in conjunction with other facial procedures.
- Your OR time will vary depending on the operation as well as other factors. You will be discharged to home the same day with a head wrap and a surgical drain. These will be removed in approximately 24 hours. You may shower and wash your wounds and hair on post op day 2 after removing your dressing.
- You will be provided an opioid for pain control. Do not use ice or heat on your face. You may begin light exercise such as walking as soon as you feel able, but avoid sweating for 2-3 weeks post op. Eat soft foods only for the first week post op. Sleep with you head elevated for about 1 week to minimize swelling.
- Your skin will be closed with a combination of absorbable and non-absorbable sutures. Your sutures in front of your ears will be removed in one week post op and sutures behind your ear and in your hair at 2 weeks post op.
- Problems following a facelift are relatively rare, but may include bleeding, infection, skin loss, facial nerve injury, numbness, and poor scarring. The healing process is gradual, so you will not see your final result until about 6 months post op.
To schedule a consultation or for more Facelift (Rhytidectomy) information, please visit our contact page or call our office at 208.377.9515.
