Even if you still feel like you're 25, is your face betraying your age and getting you down? When you look in the mirror, do you see:

• A slackening or jowly jawline?
• Loose, lax facial skin?
• Folds and fat deposits around your neck?

If you'd like to look as young as you feel inside, you may want to consider a facelift.

What is a facelift?

A facelift or rhytidectomy is a cosmetic surgery procedure to rejuvenate the face by removing excess fat, tightening underlying muscles and redraping the skin of your face and neck.

Who are the best candidates for a facelift?

• Women or men whose face and neck are sagging, but whose skin still has some elasticity
• People whose facial bone structure is strong and well-defined
• Healthy adults from their 40s to their 80s

Who are not good candidates for a facelift?

A facelift may not be right for you if you have:

• A tendency to form excessive scars or keloids
• Uncontrolled high blood pressure
• Blood-clotting problems

If you plan to lose more than 15 pounds, your weight loss could affect the results of a facelift. It is better to wait until you've lost the weight before going ahead with surgery.

How is a facelift performed?

The technique chosen for your surgery depends on your features, Dr. Parungao's preferences and your desired results.

There are many variations of the facelift procedure. However, the incision is typically hidden in the natural contour of your ears, and then extends around the earlobes and back into the hairline. After surgery, the scars are easily concealed by your hair or with makeup. There also may be a small incision hidden under your chin.

Working through these incisions, Dr. Parungao frees the facial skin from its underlying tissues and pulls it upward and back. Then he removes the excess skin. In some cases, Dr. Parungao may reposition the deeper tissues to restore a more youthful contour to your face. He may also make an incision under the chin to remove fatty tissue in that area and smooth the cord-like structures of the underlying muscle in the neck.

How fast is the healing process?

Although everyone heals at a different rate, you can expect that your recovery will follow this general time line:

The first day

• In this early stage of healing, you should rest with your head elevated to help minimize bruising and swelling.

Within the first week

• Swelling reaches its peak and then begins to subside.
• Bandages will be removed and you may shower.
• Stitches will dissolve or be removed.
• You may return to light activity, but continue to sleep with your head elevated.
• You can wear makeup to conceal any discoloration.

Within two weeks

• Most of the bruising will disappear.
• You may resume many of your normal activities, including non-strenuous work.

After several weeks

• You may resume exercise.
• Swelling and puffiness will continue to subside.
• Facial numbness will diminish; however, some numbness may persist for several months.

Throughout the healing period, you should avoid exposure to direct sunlight and, for the long term, be conscientious about using sun block preparations to protect your skin.

What results can you expect from a facelift?

If you're like most people who have a facelift, you'll be very pleased with your refreshed and rejuvenated appearance. Although the healing may take some time, you can expect the end result to be worth the wait.

A number of factors, including your heredity and your lifestyle, play a role in how long the results of your facelift will last. Even though the aging process continues, patients are usually happy with their appearance for many years following a facelift. Some patients find that they want to make additional improvements at a later time.

Facelift FAQ

Q.	Can a facelift get rid of wrinkles?
A.	While a facelift will certainly smooth out your facial skin, there are some wrinkles-such as crow's feet around the eyes-that respond better to non-surgical treatments like IPL photofacials or microdermabrasion. Many patients choose to incorporate these treatments as a follow-up to a facelift. If you have significant wrinkling or sagging skin around the eyes, Dr. Parungao may recommend that you have eyelid surgery in combination with a facelift for best results.
Q.	Will a facelift remove the hollows under my eyes?
A.	No, you may need a mid-facelift, an eyelift, or fat injections in the area to soften the hollows. Dr. Parungao can advise you on the procedures he recommends for you during your consultation.
Q.	Will a facelift remove the nasolabial fold?
A.	No. A facelift usually softens this fold, which runs from the nose to the corners of the mouth, but will not remove it. You may need a hyaluronic acid facial filler, like Juvéderm in addition to your facelift to further soften the nasolabial fold.
Q.	How long does a facelift last?
A.	The answers depends on many factors, including your age, race, skin type, genetics, smoking history and sun exposure.
Q.	Can a facelift make me look 20 years younger?
A.	No. The goal of a facelift is to give you a freshened appearance, without the over-operated look that was common many years ago.
Q.	Will my facelift scars be visible?
A.	Again, the answer depends on many factors, including your age, race, skin type, genetics, smoking history and sun exposure, etc. Usually, the scar hides nicely in the grove between the ear and cheek skin. It is much more difficult for a man to disguise facelift scars.
Q.	Will a facelift eliminate a turkey neck?
A.	The facelift may improve a turkey neck, but sometimes it requires additional procedures, such as a neck lift or platysmaplasty . Dr. Parungao will advise you on what he recommends for your specific needs.

Newsletters related to facelifts

	July 2007 Making a smart decision on plastic surgery
July 2007
	June 2007 When is it time for a facelift? One Baby Boomer's story
June 2007

News releases related to facelifts

July 25, 2007—Facelifts Help Aging Baby Boomers
‘Reinvent Themselves’

Many Baby Boomers in their 50s and 60s are turning to plastic surgery to help them look as young as they feel. Oak Park, Ill. plastic surgeon and author Allan Parungao, MD FACS, notes that according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, 65% of patients who had a facelift in 2006 were age 55 and older.

PDF version of “Facelifts Help Aging Baby Boomers ‘Reinvent Themselves’”