What Happens During a Facelift?
Although facelift surgery is an outpatient procedure, it is performed under general anesthesia. After the administration of anesthesia, Dr. Reichner will make the necessary incision(s), so he can:
Remove and tighten skin
Loose, hanging skin will be excised, and the remaining skin will be gently lifted and carefully placed to create a smoother look.
Reposition facial muscles
Weakened and/or sagging muscles will be tightened and repositioned, as needed, to improve definition in the midface and along the jawline. Adjusting the facial muscles, as well as the skin, allows for more natural-looking results.
Contour the cheeks
As tissue begins to break down with age, gravity, and sun damage, we start to notice lost volume and drooping in the cheeks. Dr. Reichner can often redistribute facial fat to restore fullness. In patients who have lost a significant amount of volume, fat grafting can be used. During fat grafting, fat is harvested from another part of your body via liposuction and added to the areas of the face in need of enhancement, such as the cheeks or around the mouth.
Enhance the neck
Along with facial aging, many patients have skin laxity and vertical banding on the neck that contributes to a prematurely aged appearance. Often, a neck lift—with or without liposuction—is performed in combination with a facelift to create a more defined and youthful neck profile, restoring balance between the face and neck. Neck lift surgery requires a small incision beneath the chin, through which loose skin is trimmed and tightened. If excess fat is present in the neck area, liposuction will be employed to remove it.
When all changes have been made, Dr. Reichner will use advanced suturing techniques to close the incisions. Bandages will then be placed to protect the surgical sites and help in the healing process.
What to Expect After a Facelift
You will need to have someone present to drive you home after your surgery and stay with you for the first 24 hours of your facelift recovery. Following your facelift, you may experience bruising, swelling, tightness, and/or numbness. To help reduce these symptoms and to promote optimal healing, you should keep your head elevated, even when you are sleeping. Cold compresses and oral pain medication can be utilized, as directed, to minimize discomfort.
Patients typically return to work in one to two weeks, but exercise and strenuous activities should be avoided for at least three weeks. Dr. Reichner will advise you when you can safely resume all of your normal activities based on his assessment of your healing progress at your follow-up appointments.
