Face Lift
Stress, gravity, sun damage and simply the natural changes of the skin over time take its toll on your most visual aspect – the face. As we age, certain parts of our face tend to droop, sag, and develop wrinkles. The loss of youthfulness is most pronounced on the neck, the jaw line and on the sides of the face.
A face lift provides an opportunity to rejuvenate the lower part of the face and restore its smooth & younger appearance. Technically known as a rhytidectomy, a face lift removes excess fat, tightens underlying muscles and re-drapes the skin of your face and neck to improve:
- Deep lines, or folds, running from the corner of your nose to the corner of your mouth.
- Jowls, or loss of a well-defined jaw line associated with youthfulness.
- Deep wrinkles in the cheeks and sagging of the "highlight" areas of the cheekbones.
- Loose skin, wrinkles, vertical "cords" or excess fatty tissue in the neck.
Your face lift must be designed to fit your unique bone structure, skin texture and muscle tone.
State-of-the-art face lift techniques provide dramatic yet natural results and are customized to your needs.
Call (787) 721-7200 or 729-4411 to schedule a consultation with a certified plastic surgeon in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
The consultation fee at the center is only Fifty Dollars - $50.
Click here to request a consultation
Q&A
What types of face lift procedures are available?
There are several available face lift techniques and styles designed to meet your specific aesthetic goals.
A Full Face Lift, Standard Face Lift or Traditional Face Lift is designed to lift sagging skin and at times, its deeper structures. The Conventional Face Lift is a procedure ideal for patients who have significant laxity of soft tissues of their face and neck. With incisions usually placed inconspicuously along or behind the hairline, the surgeon restores skin tissues by tightening and re-suspending the underlying fat and lax muscles. Depending on your aesthetic needs, a surgeon may also choose to consider a skin-only facelift.
The Mini-Lift, Short-Scar Face Lift or an S-Lift is a less-invasive procedure that utilizes a smaller incision and works on a smaller area of the face compared to a traditional facelift. It is an ideal procedure for those who are beginning to develop lines & drooping skin on their lower face and possibly laxity of their neck. These individuals may wish to address these before it becomes more obvious. A surgeon may also recommend a mini-lift as a secondary procedure for women who previously underwent a full face lift but are starting to notice visible signs of aging once again.
The procedure involves an inconspicuous S-shaped incision from the sideburn, around toward the bottom of the hairline. The surgeon then tightens and elevates the underlying facial tissues, tightens the neck and removes any excess skin. Depending on your aesthetic concerns, some surgeons may also make an additional short incision under the chin.
A Modified Face Lift is recommended for those who have moderate laxity of the face and neck but still do not have enough sagging to merit a full face lift. It is similar to the mini-lift in terms of incision placement but it involves a longer incision that extends behind the ear which will allow for re-suspension of more fallen soft tissue as well as sagging neck muscles. Compared to a full face lift, a modified lift focuses on a more limited area of the face, such as the corners of the mouth or the nasolabial folds -- the folds between the nose and the outer ends of the mouth.
There is no one variety of face lift that applies to everyone. Upon consultation, your surgeon/s will educate you on state-of-the-art techniques that would be ideal for your aesthetic goals.
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What is the ideal age to undergo a face lift?
As every person ages differently, there is no specific age that one should use to determine when to have a facelift. Having the surgery is a personal choice but is recommended that you discuss timing with your surgeon. Although a majority of patients are in their forties to their sixties, a facelift can be performed at any age for healthy individuals. However, there is a current trend to start surgical facial rejuvenation earlier than later while the skin has more elasticity and while the visible signs of aging need less work.
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How long does the procedure take?
Operating time varies and may depend on the extent of your procedure and technique to be used. In general, a routine facelift may take 2-4 hours if not performed in conjunction with another procedure.
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What kind of anesthesia will be used?
A full face-lift is usually performed under general anesthesia administered by an anesthesiologist to minimize discomfort during the procedure. For other instances and other face lift techniques, the method of anesthesia could be based on the patient and surgeon’s preference. Other types of anesthesia include: local anesthesia, intravenous sedation ("twilight"), and regional anesthesia (nerve blocks).
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Can I have other facial procedures done with my face lift?
Yes. It is a growing trend for patients to have more than one procedure at the same time. This not only minimizes recovery time, anesthesia time and cost but also simultaneously addresses aesthetic goals that could not be achieved by a face lift alone. A facelift only treats the lower two-thirds of the face, including cheeks, jowls and the neck. A facelift also does not improve fine lines around the mouth.
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What will my recovery be like?
Recovery following facial surgery varies per patient and also depends upon the extent & technique of the procedure. As with any surgery, swelling and bruising are expected. Pain and discomfort will be minimal and can be controlled by pain medication prescribed by your surgeon. A feeling of tightness is normal especially in the neck area. As the tissues heal during recovery, you may notice that the swelling and tightness peak on the third day but will subside by the fifth day. Bruises usually resolve in 7 to 10 days. Though much of the swelling subsides within the first two weeks it is not uncommon for it to takes several months to completely resolve.
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When can I resume normal activities?
Roughly two weeks post-op, patients can start to resume some activities that do not require physical exertion. During the third week, most patients resume work and may begin to go out socially depending on your privacy concerns. Make-up and hair style can help make bruising and incision sites less obvious. Exercise can be resumed 4 to 6 weeks following surgery.
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Can I return home the same day?
Yes. Facelift surgery is now usually performed on an outpatient basis so you may return home the same day. However, it is vital that you have someone stay with you for at least 24 hours. In rare cases, overnight hospitalization may be required.
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Your surgeon will provide all pre and post op instructions prior to your procedure.
Call (787) 721-7200 or 729-4411 to schedule a consultation with a certified plastic surgeon in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
The consultation fee at the center is only Fifty Dollars - $50.
Click here to request a consultation