FACELIFT (RHYTIDECTOMY)

Some of the most visible signs of aging first appear on the face, Although the changes appear gradually, there may come a day when you look in the mirror and decide that the face you see doesn't reflect the way you feel about yourself. A facelift restores smoother, more pleasing contours to your face and neck. It can help you look as good as you feel, and perhaps feel younger than you are.

A facelift will not stop the aging process, but what it can do is 'turn back the clock'. The facelift can be done alone, or in conjunction with other procedures such as a forehead lift, nose reshaping or eyelid surgery. Facelifts are most commonly performed on patients in the 40-60 age range. However the procedure can produce good results for people in their 70's and 80's as well.

There are many variations to the facelift procedure and the placement of incisions. The goal of every facelift technique is to keep the incisions hidden as much as possible.

These are some of the conditions that would improve with a facelift:

• Deep line that runs from the corner of your nose to the corner of your mouth
• Loss of a well-defined jawline
• Deep wrinkles in the cheeks and sagging skin near the cheekbones
• Loose skin, wrinkles or excess fatty tissue in the neck

Facelift surgery needs to be approached with extra caution, If you have any of the following medical conditions:

• Uncontrolled high blood pressure
• Blood clotting problems
• The tendency to form excessive scars

If you are overweight and desire to lose about 15 pounds, your weight loss could affect the results. It's important to discuss this with the surgeon. During the consultation Dr. Beninger may explain additional procedures that can be performed along with a facelift to meet your appearance goals.

For example, a forehead lift, to correct lines or furrows in the brow, eyelid surgery, to eliminate drooping upper eyelids or bags beneath the eyes. There may be nose reshaping, skin treatments such as a chemical peel, or even laser resurfacing, to minimize fine wrinkles.

Each person is unique, and Dr. Beninger tries to achieve a natural look by avoiding that "pulled back taught look that looks artificial. Other patients may not require other surgery than the facelift, it depends on your desired results.

There is also a relatively new procedure called the "Mini Facelift". This procedure is typically designed for the younger patient, typically in their 40's who need just a little tightening of the face, especially along the jaw line, cheek and neck. The first signs of aging is looseness or slackness of the jaw, cheek and neck. The "Mini Facelift" will tighten this looseness, with minimal scarring and bruising.

Patients not requiring a full face lift will benefit from this procedure and are the typical candidates. The advantages are that the operation is repeatable in 5 to 10 years to maintain that fresh and rested look without a sudden dramatic change in appearance.

One of the most important parts of your consultation with Dr. Beninger is to discuss your expectations and the possible complications of facelift surgery. Be sure to raise any questions that you may have about the safety of the procedure. It is important that you follow Dr. Beninger's advice and instructions before and after surgery as you have to do your part to minimize some of the risks.

After facelift surgery, you will experience temporary skin discoloration and some tightness or numbness in your face and neck. The skin will remain somewhat sensitive for a few months, protection from the sun including daily use of sun block is essential. You can wear cosmetics a few days following surgery and patients offen are back to work within two weeks.

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

Day one:

• in this stage 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
• Stitches will dissolve or be removed
• You can resume 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 (non-strenuous)

After several weeks:

• You may resume exercise
• Swelling and puffiness will continue to subside
• Numbness in the facial area will diminish, although some numbness may persist for a few months

It is very important that you avoid exposure to direct sunlight and for the long term be conscientious about using sunblock preparations to protect your skin. In the following months you will be asked to return for periodic checkups, this is to enable assessment of the long term results and address any questions or concerns that you may have.

Dr. Beninger has extensive experience in performing these procedures and is happy to answer your questions.

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