Facelift Chicago

The facelift, technically known as rhytidectomy, is a plastic surgery procedure which can improve the appearance of sagging facial skin, jowls, and loose neck skin in order to restore a more youthful and refreshed appearance to the face. The facelift is achieved by removing excess skin, tightening underlying muscles, and redraping the skin.

Candidates for the facelift should be physically healthy and realistic in their expectations. The best results tend to be achieved on patients with a strong, well-defined bone structure and skin that has retained some elasticity. Facelifts can be performed at just about any age, though most patients are in their forties to their sixties.

Facelift surgery may be performed in a surgeon’s office-based facility, a hospital, or an outpatient surgery center. Anesthetic option include local anesthesia and sedation, or general anesthesia. The average surgery time is about two to three hours.

Surgery begins by making an incision which is typically located at the temples above the hairline and extends in front of and behind the ear. For patients requiring additional work on the neck, a small incision may be made just under the chin. Once the incision is made, the surgeon will lift the skin and then tighten the underlying muscle and membrane. Excess fat from the neck and chin is trimmed or suctioned. The skin is then pulled taught, the excess is removed, and the incisions are closed. Once the surgery is complete, the head may be loosely wrapped in bandages.

Swelling and bruising are common after facelift surgery, though most of the bruising will fade in about two to three weeks. The face will appear puffy and pale at first, and patients may experience some numbness for several weeks. Pain medication can help to control any discomfort that patients experience. Bandages are usually removed within one to five days after surgery, and stitches are removed in about five days.