RHYTIDECTOMY - FACE LIFT
 UNDERSTANDING FACELIFT OR RHYTIDECTOMY
Aging of the face is inevitable. As the years go by the skin begins
to loosen on the face and neck. Crows feet appear at the corner of the
eyes and fine lines become creases and then gradually folds. The jaw
line will soften and inevitably jowls form along the angle of the chin
with vertical folds developing in the front of the neck. Personal
habits, the pull of gravity, hereditary and sun exposure all
contribute to the aging of the face. It is this problem that is
addressed by facelift or rhytidectomy.
UNDERSTANDING THE SURGERY
In a traditional facelift or rhytidectomy the incisions begin in
the area of the temporal hair just above and in front of the ear
continuing down in front of the ear, up and around the ear lobe into
the occipital hairline. During a traditional facelift the entire skin
is raised outwards towards the angle of the mouth and anterior neck
allowing the surgeon to reposition the skin, tighten the underlying
muscle and connective tissue and then excise or remove excess fat and
skin. In men it is important to align the incisions so that the normal
beard or sideburn is not distorted. A traditional facelift or
rhytidectomy is designed for patients with significant excess skin and
laxity of muscle causing significant jowling and redundancy of the
anterior neck. In younger patients who have not yet developed as
significant a cosmetic abnormality, the newer approach of endoscopic
mid-facelift can be considered. In this procedure the incisions made
are much smaller allowing elevation of the skin and muscle of the
lower one third of the face. The endoscopic technique is indicated for
the younger patient and will generally allow a more rapid return to
work and normal activities.
Both procedures are performed under general anesthesia or deep
intravenous sedation and may be combined with coincidental submental
lipoplasty, upper or lower blepharoplasty, endoscopic forehead lift.
Depending on the extent of surgery the process can take from 2 - 4
hours. Following the surgery a pressure dressing is applied to protect
the entire area where the incisions have been made. Most patients
experience very little pain or discomfort following surgery. A degree
of bruising and swelling is unavoidable and sutures and staples are
usually removed within 5 to 10 days following surgery. Most patients
are able to return to normal activities within one to two weeks. Scars
are usually not noticeable after enough time has passed for them to
mature and in most cases scars are easily disguised in natural skin
creases or by the hairline. |
