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Facial Enhancement |
Body Contouring |
Breast Reshaping |
Hair Restoration |
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Face
Lift
Over time, the long-term effects of gravity, exposure to sun,
dry air, and general stress takes its toll on an individual's
face and neckline. Jowls can develop under the jawline with
folds and fat deposits. Sometimes creases begin to form between
the nose and the mouth. A facelift can considerably reduce these
signs of aging by removing excess fat, tightening the underlying
muscles, and redraping the skin around the neck and face. Facelifts
can be done alone, or are frequently performed in conjunction
with another procedure such as a forehead lift, eyelid surgery,
or nose reshaping. |
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Surgical
procedure
Although there are many variations to the facelift procedure,
generally a cut is made in your hairline at about the
site of your temple. It then goes right round and behind
your ear and finally into the hairline where it is hidden.
This "frees" the skin so that the surgeon can
pull it tighter and up and backwards. Once the skin has
been pulled into its new position, any excess fat is trimmed
off by the surgeon.
In some instances, the deeper facial tissues may also
need to be repositioned in order to restore a more youthful
line to your face. If necessary, a small cut beneath
the chin allows fat to be removed from the saggy areas
under the chin with the use of liposuction. The wounds
are closed with stitches and/or metal clips on the scalp.
The surgeon then applies a dressing to protect the entire
area where the cuts were made and supports the face
with special facial bra.
This technique is particularly useful for patients with
sagging cheeks, deeper nasal furrows, (the grooves down
the side of the nose), thinner lips and down-turned
corners of the lips. If you want to have a rough guide
to how your face might look after such surgery, you
can put a finger on the corner of your lip and then
lift the skin upwards and outwards.
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Anesthesia
Facelifts are usually performed under a general anaesthetic,
although a local anaesthetic along with a sedative to make you
drowsy can also be used, so that you remain awake but feel very
little discomfort during the surgery. |
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Duration
of operation
About two to three hours
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Recovery
time
Depending on the length of the operation, you may be allowed
go home after a few hours, or remain in hospital for a couple
of days. Most patients return to work 10 to 14 days after
the surgery.
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Possible
risks and complications
As with any operation, there are risks associated with a facelift,
such as reactions to the anaesthetic, bleeding, haematoma,
asymmetry and nerve damage.
Haematomas are collections of blood under the skin and, if
small, can be absorbed of their own accord over several days.
Drainage may be required for larger haematomas.
Injury to the nerves that control facial muscles is usually
only temporary, but can result in numbness to some areas of
the face.
Asymmetry means that there is some difference in the result
of the surgery in different parts of the face. At its worst,
eyes can look lop-sided, or features do not seem to be lined
up symmetrically after surgery. Such an uneven result is not
common, however.
Post-operative infections, although rare, can occur.
Operation scars are permanent. They do fade over time and
are usually hardly noticeable, as they are often hidden, either
by your hair or the natural creases in your skin. Occasionally,
however, scar tissue may widen and become thicker in the healing
process making it more noticeable.
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After
care
There is pain and discomfort for several days following surgery.
Facial swelling is usually at its worst 24 to 48 hours after
surgery, and it may take several weeks before all puffiness
goes down. You should keep your head propped up at night in
order to reduce swelling. Applying cold compresses in the
first few days will reduce this swelling and make you feel
a bit better. Wearing a facial support can avoid collection
and maintain new position of face.Most bruising will disappear
within two weeks. You will also experience some numbness in
the facial area, which may last for several weeks or longer.
Your stitches will be removed a week or so after surgery.
Avoiding any strenuous exercise for at least 2 weeks following
surgery is recommended.
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Results
Fortunately, there are very few complications following a
facelift. Every year, many thousands of people undergo successful
facelift surgery, experience no major problems and are pleased
with the results. In general, younger patients enjoy longer-lasting
results. If you are in your forties, the effects may last
up to 10 years. If you are in your sixties, your results may
last 5 to 7 years.
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