A face lift, also known as a rhytidectomy, is a cosmetic surgical procedure that involves stretching the skin on the face in order to combat the effects of aging and give the face a more youthful appearance. If you are thinking about having a face lift there are a few things you should consider before moving forward with the procedure. First and foremost you are going to need to find a plastic surgeon that is capable of performing the type of operation that you want. Once you do that you will meet with the doctor and begin the process of “mapping out” what kind of cosmetic changes they will attempt to make for you.
A Commonly Performed Procedure
A rhytidectomy is a commonly performed procedure and the majority of plastic surgeons will be able to achieve great success with the operation. That said there are still complications that can arise like any kind of surgical procedure. Recovery is not a terribly long process but you will be required to wear a bandage covering the areas that were operated on for anywhere between 24 and 48 hours. There is also always the possibility of post-operative infection or in a worst case scenario skin necrosis. While the threat of things like that is serious some other complications can arise as well. It is possible that there may be some nerve damage that occurs because of the operation but often times this damage will heal but there are some circumstances where minimal damage will remain. This usually results in some loss of motor function in the facial muscles but this loss is usually quite minimal.
How Long Does It Take?
A face lift operation can take upwards of 2 to 3 hours depending on how extensive the surgery is. There are a lot of factors that could come in to play that would reduce or increase this time but this is typically the average. The entire process from start to removal of sutures is usually around 10 days. The after effects, such as swelling or bruising might last a little bit longer but recovery is relatively quick. These procedures can greatly improve your appearance and if you are willing they can help make you feel more confident about yourself.
