Rhytidectomy
Facelift
A Facelift (technically known as Rhyidectomy) is a cosmetic procedure carried out to give the face a more youthful appearance. Patients suitable for a full face lift surgery would present with substantial skin laxity and droopiness in the neck. A full or “traditional” facelift addresses the sagging upper and lower neck skin and (platysmal) vertical neck bands, jowls, lower and mid nasolabial folds, and marionette lines.
What is Facelift Surgery?
Facelift Surgery usually takes around 3-4 hrs in theatre. It would be carried out under General Anaesthetic and usually requires a 1-2 night stay in hospital.
The incisions are made discreetly above the hairline and extend down either just inside the cartilage at the front of the ear or down the front of the ear and into the natural line. The incisions would then continue around the back of the lobe and towards the crease behind the ear and off into the lower scalp with undermining of the skin and tightening of underlying support tissues.
The skin is then sutured so that is it lifted upwards and backwards, similarly to what you would see if you lifted your own skin in the mirror to imagine how the surgery may look. Surgical drains are usually inserted during the surgery to drain away any excess fluid and to reduce swelling and bruising.
The Mini Facelift
The Mini Facelift is recommended for a patient who describes minimal signs of ageing in the forehead and neck area but is concerned about skin laxity in the cheeks and loose skin in the mid face and jaw region.
A patient suitable for a Mini-Facelift would have reasonably good skin elasticity and relatively mild changes in the lower third of the face and neck.
The surgery involves incisions from the temple scalp, along the front of the ear (inside the mid part for women) but ending at the level of the earlobe (in front or at the back).
With as much as 40% less scarring than the full FaceLift, the recovery time is shorter compared to a full Facelift.
Risks & Complications
As with any surgery, there are potential risks and complications to be aware of. The most common risks are numbness, bruising and swelling; particularly around the ear where the scars are located. There are also some more uncommon complications which include infection, haematoma, seroma, skin necrosis and nerve damage.
Our team of nursing staff monitor the progress of patients for signs of these complications very carefully post operatively and patients are given contact information should they need medical assistance once discharged from the hospital.