AGEING OF THE FACE
Our faces are key to how we present ourselves to others and how others view us. They form our very identity.
Ageing in the face causes: Lines and wrinkles especially around the eyes, on the forehead, and around the mouth, sagging cheeks and loss of cheek bone definition, excess and sagging skin of the face, Flabby jowls, Fat bulges,
Hollows under the eyes, sagging eyebrows and eye lids, Deep nasolabial folds (‘smile lines or laugh lines”)
Surgeries such as brow lift, eyelid surgery, mid face lift or a full-face lift can be used individually or in combination, depending on the areas to be targeted and the degree of ageing in the face.
AGEING OF THE FACE
Facelift surgery (also known as Meloplasty or Rhytidectomy) involves removing excess skin and fat from the face, tightening muscle, re-draping and tightening the skin thus reducing the appearance of wrinkles, lifting sagging cheeks, and smoothing the jawline and upper neck. There are three main types of facelifts that can be performed.
METHODS USED
The traditional and most performed facelift is a ‘SMAS lift’. In this facelift technique, the SMAS layer is tightened and overlying skin repositioned. The SMAS facelift tightens the jowls, elevating the neck and cheeks to a more youthful position.
The second method is Deep-Plane facelift which corrects sagging of the midface, an area not well addressed by other facelifts. It is called deep planes as it involves repositioning layers deeper than the SMAS lift. Deep-plane facelifts generally heal better and effects last longer.
The incisions for facelift are placed in or near the hairline at the sides of the face and around the ears. These generally fade to form faint white scars, although the degree of fading varies depending on how your skin tends to heal and form scars.
The type of anaesthesia used is general anaesthesia. This means you will be asleep during the operation. Sometimes local anaesthesia can be injected into the site of surgery, giving you better pain relief upon waking.
RISKS AND SIDE-EFFECTS
Temporary bruising and swelling, numbness in areas of the face, a tight feeling in the face and dry skin are normal in facelift patients. Most symptoms outlined resolve within 2-3 weeks after the operation. Nerves take longer to recover, and numbness can last up to 3 months. In rare cases, it may be permanent.
With any surgical procedure, there are risks involved, and most problems are easily treated and settle with time. Cosmetic surgery is quite safe as it is sought by healthy and it individuals seeking improvement in the appearance.
General risks of any surgery include excessive bleeding, reaction to any of the medications (including anaesthesia), infection, poor healing or excessive scarring. There are also risks and complications specific to facelift surgery such as injury to the nerves that control facial muscles or sensation, or changes to the hairline. Sometimes a thin plastic tube may need to be inserted into the area that has been operated on.
These tubes drain any blood and secretions that accumulate under the skin after surgery and help to promote healing. Whether these drains are inserted or not is decided on a case-by-case basis, but generally, they are reserved for those requiring extensive surgery.
The occurrence of such complications depends mainly on whether you smoke, your general health status, how your body heals, as well as your post-operative recovery. Dr. Verma will discuss all risks and complications with you during the consultation, as well as techniques and medications which can minimize risks.