Facelift
Facial Lifting
The passage of time, stress, heredity, sun exposure and the quality of our skin are inevitably reflected in our face. Wrinkles start to show "digging" our face, the skin loses its elasticity gradually and facial lines follow a downward trend. Facial lifting is a beauty and health investment with long-term effects, short recovery and minimal pain.
What is facial lifting?
Facial lifting is a reconstructive surgery and being such, does not alter the facial expression and does not stop the aging process. It is a renewal process for the face in order to make it look younger than it really is. Removing the extra-loose skin, smoothing the deep wrinkles, lifting and "tightening" skin tissue, facial lifting can help the patient show not only younger but simply better!
When is facial lifting necessary?
The "need" for lifting the face (and neck) is born in different time frames for every patient. It depends on the patient's skin quality, the care that the skin had over the years, the heredity etc. Usually each age has its own type of lifting. At the ages of 35-39 years we can do an endoscopic lifting, between 39-45 we can do a mini lifting and from 45 years and over a total neck and face lifting can be done.
What should I know before the surgery?
Usually, when you decide to do a facial lifting, you will meet several times with your surgeon, Dr. Andreanidis to choose exactly what you want to correct and to hear his scientific opinion in order to achieve the best results.Your surgeon, Dr. Andreanidis will give you exact instructions but overall you should know that before surgery you will undergo a series of pre-surgery examinations, as for any surgical procedure, general blood test, blood-clotting examination, heart examination. It is recommended to avoid alcohol consumption and other substances and control or even stop smoking.For example, a smoker who smokes more than a packet (20-25 cigarettes) per day will have to reduce to five cigarettes per day a month before the surgery.Depending on the extent of the surgery and the type of lifting, the process takes:1. Endoscopic lifting 3 hours2. Total face and neck lifting 2.5 hours3. Mini lifting 1 hour and 20 minutesGenerally, the lifting operation is performed under general anesthesia.However, some new techniques such as the MACS Facelift can be done under local anesthesia or sedation.What is the procedure of the surgery?
The type of lifting is chosen according to the patient's needs and the expertise of the doctor. In the event that there is considerable relaxation on the face and neck, a normal total face and neck lifting is recommended.If the relaxation is not so extensive, one of the most novel techniques can be applied, such as the mini lifting or MACS lifting, wherein the sections - and consequently the skin detachment- are smaller.For best results, irrespectively of the method that will ultimately be selected, the familiarity of the surgeon with the current process is very important. It is not only the detachment and removal of loose skin and the careful distribution of the cuts, but also the closure, the diligent preparation, the correct 'stretch' of the tissues lying beneath the facial skin and so on.What is the recovery time and process?
The recovery period is around 2 -3 weeks. The stitches are removed- depending on the recovery speed- usually up to 10 days after. Some swelling is inevitable, like in almost all surgical procedures, and postoperative pain has been reported as minimal. However, the surgeon will prescribe painkillers.Also the patient may feel numbness and the facial muscles a little rigid. These symptoms however disappear in the weeks that follow the surgery. The surgeon will recommend rest, a calm environment, not strenuous activities and cold compresses to help the elimination of any swelling.Some patients return to work even after two weeks, as the sections are covered by hair or -in most persistent cases- conventional beauty products such as make-up or sunscreen with color. However, direct sunlight should be avoided for a few weeks as should smoking.How long do the effects of facial lifting last?
The duration of the effects depends on the quality of the skin, the skills of the surgeon, sun exposure, smoking, diet, etc.Generally however the effects last 7-10 years.
