
If you’ve noticed a sagging or loose appearance on your face, a facelift may be the right procedure for you. This surgical procedure addresses aging concerns on the lower two-thirds of your face, tightening the jowls and eliminating loose skin. Today’s surgical techniques are designed to produce natural-looking results that don’t over-tighten your skin, giving you a ‘pulled’ or windswept look.
Tightens the lower two-thirds of the face
During your San Francisco Facelift procedure, your doctor will pay special attention to your skin’s elasticity and underlying bone structure. The best candidates for this type of surgery include those with a healthy skin-to-bone ratio who are within the prime aging span of 35 to 55 years old. If you have a strong chin and neck muscles, your surgeon may elect to perform this procedure in an outpatient facility allowing you to get back to your normal routine sooner.
Your doctor will discuss your specific concerns, goals and budgetary constraints to determine if a facelift is the right treatment for you. If you have medical insurance, your provider may offer coverage for some or all of the cost associated with your surgery. A facelift is a major investment and it’s important to find out what your health insurer covers in advance of your procedure. Be sure to ask your doctor for a complete estimate of your out-of-pocket costs so you don’t get hit with a bill you can’t afford to pay.
Tightens the jowls
The tissues in the face become less firm as we age, causing jowls to form. This is often due to genetics and other factors, including smoking, exposure to the sun, poor diet, and stress.
A facelift is the ideal procedure to reduce sagging jowls and create a more defined jawline. It also reduces nasolabial folds and softens marionette lines.
It also smoothes deep wrinkles around the mouth and neck, and can correct the appearance of the ‘turkey neck’, where redundant skin and muscles are pulled away from the face.
A facelift is performed through an incision in the hairline, above each ear, and along the natural creases surrounding the ears. A mini facelift may be an option for patients with mild jowling and sagging skin.
Reduces the loose skin and muscle bands in the neck
The neck is one of the first areas to show signs of aging. The skin is thinner and a bit weaker than the rest of the face, which means that lines and wrinkles form more easily.
Patients often want to know if a facelift can reduce the loose skin and muscle bands in their neck, too. A facelift can do so, but it doesn’t necessarily eliminate them entirely.
There are a few ways to do this, including using botulinum toxin injections or deoxycholic acid. These treatments can make the skin more tight, preventing fine lines and that crepey skin look.
A facelift is typically a day procedure, and you can usually go home the same day. However, you may need to take pain medication and you’ll be at a higher risk of bleeding. You should also be aware that the bruising and swelling is at its peak in the first two days after surgery, but will gradually subside over the next 10 to 14 days.
Rejuvenates the face
Facelifts are a great way to turn back the clock and rejuvenate your look. This powerful procedure is designed to reposition the tissues that hold the skin in place, reduce fat and sculpt or move fat deposits in areas of the face that have lost their elasticity.
This can help to restore a youthful appearance by tightening jowls, cheeks and neck. Depending on your specific needs, the procedure may also address drooping eyelids or add volume in other facial regions such as the lips and cheeks with fat transfers (facial fat grafting).
Ideal candidates for facelift surgery are healthy men and women who are in good overall health, have realistic expectations about how their results will look, and refrain from smoking. Smoking, in particular, can cause the healing process to take longer and lead to scarring that is more visible or thick than desired.