Facelift

Facelift Fort Worth Over time, gravity, sun exposure, and the stresses of daily life take their toll on our faces and necks. If you were to compare photographs of yourself from years ago to today, you would notice several differences. You probably have more and deeper creases. Jowls may be just beginning or even fairly prominent. You may have lost some of the youthful contour of your neck. And, the once oval youthful face assumes a more square appearance as elasticity declines and the skin begins to sag.

Facelift surgery can change these telltale signs of aging. Incision sites are well concealed and the results can be dramatic. In contrast to some of the "wind tunnel" appearance of facelifts so common in the past, a facelift performed by Dr. Kunkel tends to give a more natural, harmonious appearance.

What can a facelift do for me?

Facelifts (technically known as rhytidectomies) rejuvenate the mid- to lower face and neck. Facelifts are most effective for patients who want to correct:

Midface sagging
Deep creases under the eyes
Deep creases between the nose and mouth (nasolabial folds)
Jowls
Sagging areas of skin and fat around the cheeks, jaw line, and neck

What won't a facelift correct?

Facelifts can produce a dramatic improvement in appearance for patients with the problems mentioned above. However, facelifts do not stop the aging process; in time, signs of aging will gradually appear once again.

Facelifts alone will not rejuvenate the brow, eyelids, nose, and some of the midface. Patients who want to improve these areas may consider combining a facelift with a brow lift or eyelid surgery (blepharoplasty).

Facelifts also will not affect deep lines around the mouth. Injectable soft-tissue fillers, facial implants, and skin resurfacing may significantly enhance the effects of a facelift in this area.

Am I a good candidate for a facelift?

The best candidates for rhytidectomy:

Wish to improve one or more of the signs of aging indicated above
Are women or men whose faces have begun to sag, but whose skin still has some elasticity
Are generally healthy
Do not smoke
Have realistic expectations
Are considering a facelift for personal reasons, not because someone else is pressuring them to do so

How is a rhytidectomy performed?

Facelifts are typically performed by Dr. Kunkel as outpatient procedures in a surgery center or hospital. The procedure is accomplished with the patient under general anesthesia and takes about three or four hours.

A "full" facelift for rejuvenating the face, jowls and neck, includes lifting and repositioning of deep facial tissues combined with skin trimming and redraping. The incision begins in the temples and goes down along the front of the ear to the earlobe. In cases involving significant looseness of the skin the incision extends around the back of the ear and into the hairline. An incision may also be placed just beneath the chin to help achieve optimal improvement in the neck.

Incisions are closed with sutures. Scars are hidden in the hairline and natural contours of the face.

What is the recovery from a facelift like?

At the end of the operation one or two drainage tubes are usually placed under the tissues. A gauze dressing is applied. The drainage tubes are usually removed in one or two days. Hair may be washed beginning one or two days after surgery, as soon as the drains are removed. Sutures are removed between 5 and 7 days after surgery.

The facial skin feels tight and numb for a few weeks. The face is swollen and may have some bruising. Any bruising that occurs resolves in about 3 weeks. The face feels swollen for several weeks but friends and other people usually don’t notice the swelling after about 3 weeks. Many patients return to work in 2 or 3 weeks. Make-up may be worn after 10-14 days.

How long do the effects of a facelift last?

Results of a facelift do not last forever. You may want to have another procedure in five or ten years. But in another sense, the effects are permanent; years later, your face will continue to look better than if you had never had a facelift.

What are the risks of rhytidectomy?

Possible complications of facelift include: bleeding, infection, bruising, uneven swelling or discoloration, problems healing (more common in people who have smoked cigarettes), loss of sensation, and localized problems with movement of the face. Dr. Kunkel will discuss the risks and benefits of a facelift with you before your surgery.

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