What is the right age to get a facelift?
A facelift procedure helps restore a more youthful appearance to ones’ face. In the past, facelifts were more common for patients that were in their late fifties and early sixties. Today, however, many patients in their 40s are seeking facelift and mini-facelift procedures to help prevent the signs of aging. There have been several articles published that indicate that younger patients with early signs of aging who have a facelift procedure tend to have longer-lasting results.
How much younger will I look after a facelift?
There is no easy way to determine with precision how much younger you will look after a facelift procedure. There are a wide variety of factors that will contribute to that answer including your health, lifestyle, surgeon’s skill, and other factors. Dr. Russell often hears from his patients that they look 10-20 years younger after surgery. One thing for sure is that your face will have a refreshed, more “youthful” look, and you will look more energized throughout the day.
What is the surgery like?
Most facelift surgeries are done under general anesthesia. Dr. Russell however, performs his facelift procedure using local anesthesia. The procedure lasts approximately 1 ½ hours, and after surgery patients usually return home the day of the procedure with less downtime.
Will there be visible scars?
The incisions for a facelift are made behind the patient’s hairline, so any scarring that happens is completely hidden by hair. Even short haircuts hide the scars from facelifts.
Does it hurt?
Most facelift patients experience very little pain postoperatively. Patients who experience discomfort after the procedure can treat it with pain medication.
What will I look like during the recuperation period?
For a day immediately following surgery, you will have to wear a bandage around your face and elevate your head on a stack of pillows when sleeping. After the wraps are removed, you will see some swelling and bruising. The worst of this should be over after a week.
When will I be able to go back to work after the procedure?
You should be fine to return to your job a week after the surgery. There will probably still be some residual swelling and bruising, but other than these minor cosmetic issues there will be nothing preventing you from working normally.
When will I be able to see the final results?
The swelling should go away completely after several weeks. Once this subsides, you will be able to see your new more youthful face.
Can I have a facelift without general anesthesia?
Yes. Dr. Russell performs facelifts under local anesthesia and twilight anesthesia.
Are there any risks?
Like any other surgery, facelifts carry a small amount of risk. A very small number of patients develop hematomas, facial numbness, or infections. When done by a skilled surgeon like Dr. Russell, facelifts are quite safe procedures.
Do facelifts results last forever?
Yes and no. Certainly, your facelift will affect the shape of your face for the rest of your life, and you will always look more youthful than if you had never gotten a facelift, but the procedure doesn’t halt the aging process.