What is a facelift?
A facelift is a cosmetic surgery that makes your face look younger. During the surgery, Dr. Manolakakis tightens your skin and removes or redistributes fat to reshape your face after years of fat loss and skin loosening. A facelift can reduce or rid you of these common age-related features:
- Drooping jowls
- Sagging cheeks
- Folds between your nose and the corners of your mouth
Dr. Manolakakis can also tighten the skin on your neck during a facelift to improve the appearance of a turkey neck and other skin laxity issues.
While a facelift at Advanced Facial Surgery can redefine the contours of your face and alleviate large wrinkles and sagging skin, it won't address issues on your skin’s surface. If you have blemishes or fine lines that you want to address, Dr. Manolakakis can help you select another procedure to add to your comprehensive aesthetic treatment plan.
What are the steps of a facelift?
While many aspects of your facelift are customized according to your goals, the general procedure includes a few constant steps for everyone. Before your surgery starts, Dr. Manolakakis recommends either intravenous sedation or general anesthesia to keep you comfortable as he works. Once your face is numb, he can begin the surgery.
Dr. Manolakakis makes an incision in your skin along your hairline. If he decides to add a neck lift to your facelift, he makes a second incision under your chin. He pulls back your skin and redistributes or removes fat deposits. He also tightens and lifts the muscles and tissues before cutting away any excess skin.
Finally, Dr. Manolakakis closes the incisions with sutures. Some sutures are dissolvable, while others require a second appointment for removal. Once your incisions heal, the scars are easy to hide along your hairline.
How should I prepare for my facelift?
Dr. Manolakakis gives you specific instructions to follow leading up to your surgery. Following them improves your chances of having a successful surgery with no complications. He may ask that you:
- Stop smoking
- Get lab tests
- Use certain products on your skin before the surgery
- Avoid certain drugs and supplements
- Adjust your current medications
- Stop eating the night before the surgery
Dr. Manolakakis can show you before and after pictures of previous patients who have also gotten facelifts so you have an idea of what to expect once you heal. He also details the recovery process to you, so you can make arrangements in your schedule around it.
To find out more about facelifts and what they do to improve your look, call Advanced Facial Surgery for a consultation or book your visit online today.
