Face lift
As we age, we experience physiognomical changes, bearing visible signs of the aging process. The flaccidity and skin thinning, as well as the effects of gravity, cause the shape and freshness of a youthful face to be lost.
The purpose of a facelift is to remove the characteristic features of the aging process (this does not necessarily mean that the patient must be old to have a facelift done), in other words, a facelift is intended to cause the “shadows” that anguish patients to fade and reverse the signs of aging, thus restoring the splendor and firmness of their faces.
Just like any other cosmetic surgery, the best result is obtained when the patient gains a natural appearance.
Different changes are experienced in the three thirds of the face, and each change requires different techniques to be corrected. In line with Leonardo’s opinion, the upper third of the face involves changes in the forehead, the frown and eyebrows; the central third implies changes in the area surrounding the eyes (the facelift is usually performed in conjunction with an eyelid surgery) and the cheeks; and the lower third includes the jowls, nasolabial folds (smile line) and neck.
Basically, flaccidity of teguments, which determines the appearance of marked nasolabial folds, fat deposits under the jowls and chin (double chin) and sagging necks is corrected by means of a surgical procedure called facelift (or Rhytidectomy). Incisions are made within the hair or behind the ears, so that they are not visible.
Dropping eyebrows and frown wrinkles can also be corrected in this surgical procedure, through one of its variants called coronal lift. Currently, a less invasive endoscopic procedure is applied, as a variant to this technique.
The area surrounding the mouth (vertical lines, thin vermilion and long upper lip) is not corrected with a facelift, but other supplementary techniques must be applied in the same surgical procedure.
This surgical procedure can be performed under local anesthesia and neurolepto-anesthesia (sedation) so that the patient is comfortable during the operation. Other techniques may be applied when necessary to accomplish a better cosmetic result (nose, eyelids, chin or hair microsurgery).
Patients must be completely aware that from 4 to 6 days there will be an edema (swelling) on the operated area and, thus, the result can only be evaluated after the tenth day. |
