Facelift Overview – Rhytidectomy

The face is the part of the body that receives the most exposure to the elements. A number of procedures are available to tighten and smooth the skin and help to turn back the hands of time and reverse the exposure to the elements. Facelift surgery is the most invasive and most permanent of this group of plastic surgery procedures.

Facelift – The Procedure

A facelift (rhytidectomy) is a type cosmetic procedure that is used to produce a more youthful facial appearance. A common part of the aging process is the loosening of facial skin, causing the development of deep creases and wrinkles. A by-product of loosening facial skin is a buildup of fat around the neck. Loosening of the skin can be accelerated by excessive exposure to the sun or from the stresses of daily life.

Facelift surgery involves an incision that is made above the ear that extends along the hairline. The incision curls around the ear and ends near the hairline at the bottom of the neck. After being separated from the deeper, underlying tissues, the skin is pulled upwards and backwards until wrinkles and creases have been sufficiently removed. Any excess skin is removed by the surgeon before the incisions are closed and the procedure completed. Muscles are also sometimes tightened during the procedure.

Facelift procedures are often used in conjunction with a number of other cosmetic procedures so as to produce a more natural appearance. Some of the procedures commonly combined with rhytidectomy include eyelid surgery (blepharoplasty), neck-lift surgery and skin resurfacing (chemical peels). Certain types of facial implants are also available to enhance the facial features, such as jaw implants, as well as surgery for the chin and for the forehead, called brow lift.

Best Candidates for Facelift Surgery

The best candidates for facelift surgery are women with good bone structure (strong jaw line helps provide for better post-surgical results) and thin skin. If a potential facelift patient has sufficient elasticity in the loosened skin, it can be repositioned easier. People in their 40s, 50s and 60s are the most common recipients of rhytidectomy procedures; however, patients over 60 often have successful facelift surgeries. To learn more about this surgery, including facelift cost, it is best to consult a plastic surgeon.

Facelift Surgery Contraindications

There are a number of contraindications for patients who have undergone the cosmetic surgery procedure. Patients suffering from hypertension and diabetes face an increased risk of postoperative complications resulting from the stress of the procedure. Patients are advised to abstain from taking any type of blood thinner (like aspirin) prior to surgery as it could cause bleeding issues.

The most notable of the facelift surgery contraindications is with regards to cigarette smoking. Cigarettes contain nicotine and carbon monoxide, both of which are capable of reducing skin oxygen levels and blood flow to the skin. Cigarette smokers are advised to avoid smoking at least one month prior to and after a facelift procedure.

Common Plastic Surgery Procedures

Facelift surgery is a commonly performed type of cosmetic plastic surgery. Some of the other common types of plastic surgery procedures include: rhinoplasty (nose surgery), lipoplasty, abdominoplasty (tummy tuck) and breast implants. To get information about these common procedures and more, consult an informational guide like the Consumer Guide to Plastic Surgery.

This webpage describes the plastic surgery procedure called facelift, who are the best candidates and how to find a facelift surgeon.

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