Face Lifts

Face Lifts

At present two types of face-lift make it possible to remedy age-related unsightly aspects of the face and neck, either in one area or at a wider level. The face- and neck-lift is the most frequent procedure; this means surgical correction of aging of the neck and also the face from the forehead to the jowls. This cosmetic procedure is not reimbursed by health insurance.

The aim of the operation is to remedy the sagging and laxity of the skin and muscles of the face (forehead, eyebrows, cheeks, jowls, and the oval facial outline) and the neck.The aim here is not only to transform the form and aspect of the face. On the contrary, restoring the different anatomical structures of the face and neck (the skin, the muscles and the fat) enables the patient to look as he or she did some years earlier. The muscles are tightened, to correct slackness. The skin is then draped as required over the new curves, without excessive stretching. This dual action gives a natural appearance (as the skin is not over-stretched), which lasts (since the muscular base is strong).

The healing process is generally uneventful (the skin is less bruised because it is less traumatized, because the tension and separation are limited.) Excess fat, if present can be treated by liposuction. On the other hand, if the face appears emaciated, this can be corrected at the sametime by re-injection of autologous fat (Liposculpture). In this way the face and the neck are ‘rebuilt’ or ‘restructured’. The incisions necessary for the procedure are hidden almost entirely in the hair (at the temples and the nape of the neck) and around the ears. The scar is thus almost entirely A face lift can be carried out as soon as signs of aging appear and the patient feels a real need for their correction, generally around the age of 40 or 45. This procedure can be carried out at the same time as another facial cosmetic procedure: blepharoplasty (for the eyelids), forehead lift (endoscopic forehead lift). It can be completed by other treatment: (laserabrasion, dermabrasion, chemical peels, medical treatment of wrinkles and skin folds, and Botox injections).

The complications of face lift include :

• A hematoma: this must be rapidly drained.

• Infection: This is extremely rare when the procedure is carried out in a sterile environment

• Skin death (necrosis): this delays the healing process.

• Nerve damage: in particular damage to a branch of the facial nerve, this can lead to paresis, or facial paralysis. This is rare and the after-effects usually disappear in a few months.

• Abnormal scars, either hypertrophic or keloidal: they are impossible to foresee, and their development is unpredictable. They can threaten the aesthetic result and require specific local treatment over a long period