Plastic face
surgery - Facelift (Rhytidectomy)
The skin of our face loses its
tautness; it begins to hang and receives folds
by the age. This is the natural ageing process
of the skin, to which the atony of the layers
deep under the skin of the face (like mimic muscle,
rolls of fat) belongs as well.
Conventional facelift:
means making the whole face skin tight
and the unnecessary skin is slit out during the
intervention. The incision commences from the
temple part and continues front and behind the
ears, ending at the hair covered nape part. This
means a heavier operational burden, with longer
recovery time. This occurs generally, between
the age of 50 – 70 years.
Mini facelift: The
incision is made front of the ear, so that the
effect is around the chin and the upper neck part.
This is a smaller operational intervention; goes
with less complications, shorter remedy time and
is also performed around the age of 40.
Forehead tightening:
done with short incisions by the help of the endoscope
and good results are achievable.
There is no age limit for a facelift,
but the prerequisite of the operation is a general
good state of health. Certain illnesses like high
blood pressure or diabetes are risking the operation
success and complications could easily occur.
Smoking could be a danger, therefore the operation
can only begin when the patient stopped smoking
in the preceding weeks. The operation is generally
accomplished in general anaesthesia; however a
local anaesthesia is also a possibility.
Prior to the operation laboratory
tests (blood and urine, probably ECG) are necessary.
With a local anaesthetic operation there is a
chance for the patient to go home after a few
hours resting. However, after a general anaesthesia
the patient is obliged to spend a night in our
clinic. Following the operation around the wound
a thin drain tube is lead out to suck the generated
sanies out, which is removed within 24-48 hours.
Following the intervention, a press band is put
on the head - leaving only the face free. The
patient has to wear it for a week.
In the first days swelling can
occur on the face or light discolouring, haemorrhages
can occur around the eyes. Since the 7-8th day
the band is no longer necessary, and the hair
can be washed, however, the last stitches removal
takes only place on the 10 – 14th day. Rest at
home is advised for two weeks. For control and
bandaging, twice or three times the patient has
to return. After the operation it is suggested
to sleep on higher pillows and consume light,
chewable meals. In the first week bending, lifting
of heavy objects, any sport or exhausting physical
work is prohibited. Sun bathing, solarium, hot/spicy
meals and consuming alcohol are also forbidden.
Hair colouring, make up are available after three
weeks, while sunbathing, solarium after 6-8 weeks.
Serious complications because
of a face-lifting are rarely occurring. Smaller
problems can be handled by proper post treatments.
Such as:
- secondary bleeding (4-5%),
- temporary skin disorder sensibilities are
rare and disappear after a few months,
- skin necroses behind the ears (less than 1%)
- inflammation, longer standing swelling, oedema
very rarely occur
- thick scarring or hair loss, hair thinning
at the incision line can be solved by post corrections
- injury of facial muscles is very rare (0,1
%), by which the unpleasant result could be
in the asymmetric facial muscle movement.
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