FACE / NECK LIFTING

 

A facelift (rhytidectomy) is cosmetic surgery to lift up and pull back the skin to make the face tighter and smoother. The procedure is designed to reduce flabby or sagging skin around the lower half of the face (mainly the jowls) and neck.

PROCEDURE TIME & ANAESTHETIC

This procedure designed to restore the youthful appearance of the Neck, define the jaw line and improve the neck contour. This is achieved by lifting the soft tissues of the neck and fixing these in a suitable position until natural healing occurs, to permanently secure the soft tissues in the desired position. Normally takes approximately 1 to 2 hours to perform depending on the complexity of the surgery. The incisions are placed in the natural skin crease in front of the ears, in the groove behind the ears and within the hairline and are therefore hidden. These incisions heal well in 7 to 10 days. The amount or extent of the incisions will depend on the degree of skin laxity and the complexity of surgery required to achieve the optimum results. 

Neck Lift surgery is performed under general anaesthetic, commonly as a day-case or an overnight procedure.

RECOVERY TIME & AFTER CARE

Mild pain / discomfort is expected for 3 – 5 days. The neck will feel tight for 3 to 4 weeks after your surgery. Patients can go back to their normal daily activities after 1 week, but avoid strenuous exercise / activity for 6 weeks including any contact sports.

After surgery

Immediately after surgery, you will be taken into a recovery area for close monitoring. You may be permitted to go home when you are stable for discharge, typically after an hour or so. During the recovery the nurses will measure your Blood pressure through a cuff. She will also attach a monitor to your finger to check your pulse and level of Oxygen in your blood to ensure you are fully oxygenated. Before leaving, you will be given specific postoperative instructions for your recovery and a follow- up appointment with your plastic surgeon. You may also receive medications or a prescription, but many plastic surgeons prescribe postoperative medications in advance. Your prescribed medications may include pain pills and an antibiotic to prevent infection. We advise no showering for one week which is a very difficult task for anyone. We advise that it is ok to have regular hand showers with lukewarm water and ensuring no water is submerged onto the incisions. We will advise you of this before you leave the hospital.

7 days after surgery

You will return to the hospital for your post-operative review, in which any stitches are removed. Though the surgeon uses dissolvable stitches, we will check to make sure your incisions have healed. You will also be assessed with any leftover swelling and any advice to help improve your recovery time.

1 year after surgery

As apart of your aftercare, we advise all patients to book in once a year to see their surgeon for a brief assessment of the consistent results.

TIME OFF WORK

We recommend taking 7-14 days off of work following your face lift procedure. In this case I can supply you with a medical certificate for your employer.

POST-OP APPOINTMENTS

Post-operative follow-up is of paramount importance. Each patient undergoing any Cosmetic Surgery will be given post operative appointments for wound management and suture removal. Post-operative instructions are vital and we consider it very important that you adhere to them. Failing to follow these guidelines and attend your appointments can adversely affect the outcome of surgery and put patient safety at risk.