Cervicofacial lifting
Can we offer different facelifts?
The variety of facelifts concerns the different areas of the face concerned, we can thus distinguish:
The cervical lift which treats submental sagging and baleen (folds vertical on either side of the midline), it often includes associated liposuction.
The cervicofacial lift which treats, in addition to the neck, the jowls , the oval of the face and the pleated accordion of the cheeks.
The mid-facial lift to raise the cheekbones and treat the naso- genius.
The temporal and forehead lift to open the eyes by raising the eyebrows and Treating forehead and inter-eyebrow wrinkles, it is generally combined with blepharoplasty.
The minilift can be performed young, from the age of 40, under local anesthesia pure or potentiated; it allows with reduced consequences and minimal scars, to redraw the oval of the face and tighten the cheeks.
What are the complementary techniques associated with the facelift?
Apart from the skin and muscle lift, additional effects are sought by filling techniques allowing better tissue support: lipofilling=self-injection of fat (especially cheekbones) or implant placement (at the chin level); or by abrasion: laser or chemical (peeling) on superficial wrinkles, in the mouth in particular. Submental liposuction is almost systematic. Injections of Botox or hyaluronic acid, before or after the operation, further improve the general appearance of wrinkles and the harmony of the face. Finally, for reasons of aesthetic balance of the face, blepharoplasty (cosmetic surgery of the upper or lower eyelids) will almost always be indicated.
At what age can a facelift be considered?
From the age of 40, it is possible to consider in front of a small relaxation of the oval of the face and neck, a mini facelift. However, this deadline is increasingly receding in favor of lighter techniques: volume remodeling, lifting effect by injection of botulinum toxin, particularly in the eyebrows, forehead, neck or corner of the lips.
How long does a facelift last?
The final result is appreciable from the 2nd and 3rd month. The face then regains a natural appearance. The patient will retain the benefit of the intervention for eight to ten years for a traditional full facelift, a little less for a minilift.
How is it going?
The procedure can be performed under general anesthesia or local anesthesia with deep sedation providing sufficient relaxation. The duration of the intervention is from 1:30 to 3 hours. Hospitalization from 12 to 24 hours. A drain is left for a few hours to avoid hematoma, which is always possible and must be evacuated immediately. A helmet type bandage will be placed after the intervention, a transient acoustic difficulty results.
What are the consequences?
If the patient is a smoker, it is necessary to plan a smoking cessation (one month before the operation and one month after). For 10 to 15 days, the face is swollen with variable bruising depending on the patient. A feeling of tension is felt in the ears and neck, accompanied by a transient decrease in the sensitivity of the cheek for a few weeks.
The stitches and staples are removed between the 7th and 15th day. The scars gradually fade in three to six months.
The patient cannot return to social and professional activity for 2 to 3 weeks.
In conclusion
The facelift remains an important intervention that requires serious preparation. Stopping smoking at least temporarily will be necessary, and a convalescence of at least 15 days will be recommended. These results remain spectacular provided you do not multiply the interventions in an existence, 2 to 3 facelifts maximum, at the risk of appearing "all redone". The new techniques of minilift of the lower face (MACS) and non-surgical medical methods make it possible to effectively delay the time of the classic major facelift, in particular by the preventive effect of injections and peeling-type treatments.