What Is Done During A Facelift Surgery?

A patient’s facial bone stucture, facial shape, facial fat tissue distribution, facial skin quality, skin laxity, excess facial skin amount, deeper facial tissue positions are evaluated for their candidacy for a facelift operation. As each patient has a different anatomy with individual needs, the surgery planning and approach is designed accordingly.

During facelift surgeries, the skin in the face and neck of the patient can be draped, meaning the excess skin being removed and the remaining skin being positioned to be tighter. Deeper tissue stuctures in the face can also be positioned to be tighter. Fat tissues can be removed in selected areas.

Tightening of the saggy, loose skin around the jawline, improvement in the lines around the nose and mouth, removal of excess skin and fat tissues in the neck, chin and cheek area, repositioning of the deeper tissues in the midface to tighten them can be amongst the aims of a facelift surgery. Also, creating more definition in facial features, providing a more youthful, rejuvenated apperance to the face in general are amongst the aims of a facelift surgery.

Facelift surgeries are executed through an incision starting in the hair or hairline above and in front of the ear, in the temporal region. The incision is extended downwards in front of the ear, moving towards under the ear and then upwards behind the ear ending in the hair or hairline behind the ear. The skin and fatty tissues are then seperated from the underlying muscle and connective tissue as much as needed. The underlying muscle and connective tissues can be tightened with sutures if there is a need for it. The skin is pulled back and upwards and the excess skin is removed. Then the wound is closed with sutures and skin staples. Drains can be used if seen necessary. Bands are then applied on the sutures. Surgical techniques that work on deeper tissues can also be used.

Facelift surgeries do not target the foread, eyebrows, eyelids. Other procedures such as forehead lifts, browlifts, blepharoplasties can be combined with facelift surgeries and give great results depending on the needs of the patient. Superficial, fine lines, skin irregularities, problems in the skin quality, sun damage and similiar issues are not targeted by facelift surgeries. Alternative treatments options are available for these issues.