Will There Be Scars After A Facelift and A Necklift Surgery?

After almost every surgical procedure as well as facelift and necklift surgeries, that involves making incisions on the skin, formation of some scarring is expected. The location and structure of the scars to be formed after facelift and necklift surgeries are dependent on a number of factors. In particular, the location of the scars will be the areas where the incisions are made, depending on the surgical approach. The structure of the scars will depend on surgical skills and the individual skin structure of the patient.

During facelift and necklift 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.  Surgical techniques that work on deeper tissues can also be used. As these mentioned procedures can involve making incision on the skin of the face and the neck, the scars that may occur are going to be along these lines. After the healing process is completed, these scars are usually camouflaged along the hairline/inside the hair and in front of the ear, becoming quite unnoticeable.

One of the most important factors affecting the prominence of the scars that will remain after a facelift and a necklift surgery is the individual skin structure of the patient. While some people may be inclined to heal faster and form less scar tissue, the skin structure of some individuals is more inclined to heal slower and form more scar tissue. Rarely, the scars may turn into hypertrophic scars (large, fleshy, raised scars) or keloids (they may continue to grow and grow, turn pink / red, become raised, fleshy) at advanced levels. However, if there is no such inclination in the genetic structure of the person, and the other factors are favorable, the scars to remain can be expected to become quite unnoticable in time. This period can take up to a year and it is important to protect the scars from the sun. Healthy nutrition and some creams and gels contribute to the healing and the fading of the scars.