Facelift

Have you had a Facelift recently and are looking for after care? Read our care instructions here.

Perhaps no other area of the body conveys as much about our personality and vitality as our face. Yet the delicate skin of the face is most susceptible to sun exposure, and it may be the first to suffer from the natural loss of collagen, elastin and fat that comes naturally with aging. For this reason, facial aging signs — even early ones — can have a serious, even devastating, impact on our self-image, how we feel and, ultimately, our confidence level.

Fortunately, patients have a wide variety of options available to them to treat aging signs in the face, including more severe symptoms. While for some, non-invasive treatments may provide adequate levels of facial rejuvenation, some clients will prefer or require more robust techniques to rejuvenate the face and roll back the years. Patients who are good candidates for surgery, however, still have many options to choose from, and the most common of these options are a full or mini facelift.

Each option will provide substantial rejuvenation of the face, but each procedure treats different facial areas and has its own benefits and drawbacks. A consultation with a well-trained and knowledgable surgeon, like Dr. Kenneth Odinet, is crucial to understanding which procedures and techniques will address the concerns that matter most to you, and it is your surgeon’s understanding of facial anatomy and his aesthetic eye that will ensure you achieve your desired outcome.

TAKE A LOOK AT THE RESULTS

The Benefits That a Facelift Offers

A facelift provides one of the most effective treatments to address facial aging because the procedure is so comprehensive, augmenting the muscles, skin and fat which all contribute to facial aging symptoms. The procedure specifically can improve:

  • Submental fat which creates a double chin
  • Sagging skin in the mid and lower face
  • Nasolabial folds which run from the nose to the mouth
  • Hollowing in the midface area
  • Lower facial contours and jowls

Who is a good candidate for a facelift?

Most individuals who have moderate to severe signs of facial aging will qualify for a facelift, and your candidacy will be determined during your consultation with Dr. Odinet. In general, however, a good candidate for a facelift will exhibit one or more of the following traits:

  • Good bone structure to help support muscle and skin augmentation
  • Good skin elasticity
  • Good overall health to ensure a safe surgery and recovery
  • Realistic expectations about the procedure

Selecting the Type of Facelift for Your Needs

Whether you desire full facial rejuvenation or seek to improve only individual areas of your face, there is a facelift surgery ideal for your needs. There are three primary facelift surgery types which each focus on enhancing different areas of the face, and each variant of the surgery is also customizable to your individual needs. Your three facelift surgery options are:

  • Traditional full facelift
  • Mid facelift
  • Lower facelift

The Traditional Full Facelift

A traditional or full facelift treats the forehead, mid and lower regions of the face. The procedure allows Dr. Odinet to make more comprehensive enhancements; however, the technique will require a more extensive incision that begins in the temples passes around the ears. Your surgeon will carefully place the incision within the hairline and in the natural folds of the skin which will minimize visible scarring after recovery. A full facelift enhances:

  • Sagging cheek skin
  • Facial hollows and definition loss around the cheekbones
  • Deep creases or folds under the eyes
  • Lines in the mouth and nose area
  • Lower face skin laxity

Candidates for a full facelift will have more dramatic signs of aging than other candidates and will typically be in their 50’s or 60’s. While a full facelift has a longer recovery than a mid-facelift, it also produces more dramatic and longer-lasting results than the other surgical alternatives.

The Mid-Facelift

A mid-facelift or mini facelift focuses on improving aging symptoms under the eyes and in the cheek areas. A facial fat transfer may also be included in the procedure to provide additional definition to the cheekbones, creating enhanced contours. Incisions in this procedure are located in the temples and pass around the ear as in a full facelift; however, they are generally smaller than incisions in a full facelift.

A mid-facelift provides patients with the following benefits:

  • Adds volume to sunken cheekbones
  • Reduces midface hallowing
  • Lifts and firms skin between the cheekbone and jawline
  • Reduces wrinkles and creases around the eyes, nose and mouth

A mid-facelift can benefit clients who are in their 30’s and 40’s but want to rejuvenate early aging signs before they progress. It is not age alone but the extent of your symptoms which will indicate the most appropriate course of treatment for your goals, however.

The Lower Facelift

A lower facelift improves symptoms in the lower third of the face, including the mouth and jaw. This variant of the facelift procedure can eliminate the jowls and the double chin which is caused by submental fat in this area. It can also reduce deeper nasolabial folds which develop between the nose and the corners of the mouth. Excess skin is excised and fat is also removed, as necessary, during this procedure; the incision is located in the ears and hairline. Frequently, a neck lift is paired with a lower facelift to provide the maximum level of rejuvenation by smoothing neck skin and reducing horizontal banding as well.

What Will Happen During Your Facelift Procedure

A facelift requires a surgeon with excellent surgical skills, extreme attention to detail, an artistic eye and a keen respect for the goals his patient wishes to achieve through surgery; these are all qualities which Dr. Kenneth Odinet embodies. While each variant of the facelift procedure is customized to the individual needs of the patient, all facelift surgeries will follow a series of well-delineated steps which ensure patient safety and results; these steps include:

  • Step 1: Dr. Odinet will see that anesthesia is administered before your procedure, ensuring your complete comfort. You may receive local anesthesia and IV sedation or general anesthesia; this depends on the procedure and the amount of augmentation Dr. Odinet will perform.
  • Step 2: Dr. Odinet will make the initials incisions, ensuring that they are within the hairline or natural folds of the skin to minimize scarring after recovery.
  • Step 3: Dr. Odinet will remove excess skin and fat and reposition underlying muscle to create a natural, rejuvenated appearance.
  • Step 4: Dr. Odinet will close your incisions with either dissolvable sutures or sutures that will require removal later. Your surgeon will select the sutures most appropriate for the incision area and which will also best promote healing and minimize scarring in the area.

Recovering From Your Facelift

Fully recovering from your facelift will take many weeks; however, the results of your surgery will last many years. Further, giving your body enough time to recover will minimize any potential risks and have a positive impact on your results. Most patients’ recovery will include the following milestones:

  • Some patients may experience mild nausea and chills as their anesthesia wears off, but these side effects usually pass within an hour or two. Some pain and swelling are to be expected after surgery, but Dr. Odinet will provide you with pain medications to ensure your comfort.
  • During week one of recovery, light physical activity is recommended to encourage blood flow, but more vigorous activities should be avoided at this time. Patients must also regularly change their bandages to ensure their incision areas remain healthy.
  • Patients may continue to experience mild swelling, and bruising may persist for the next few weeks, but patients should be able to resume their normal schedule during this time. Strenuous activities should continue to be avoided, however. Dr. Odinet will schedule regular follow-up appointments during this period, as well.

The Results of Your Facelift

With a full recovery, expect to see a younger, refreshed look that accentuates your natural facial contours, reveals your true personality and spirit and lasts for many years. Most patients will begin to see the results of their surgery within 2 weeks, but improvements will continue to develop for up to a year after the procedure when final results can be fully appreciated.

A facelift will result in fewer lines, wrinkles and facial furrows, significantly improved skin laxity, a more refreshed and youthful appearance and improved facial volumization. A patient’s facelift results are long-lasting, with many patients enjoying their new look for 10 to 15 years or even longer. These long-term benefits make a facelift a worthwhile investment in an individual’s looks and daily quality of life.

A facelift, in skilled hands, can provide years of facial rejuvenation

A patient can achieve their desired look if they can communicate their goals clearly and select a qualified and experienced surgeon who can not only perform a safe surgery but create a look which expresses each patient’s unique spirit. A facelift requires an appreciation of the anatomy, personality and concerns of each patient, and a successful surgery requires individualizing the course of treatment specifically to the patient’s needs. Understanding each patient’s concerns and goals is of primary importance to Dr. Odinet.

A patient is most likely to obtain superlative results when the surgeon does not merely agree with the patient’s wishes but, based on his extensive experience, recommends what will best suit the patient and the surgical course of treatment to achieve those goals. Dr. Odinet will work with you to ensure your facelift gives you the best result possible based on his nearly 30 years of bringing out the best in each patient. Most importantly, Dr. Odinet will ensure that no matter which procedure you select, it will be performed safely, enhancing your look but also preserving your good health.

Call today to schedule your appointment with one of our professionals today and learn more about the benefits a facelift or mini facelift can provide. You can reach our offices at (337) 234-8648 to secure your consultation date.