REDUCING THE SIGNS OF AGING:
FACELIFT AND FOREHEAD LIFT


FACELIFT: There comes a time when no amount of exercise, face creams, or diet will remove the wrinkly, droopy skin that we develop as we age. The looseness can only be reversed surgically with a "facelift". Although it is called a "facelift", only the lower half of the face is involved, including the cheeks, jowls, under the chin, and neck areas. This procedure is designed to tighten the skin and muscles beneath, and reduce fat deposits. Results can be quite dramatic, transforming the aging face into a younger and fresher one.


HOW IS IT DONE?

An incision is made just above the top of the ear, circling barely inside the ear, under the earlobe, into the crease behind the ear, and back into the hairline (see diagram). The skin is loosened, and the deeper muscle tissues and connective tissues are tightened to form a firm foundation for the skin. Some fat may be removed as well from the neck and jowl areas. The skin is then redraped, the excess is removed, and the incision is sutured. A small incision is made under the chin, and liposuction of the jowls and neck is carried out.


WHERE IS IT DONE?

The procedure is performed on an outpatient basis at the Henry Ford Hospital Ambulatory Surgery Center West Bloomfield, or at the UnaSource Surgery Center in Troy.


WILL IT HURT?

With a combination of mild sedatives, local anesthesia, and a mild intravenous anesthesia, little discomfort is experienced during the procedure. During the recovery period, the discomfort is generally not severe and is easily controlled. Because everyone's pain tolerance differs, you are sent home with a prescription for pain medication to be taken as needed. You will experience some tightness in the neck area that will resolve within a couple of weeks, and some numbness around the ears that may last several weeks to several months.


WHAT CAN I EXPECT AND HOW LONG WILL THE RESULTS LAST?

When sagging is severe, the results may be more dramatic. The general appearance does not change, but a tighter neck results in a younger looking face. When sagging is early, the improvement will be more subtle. The face will have a younger, fresher look, and smoother skin. On the average, the improvement lasts about seven to ten years. Although aging gradually continues, the face will look better after a number of years than it would have, had surgery not been performed.