Can your look use a little lift? A facelift is the surgical route to long-lasting facial rejuvenation. It is a popular procedure with high rates of patient satisfaction. There’s just no topping its effectiveness.
Minimally invasive alternatives abound: chemical peels, dermaplaning, microdermabrasion, micro-needling, laser resurfacing, neuromodulator injectables and dermal fillers. Even so, the facelift remains the best in its class, reliably delivering the most dramatic results in the most severe cases of age-related skin laxity. Better yet, rhytidectomy is easily packaged with other facial procedures, making it the central pillar of any attempts to reinvigorate your visage.
Dr. Saira H. Saini is the only board-certified, female plastic surgeon practicing within a 70-mile radius of Fayetteville, North Carolina. She is chief surgeon and founder of Carolina Plastic Surgery. A proud veteran with 20 years of service under her belt, she is honored to serve the military members of nearby Fort Bragg and their families. Her training, experience and compassion make her an ideal choice to shepherd you toward your aesthetic goals.
Consult the wisdom and judgment of someone who understands. Contact Carolina Plastic Surgery to get the conversation started. Call (910) 323-1234 and schedule a consultation.
What Is Rhytidectomy?
Also known as a rhytidectomy, a facelift is one of the best solutions for the long-term correction of visible signs of aging.
This procedure can help men and women correct multiple aesthetic concerns, including:
- Sagging skin in the midface
- Deep creases below the eyes or along the nose
- Loss of shape or volume in the face
- Jowls and double chin
As a foundational facial surgery, rhytidectomy is frequently partnered with other rejuvenation procedures to optimize their outcomes and achieve more balanced, holistic results. We discuss these in greater detail below.
Learn the latest about all of Carolina Plastic Surgery’s transformative services by keeping up with our blog.
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Benefits
You will begin to see the benefits of your facelift on the first day of recovery, though you will still have a lot of healing to do before the swelling and bruising sufficiently go down. From that day forward, and until your healing is complete, you will observe your youthful new features take shape.
Facelift’s Upgrades
- Tightens up hanging, hollowed cheeks
- Banishes jowls
- Eliminates laugh lines
- Mutes frown lines
- Erases wrinkles caused by skin laxity
The results of rhytidectomy triumph for 10 years or more.
Am I a Good Candidate for Facelift?
Dr. Saini determines candidacy for the facelift by running a simple cost-benefit analysis. She knows any surgery comes with a commitment of time and resources. When we view the procedure through this lens, the most obvious question becomes: do the results you seek balance with that commitment?
For this reason, most facelift patients are in their mid-40s and older. Those who show more severe signs of aging stand to gain the most from the procedure. Younger patients may find rhytidectomy’s minimally invasive alternatives more their speed.
Though they are not as comprehensive or long-lasting, many of Carolina Plastic Surgery’s med spa procedures are designed to dampen the symptoms of facial aging with a shorter recovery and a lower price point.
Your Personal Consultation in Fayetteville
Dr. Saini approaches each patient with her unique blend of expertise and empathy. She’s had to work hard to shatter glass ceilings and be the sole female plastic surgeon in the Fayetteville, North Carolina area. She has much to say, but she is even more eager to listen.
Contact Carolina Plastic Surgery to get the conversation started. Call (910) 323-1234 and schedule a consultation.
Procedure
Rhytidectomy is an outpatient procedure, requiring no overnight hospital stay. Dr. Saini will determine if a general or intravenous anesthesia is appropriate for your unique case. Once you are adequately anesthetized, the procedure begins.
Incisions
Your incision pattern is determined by the degree of your particular procedure. Options include:
- Traditional Facelift – incisions begin at the temples and continue around the ears to the lower scalp
- Mini Lift – shorter incisions at the temples that continue around the ear
Lift and Tighten
Dr. Saini lifts your skin from its moorings. She sculpts, removes or repositions fatty tissue about the face, jowls and neck. Taking a firm hold of your superficial fascia, she draws the tissue back and up, against the pull of gravity. Completing this phase of the procedure, Dr. Saini redrapes the skin over the uplifted contours. Excess skin is trimmed away.
Wrap Up
Dr. Saini closes your incisions with sutures or surgical glue. She wraps the site in bandages. You return to our office the following day for removal of dressings. Return to the office to get your stitches extracted within several days.
Recovery
You can expect mild bruising, swelling and some discomfort as the new facial contours heal. The healing process may be different for everyone, but Dr. Saini will advise you on how much time to safely take off from work—usually between 10 and 14 days. She will monitor your progress and healing during a series of brief follow-up appointments.
Most patients are able to see the full results after all swelling and bruising have subsided.
Complementary Procedures
Your comprehensive outcome may require the addition of complementary procedures to achieve integrated results. These procedures target the areas just below and above rhytidectomy’s radius of effectiveness.
Neck Lift
A neck lift focuses on the intractable “turkey neck” that no amount of diet and exercise can reduce. The procedure is aimed at creating a more defined jawline and a slimmer, smoother-looking neck. Excess skin and fat are removed.
Brow Lift
Do worry lines radiate across your forehead or do your brows sag? A brow lift (or forehead lift) raises the skin at your brow, eliminating deep lines and wrinkles to a degree far beyond Botox.
How Much Does a Facelift Cost in North Carolina?
Aesthetic enhancement is within your reach. For those who qualify, Carolina Plastic Surgery offers financing options and payment plans designed to empower more patients than ever.
We accept CareCredit and Alphaeon Credit.
Lift Yourself
Dr. Saini knows that the most satisfying change is the change you initiate yourself. She will guide you in your journey to uplift your looks. Whether you seek the revivifying benefits of one of our med spa procedures or the more comprehensive results of facelift surgery, eliminate the signs of severe aging at Carolina Plastic Surgery.
FAQ
The benefits of the rhytidectomy procedure are long-lasting, setting it apart from minimally invasive med spa procedures that, while effective, are limited in duration. Lax, sagging skin is a natural consequence of the aging process. A facelift will mitigate the consequences by excising loose skin and retailoring it to your face. But the years will continue to accumulate and, as they do, so too will the indicators of aging. Get the most out of your facelift by taking good care of your skin—wear sunblock, moisturize, get enough sleep and eat well.
The extent of your facelift can depend on your personal preferences and whether or not other procedures are being performed in addition to the surgery. Your surgeon will place incisions carefully around the ears, hairline and scalp to minimize visible scarring. Traditional facelifts involve lifting and redraping the skin in order to smooth signs of aging around the forehead, eyes, mouth and chin.
Ideal candidates for a facelift procedure are typically in their mid-40s or older. The patient should display visible signs of aging and be ready to commit the requisite time and resources to surgery. Rhytidectomy effectively treats advanced signs of aging, including drooping cheeks, jowls, smile lines, frown lines, “turkey neck,” etc. Younger patients (40 and under) are likely to find themselves better suited for minimally invasive procedures like Botox and laser resurfacing. These procedures, while limited in duration, are more affordable and less invasive.
Sleep on your back with your head elevated during your first month of recovery. The goal is to prevent strain and swelling in your face. To achieve an optimum sleeping position, stack your pillows up several layers high. You will also want to set some barriers to prevent yourself from rolling onto your face while you sleep. You can construct these barriers from extra pillows.
Do not use harsh soaps and detergents around the incision sites. Shower with lukewarm water and rinse gingerly during the first week. You may return to using gentle soaps 7 days after surgery. Do not blowdry your hair with hot air. Do not apply hair coloring or any other unnecessary chemicals for a month and a half post-op.
References
- Face-lift. (2018, August 29). Retrieved January 15, 2020, from https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/face-lift/about/pac-20394059
- Park, D. M. (2015). Total Facelift: Forehead Lift, Midface Lift, and Neck Lift. Archives of Plastic Surgery, 42(2), 111. doi: 10.5999/aps.2015.42.2.111
