Facelifts Are an Excellent Way to Restore a Youthful Look - By: Dave Stringham

All of us, at some time or another, begin to undergo the aging process. The aging process has several common features seen in everyone. These changes are the result of a loss of the elasticity in the skin and soft tissues of the face combined with the effect of gravity. A facelift, also called a rhytidectomy, is a procedure, which is designed to correct each of these features. It accomplishes this by redistributing the skin and soft tissues to their natural position in an up and back direction. This is done by tightening and repairing the underlying muscle and fascia as well as removing excess skin.

The main goal of a face lift is to fill out the cheeks, re-establish the jaw line and smooth the neck to create the normally sharp, youthful angle between the jaw and neck. A face lift can't turn the clock back, but it can help to restore your face to a natural, more youthful appearance.

A face lift surgeon takes special care to perform this procedure leaving each patient with a natural look. They takes great pride when many of his patients describe the positive reaction of friends and co-workers who tell them that they "look great!" but don't know why. The friends often ask, "Are you doing something different or did you go on a vacation?" Their patients look younger and refreshed without that "pulled" or artificial look.

Face lifts are usually performed under sedative or general anesthesia. Incisions are made in natural creases and folds, as well as behind the ear and in the hairline to allow for optimal healing and maximum camouflage. Many plastic surgeons are known for their meticulous closure of all incisions to aid in providing the best healing possible.

After surgery, the majority of swelling and bruising usually resolves in 10 to 14 days. Patients are instructed to avoid all exercise, heavy lifting and bending over for two weeks after the procedure. Drains may be placed under the skin at the conclusion of the procedure, to aid in the removal of any fluid build-up and are usually removed between one and three days after a face lift.

Face lifts are generally a safe procedure, but like all medical treatment, there are risks. The risks include bleeding, infection, nerve injury and the risk of anesthesia. Under the care of a board certified plastic surgeon, every effort will be made to prevent and minimize risk to make your outcome a successful one. Of note, smokers are instructed to quit smoking and using nicotine products for one month before and for at least one month after the surgery.

Face lifts are an excellent way to restore a youthful look, but they may be just one component to an overall plan to improve the appearance of one's face. You may want to consider laser eyelid surgery to improve the appearance of your eyes, a forehead lift to raise droopy eyebrow and eliminate forehead wrinkles, or laser skin resurfacing to eliminate fine wrinkles.

About the Author

Dave Stringham, the President of LookingYourBest.com writes about plastic surgery in Los Angeles, California and plastic surgery procedures such as los angeles facelift, browlift, ear pinning, tummy tuck, nose job, arm lift, and thigh lift.

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