Facelift or Rhytidectomy
It may be argued that the most prominent feature of the human body is the face. Unfortunately, over time exposure to the sun, fluctuations in weight, genetics and many other factors (i.e., smoking and exposure to pollution) express their collective effect within the appearance of our face. As a result of these factors, facial skin loosens, wrinkles and furrows develop, and the muscles of the neck, jowls, forehead, etc., may weaken. The plastic surgery process referred to in clinical circles as “rhytidectomy,” more commonly known as “facelift” may address these various effects by firming and tightening the skin of the face and neck. There is little debate that a facelift procedure is most effective in treating problem areas present in the lower facial regions such as the jowls and neck. More often than not, facelifts are commonly performed in tandem with other facial plastic surgery procedures such as upper and lower blepharoplasty which treat the facial region surrounding the eyes. Furthermore, in an effort to achieve a more profound rejuvenation of the face, injections of various collagen fillers or Botox® may be utilized to treat pronounced creases in the forehead or frown lines between the eyebrow areas. Concomitantly, in an effort to accentuate and define the chin region, frequently due to the presence of a double chin, the facial surgeon may incorporate a procedure referred to as “supplemental lumpectomy” along with a facelift.
In an effort rejuvenate the appearance of their face, more and more people are turning to facelifts. In fact, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, over the past four years, the number of facelift procedures performed in the United States has increased to 128,667. The increasing frequency of facelift procedures places it among the top five most popular plastic surgery procedures including nose-reshaping (rhinoplasty), Liposuction (Lipoplasty), Breast Augmentation (Augmentation Mammaplasty), and eyelid surgery (Blepharoplasty).
When considering a facelift it is important to recognize that, despite conventional opinion, the texture of the skin on the face will not be modified by the facelift procedure. Facial skin conditions such as fine lines, acne scars, age spots and smoker’s creases will quickly return to their original texture and presentation regardless of how tightly the skin is pulled during a facelift. Furthermore, a facelift will not result in bestowing beautiful skin on the recipient unless the patient possessed it prior to a facelift procedure. This being the case, there are solutions. For example, skin treatments such as laser resurfacing and chemical peels may be used in conjunction with a facelift in an effort to improve the texture of the skin and minimize the appearance of wrinkles, age spots, etc.
While the information contained in www.beverlyhillsphysicians.com will provide you with a good introduction to the procedure, when considering a facelift, or any plastic surgery procedure for that matter, we recommend that you consult a qualified provider with experience in facelift surgery.