While it may seem like facelift surgery should be an incredibly painful procedure, the truth is that most patients are surprised at how little discomfort they actually experience.
After a few days you may get some bruises on your neck and chest. This is caused by gravity, which pulls the excess blood and bruising downward. You will feel some pain for 2 to 4 days after surgery.
Recovery time after a facelift depends on a patient's age, health status, and specific procedure desired. Patients are usually able to return to their normal activities and work within 1-2 weeks but should wait approximately 2-4 weeks before engaging in any strenuous exercise.
How Long Does a Facelift Last? For most patients, results from a facelift will last about 10 years. The skin on your face will continue to age after you have a facelift, which is why the results aren't permanent.
General Anesthesia
Throughout the procedure, you are completely asleep, and you feel no pain. This is the most common type of anesthesia Dr. Fan uses. A facelift takes considerable time, and the majority of patients, especially those who experience anxiety, are most comfortable sleeping through the procedure.
Facelift is also considered major surgery based on a longer recovery time than following lesser invasive treatments. Swelling may linger for several months, however the majority of swelling and bruising resolves over the first few weeks post-operatively.
An awake facelift is performed only using local anesthesia, and there is significantly less bruising and swelling associated with it. Since there is less bruising and swelling, the recovery is easier and more rapid for our patients.
In most cases, a facelift works best for people in their 40s, 50s, and 60s when signs of aging begin to become prevalent. Deep lines, wrinkles, fine lines, and sagging skin are the result of the aging process and can be best corrected through surgical techniques rather than non-surgical ones.
Injectable treatments will reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, but they will not remove excess skin, improve skin laxity, or eliminate skin sagging. The only way to effectively treat these issues is through surgery. A facelift will provide much more long-lasting results than non-surgical options.
Overall, a mini facelift is considered effective in correcting sagging skin in the lower half of your face. Depending on your overall goals, you may consider additional procedures, such as an eye lift or dermal fillers.
You must wear the chin strap continuously for the first two weeks after surgery except while eating and showering/cleaning incisions. The strap helps fight the forces of gravity immediately after surgery and helps improve any swelling.
During this week you'll likely still have some swelling and bruising around the affected areas. Swelling and bruising can also cause some people to experience some numbness, tingling and tightness. These are all common occurrences after a facelift and should not cause concern.
Is a mini facelift painful? Whenever you have a mini or full facelift, there is some pain and discomfort that follows the procedure. With the mini facelift, there is less pain because only certain parts of the face were tightened. This pain is much less significant than those who undergo a full facelift experience.
How much does a facelift cost? The average cost of a facelift is $8,005, according to 2020 statistics from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. This average cost is only part of the total price – it does not include anesthesia, operating room facilities or other related expenses.
Facelift – Facelift surgery is often considered the ideal solution for moderate to significant jowling. Designed to lift and tighten sagging facial tissue, this procedure can effectively reduce the appearance of jowls and create a more defined jawline.
Eighty-nine patients (68 percent) returned the survey. Results: One year after face-lift surgery, 87 patients (97.8 percent) described the improvement of their facial appearance as very good or beyond expectations.
When performed correctly by the hands of a skilled surgeon, facelift results can be some of the most natural looking of any cosmetic procedure and can leave you with a rejuvenated and more youthful facial appearance.
Generally, a ponytail lift involves incisions made high up on the face – above the front of the ear or beyond the hairline. The facial cosmetic surgeon then pulls the ligaments below the skin to adjust and reduce sagging.
A thread lift is a short, minimally invasive procedure that — using advances in thread technology — can lift and reposition sagging facial skin. The results are not as dramatic as facelift surgery but still visible. Thread lifts can target areas of the face and neck, including: Jowls.
A mini facelift involves the placement of incisions in front of the ears which extend from the hairline to the bottom of the earlobe. The surgeon will then gently pull the skin and tissues up and outward the ear. Excess skin and tissue are removed to tighten the appearance of the skin.
A facelift can absolutely be performed very safely without the use of general anesthesia. I've performed thousands of procedures in an office setting using light sedation and local anesthesia.
While you won't be under general anesthesia, it's still important for a loved one to drive you home and ensure you are recovering properly. Patients for awake facelifts may be given Valium or Xanax to help relax them during surgery.