Scars after a facelift are visible but inconspicuous, and generally not noticeable unless examined closely. The facelift procedure scar starts at the sideburn and follows the contour of the ear, extending along the front of the ear and continuing under the earlobe and behind the ear, into the hairline.
For facelift patients specifically, it is understandable to worry about scarring on one of the most visible parts of your body. However, you may be surprised to learn that facelift scars are rarely visible when the surgery is performed by a skilled plastic surgeon, and the patient practices appropriate aftercare.
Facelift incisions typically start at the bottom of the sideburns, curving down in front of the ear, and moving back behind the ear into the hairline. This incision placement allows for the incisions to be largely camouflaged by the hair. These incisions also give Dr.
The incision is placed at the junction of the ear and cheek skin to hide the scar. In most patients, the incision will pass behind the tragus (the projection of skin in front of the ear canal). Placing the incision here means there is no telltale scar.
In general, it takes about six months for facelift incisions to heal and fade from red and pink to a lighter hue.
Facelift recovery time
You should look and feel normal after 2 – 4 weeks. Keep in mind that facelift surgery cannot stop natural aging, so we encourage patients to continue to take care of their skin and make healthy lifestyle choices.
Neck lift scars, in most cases, are made behind the ears and under the chin. Neck lift surgery incisions are small, and once the procedure is complete, Dr. Myint will carefully close them to optimize the healing process. Most patients find their scars are barely noticeable.
Scars from a mini facelift are typically located in natural creases of the skin or areas that are not prominently noticeable, so they are even less detectable to others.
Sun exposure can cause skin discoloration and make mini facelift scars more visible. Don't pick, scratch, or pull at your scar tissue. This can increase your risk of infection, cause uneven healing, or even end in more noticeable scarring.
An endoscopic facelift, or scarless facelift, is an effective procedure for patients of most ages. And as described, it is scarless since the small incisions are completely hidden in the hair. This is particularly appealing to patients who don't want any signs of having undergone surgery.
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.
In reality, a facelift can be everything from extremely obvious to incredibly subtle. The results are often dependant on the talent and skill of the plastic surgeon that you choose.
If you have been contemplating having cosmetic surgery on your face, you might be concerned about the appearance of scars along the incision lines. Scarring is an inevitable reality when it comes to cosmetic procedures as it is a part of the body's natural healing process.
Your surgeon may avoid your skin from scarring by removing stitches at certain times post-procedure. For example, removing facelift sutures 6 days after the procedure lowers the risk of developing permanent marks, also referred as “track marks”, along the line of incision.
“A simple neck lift without a facelift works really well,” says Dr. Moy, past president of the American Academy of Dermatology, American Society for Dermatologic Surgery and American Board of Facial Cosmetic Surgery. “It always looks natural, yet it still improves the lower face. It sort of gives you a lower facelift.”
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.
Most patients recover smoothly, without complications, in 2-3 weeks, with some returning to more sedentary jobs after 7 days. More strenuous jobs may require 2-3 weeks off work.
While facelift results can be different for every patient, the American Society of Plastic Surgeons found that, on average, patients felt they looked about 12 years younger after their facelift surgeries.
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.
There is usually very little actual pain following a facelift, but you may experience a deep bruised sensation as a result of the swelling, and your face may seem heavy. The bandage you will wear the first night may seem quite snug under your chin. Rather than make you feel restricted, we hope it makes you feel secure.
You may end up with hair loss in the area of the facelift incisions. This can lead to large hairless areas and/or an irregular hairline. In some cases, it might result in a complete loss of your sideburns.
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.
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.