Face Lift surgery (Face Lift-rhytidectomy) is a surgical procedure performed to correct sagging, wrinkles, and deformities in the face and neck area caused by aging, gravity, and loss of elasticity. During the operation, excess skin is removed, and deep muscles and connective tissues (SMAS) are tightened.
✓What is Face Lift?
✓Face Lift, medically known as facelift, is a surgical procedure aimed at redesigning the appearance created by aging, skin laxity, and downward displacement of tissues in the face and neck region. In the application, not only the skin surface but also the supporting tissues under the skin can be reshaped when necessary. Thus, the goal is to achieve a more balanced appearance in the jawline, cheeks, mouth area, and neck region.
✓Face Lift surgery can be considered in cases such as deepening facial lines, reduced definition in the jawline, downward displacement of cheek tissues, and sagging in the neck area. However, the procedure does not eliminate fine wrinkles, skin spots, or all skin tissue changes on its own. For such problems, different applications may need to be planned together with the facelift surgery.
✓The scope of the surgery is determined based on the person's facial structure, skin quality, age, general health status, and expectations. While only the lower face and jawline are addressed in some people, neck lift, eyelid surgery, or procedures targeting the eyebrow area may also be considered in others. The method to be applied is planned individually by the specialist physician following a detailed examination.
✓Face Lift is generally performed under general anesthesia or sedation in suitable patients. Incisions are usually planned near natural curves such as the hairline, in front of the ear, and behind the ear. During surgery, excess skin may be removed, loose tissues may be repositioned, and necessary adjustments may be made in the neck area.
✓After the procedure, swelling, bruising, tightness sensation, and temporary numbness may occur. Recovery time varies depending on the scope of the application and the person's healing characteristics.
✓Face Lift does not stop aging but can help reduce existing changes related to aging. To evaluate the results and determine whether the procedure is appropriate for the person, examination by a plastic, reconstructive, and aesthetic surgery specialist is required.
✓How is Face Lift Surgery Performed?
✓Apart from facelift bands and non-surgical, injection-based facelift procedures, surgical facelift is also possible. If a person seeks it due to necessity and/or aesthetic dissatisfaction, and if the specialist physician detects skin laxity and sagging-type deformations following examination, resolving these problems with facelift surgery is not very difficult.
✓With advancing technology, both the reduction in the cost of such operations and the acceleration of the surgery and post-operative process have increased preferences in this direction. When planning surgery, the patient's youth photographs are first examined to determine how aging has occurred, where deformations have developed on the face, and in what direction.
✓There is a common misconception that with facelift surgery only the skin is tightened. However, this is not correct. A correct and successful surgery reshapes not only the skin but all skin layers in three dimensions.
✓With the incision made in the skin, intervention is made to the connective tissue under the skin, facial muscles, and tissues that have sagged downward. Through touches made to these deep tissues under the skin, loose and sagging elements are moved to the places they should be in a normal face and existing deformities are eliminated. One of the main questions that comes to mind regarding facelift surgeries is whether scars will remain after surgery.
✓Since facelift surgery uses endoscopic methods with small incisions of 1 to 2 millimeters and within the hair, there is no scar appearance. In classical methods, these incisions are in front of and behind the ear and the natural lines of the face are placed between them, so they gradually heal and become invisible over time.
✓Is Non-Surgical Face Lift Possible?
✓When non-surgical facelift is mentioned, one should not only think of facelift bands. Non-surgical facelift procedures such as Botox, fillers, laser, and cellular therapy, also referred to as "non-invasive" methods that do not require much intervention on the patient, are also among the options.
✓At this point, what should be especially emphasized is that all these mentioned procedures must be performed by qualified persons in places that meet hygiene requirements and by specialists.
✓Since it should be kept in mind that procedures performed without these conditions can cause serious problems such as infection and allergies. As has been reflected in public many times, the problems created by such thoughtlessly applied procedures cause individuals to face results that cannot be remedied.
✓And another point to be remembered is that permanent results should not be expected from applications such as Botox, laser, and cellular therapy. These applications have an effectiveness of about 6 months or 1 year. After this period, effectiveness gradually decreases and disappears, and repetition of the procedure may be necessary.
✓How Long Does Face Lift Surgery (Facelift) Last?
✓With facelift surgery performed with proper planning, it is extremely likely to obtain a rejuvenating result in the patient's face for 5 to 10 years. The permanence of the effects of such surgeries performed by qualified hands is definitely longer compared to facelift bands and other methods.
✓Under normal circumstances, while it is possible to state this permanence period as 10 years, it should be noted that the main determinant of the duration is the person's living conditions.
✓Factors such as excessive smoking and alcohol consumption, a stressful lifestyle, sleep deprivation, staying away from sports and exercise, inadequate and problematic eating-drinking habits, and perhaps most importantly, not taking precautions against sun damage can shorten the 10-year permanence period.
✓It should also be noted that in people who have adopted a calm lifestyle, limited or completely eliminated alcohol and tobacco consumption, have adequate sleep habits necessary for adults, eat regularly and sufficiently, regularly perform the minimum exercise our body needs, and protect themselves against sun damage, this permanence period may be extended.
✓Without resorting to the convenience of "I had surgery once, now I don't need to do anything anymore," individuals can maintain the satisfying appearance obtained after surgery for as long as possible by meeting personal care requirements and through small touches such as laser, fillers, Botox, and similar procedures under medical supervision.