Face Lift (Rhytidectomy)

A face lift can give outstanding results in regards to the confidence it can create for the patients who have had the treatment. But which procedure is right for you? Mr El Gawad offers a totally free initial consultation for a facelift in Manchester, Liverpool, Newton Le Willows or Bolton. He will discuss your individual concerns and advise accordingly in regards to what the best course of treatment would be. In the meantime however the following can be used as a general guide.

A mini facelift is not as dramatic in the results but is much less invasive and the down time is much lower. It would be a better choice for someone who wants to improve the midface and jowls and is looking for a much more subtle end result.

A full facelift is much more invasive and it involves a longer incision on the face. But then the results are much more dramatic and suitable for someone who is looking for remarkable results across the whole of the face.

A neck lift could be incorporated into the treatment plan if you had concerns with the neck area such as banding (also known as turkey neck).

As long as there are no underlying health issues that could cause complications in surgery, there is no reason why you would not be able to have a face-lift when you are older.  People in their 70’s and beyond have successfully had surgery. It is not the age of the patient that determines whether they are ok to have surgery but the state of their current health and considerations about their past history.

A facelift is usually done under general anaesthetic. This means you will effectively be asleep and you are completely unaware of what is going on. You will not be able to eat or drink for several hours before your facelift takes place.

There are several different types of facelift procedures that your surgeon may follow. But generally the following will occur.

• Your surgeon will make cuts at the temples just above your hairline. These will extend in front of the ear, underneath the lobe and then back behind the ear.
• If the jawline is being lifted your surgeon will also make incisions just below the chin area.
• The excess skin will be cut away.
• The remaining skin will be pulled back and then upwards. Your surgeon will then stitch it all back into place.
• It may be necessary for your surgeon to redistribute your facial fat and tissue or in some cases where there has been a dramatic loss of volume your surgeon may add some more to give a much more youthful result.
• Your surgeon will bandage your face to help reduce any resulting swelling or bruising after the operation.

You will most likely be in theatre for 2 to 3 hours and then up to a night in hospital to check everything is as it should. You will not be able to drive home therefore you will need to make sure you have someone organised to drive you home from hospital. Ideally you will have someone to stay with you for the first 24 hours after you have got home. Pain killers will be advised to help with any pain felt from surgery.

Bruising may be visible for at least two weeks after you have had the surgery for your facelift. It is advised that you avoid showering or getting the bandages wet for several days after the procedure. It’s also recommended that you don’t have any massages or use a sauna for several weeks after the operation.

If you use a pillow to help prop your head up when resting you may find that it helps reduce swelling further.

Bruising and swelling will be present immediately after the operation. This should subside after a couple of weeks. This will then rapidly improve week by week but the true results of a facelift may not be seen until 6 to 9 months after you had the surgery.

It’s usually advisable to wait at least 10 to 14 days after facelift surgery before you start to wear makeup.

You’ve just had a facelift – everyone is commenting how amazing you look. The surgery has taken years and years off your age. But do you need to change your passport photo?

The current guidance is that for minor surgery, including a full-face lift. You do NOT have to change any legal documents with your photograph on it. A facelift is designed to give a more youthful appearance, not make you look like someone completely different.

If however you have had major reconstructive surgery to your face, say after an accident or similar, then yes in this instance you would need to change your passport photo.

This usually happens in the early few hours to few days. This may require a visit back to theatre.

This usually happens in the first few days. This may need a course of antibiotics.

This may need frequent dressings and would leave a stretched scar. The scar could be revised at a later stage. The common area is the area behind the ear. If this would happen in-front of ear, this may need skin graft.

This usually happens in the area in front of the ear. This may improve on its own or needs skin graft.

This should improve on its own in few months time. However, it could be permanent.

This causes asymmetry of the face movements (Muscles). This may improve on it’s own or could need further surgery. Thecommon nerve injury is the Eye brow branch which could lead to droopy eye brow.

Scars which are permanent; red, lumpy or red. No guarantee about the quality of the scar. No control what so ever on the individual body healing.

Sutures; may spontaneously surface to skin and needs removal.

Because we start by asymmetry, so please don’t expect mirror image face . A degree of asymmetry would be expected.