Time takes its toll on us all, although where, and in what way varies quite a bit from person to person. For some of us, it’s the middle-age spread — where hips, and thighs, and tummy begin to widen, despite our best efforts of diet and exercise. For some of us it’s a sag where there used to be a bounce, or possibly some gray in the hair. For most of us, we show our age in our faces. It starts with a few wrinkles, here and there, and ends up with jowls and the appellation “ma’am”.
Thank heavens for the face lift.
What you should expect when undergoing a face lift procedure depends on a couple of factors; most notably your general state of health, and how drastic an effect you hope to achieve. These two things will have the most significant impact on how long the procedure takes, as well as how long you will need in order to recover fully, and what kind of results you can expect.
Generally the procedure, also known as a rhytidectomy (from the Greek for “wrinkle removal”), is divided into two categories —mini, and regular.
A mini face lift is most suitable for patients who are just starting to notice a loosening of the facial skin, or a blurring of the contour of their neck and jaw line. The procedure itself generally takes between three and four hours although, again, that can vary a bit from patient to patient. The procedure can be performed under either local anesthetic or general anesthetic, and is designed to result in a subtle effect and a quick recovery time for those who seek discretion. It’s entirely possible that coworkers, family, and friends will be unaware that you’ve had any cosmetic surgery done at all. You should be back to work within a few days.
The regular procedure can take anywhere from 4 to 6 hours to perform, and involves the use of general anesthetic. The full procedure is more suitable for those who want a more drastic result, though at the cost of a longer recovery time. Most patients can reasonably expect to be back to work within 1 to 3 weeks.
Regardless of how quickly or slowly your general recovery takes, it can be several weeks to a few months before your face settles into its new look.
If you’re finding yourself less and less happy with what time is doing to the way you look, and are considering a face lift, book a consultation with Dr. Goldberg to discuss your options. She’ll help you determine if your goals are realistic, and how to best achieve them.