DISCUSS ANYTHING & EVERYTHING: Money, Dating, Health, Internet, Legal, Jobs, People, Places and more

There are three types of facelift:

1. Forehead and brow lift with an endoscopic technique (see forehead and brow lift)
2. Middle face lift with an endoscopic technique (see information on middle face lift)
3. Cheeks and neck lift
   The loose skin and subcutaneous tissue on the cheeks and neck is tightened. It involves an incision at the front of the ear and at the back, depending on the level of sagginess. Sometimes an extra incision is made under the chin if the neck muscle (platysma) is quite saggy.

Before and after the operation instructions:

1. In the evening or morning before the operation you should wash your hair. Don't dye your hair up to three weeks after the operation, you should do it beforehand.
2. In case of a cold or any other kind of inflammation you must notify your doctor.
3. The recovery after surgery is as follows:
4. 1. The entire face may be swollen from 2 to 3 weeks, but the swelling starts decreasing after 48 hours.
   2. Bruises which can be present anywhere in the surgery area will disappear in 1 or 2 weeks. The dark colour of the suffusion changes into yellow before it disappears completely.
   3. Skin numbness may be present particularly in the ear area, under the eyes and on the forehead, but the sensation comes back in a few weeks or months.
   4. Dumping on the face disappears in 2 to 3 weeks.
   5. Pain when putting pressure may occur in the ear area for a few weeks after the surgery.
   6. Sensations of tension, pressure and pulling may last for some time around the ears and on the neck. They reach their peak in the third week.
5. Some stitches (on the eyelids) are removed on the second but no later than on the fourth day, elsewhere in a week, on the head in 10-14 days.
6. Hair can be washed as soon as 2 days after the operation.
7. Make-up can be used a day after the surgery, but not for two weeks on wounds.
8. Callus may occur under the chin and on the neck in the period up to 3 weeks after surgery.
9. Smoking increases the healing time and can cause indented skin in the wound area (particularly behind the ears), since nicotine decreases skin's nourishment. Smokers should therefore stop smoking 10 days prior to the procedure and should not smoke for three weeks after the surgery.
10. The post-surgery recovery time varies because each organism's reaction to trauma is different. Your appearance should be presentable in 6-8 weeks, but the healing continues up to one year. Sudden swellings in particular areas can still occur months after the procedure. More intensive face surgery requires longer recovery period, but the effects are in turn more permanent.
11. The patient must quit taking aspirin and aspirin products two weeks before the surgery (Aspirin, Andol, Vitamin-E).
12. Other complications that are possible are bleeding, infection, slow wound healing etc.

Face Skin Ageing

What happens in the process of skin ageing?

There are three things occurring in the skin ageing process:

1. The skin gets wrinkled and loose which is treated through peelings, usually laser, less commonly with chemical peelings. The most common wrinkle corrections are performed on the upper lip, especially with smokers. The wound heals for a week. Redness lasts up to a month, although it may last longer. The solution in this time is wearing make-up.
   Preparation: the skin is being prepared with special creams 2 to 3 weeks before. After peeling, special creams are also used; the length of the treatment depends on the skin complexion. Sunbathing is prohibited and skin protection with creams is obligatory. In the case of herpes, antiherpetic protection is necessary.
   Wrinkles around the eyes (on the lower lid and the outer side of the eye - crow's feet) are usually smoothened through a laser technique.
   Wrinkles between the eyebrows - fat pads are combined with laser peeling. Wrinkles can be temporarily (4 to 6 months) smoothened with special injections (Botox). In severe cases the forehead and brow lift has to be performed through endoscopic technique (see forehead and brow lift).
2. The subcutaneous structures (muscles and fat) start to sag. These structures are lifted by means of a surgery - lifting. As already mentioned, there are three types of lifts (forehead and brow lift, middle face lift and lift of the cheeks and neck).
3. Due to ageing, fat and other cells from the subcutis disappear. This deficiency is corrected with injections of one's own fat taken from the inner thighs and abdomen. The fat is frozen and can be stored for two to three years. The injections need to be given more than once since only 30 to 50% of the cells stick after just one application. (see face rejuvenating with one's own fat).

Some patients require a combination of all three procedures (skin peeling, lift of the corresponding part of the face and injection of one's own fat). Others may only need one of the procedures, depending on what needs to be done and what the patient dislikes most in his/her self-image.

Recovery after a cheek and neck lift is quicker than with lifts around the eye area.