Facelift Scars: Everything You Need to Know
If you’re considering a facelift, you might be concerned about the possibility of scarring; after all, a facelift is a surgical procedure, and does involve making small incisions to ensure a successful result.
The truth is, facelift scarring can be kept to a minimum with a professional surgeon and effective aftercare. In the following blog, we’re going to take a look at why facelift scars occur, how long they should take to fully heal, and some expert tips from Dr Ivo himself on how you can prevent and minimise their appearance. Let’s take a look!
What is a facelift?
A facelift, also known as a rhytidectomy, is a surgical procedure designed to improve visible signs of ageing in the face and neck. The main aim of a facelift is to rejuvenate the complexion by tightening and lifting the facial skin, removing excess skin, and repositioning facial fat and muscles. This procedure addresses sagging in the midface, reduces the appearance of deep creases, loss of skin elasticity, jowls, and excess fat under the chin and jaw.
Will a facelift cause scars?
As facelift surgery in UK involves incisions, the possibility of scarring is simply an inevitable side-effect of the procedure. However, when performing facelift surgery on patients, Dr Ivo will always take care to place the incisions in discrete locations, such as along the hairline, behind the ears, or within the natural creases of the face. This can help to minimise the visibility of scars post-surgery.
How to prevent facelift scars
While some scarring is unavoidable, there are a couple of steps that you can take to minimise the appearance of scars after a facelift. Here’s what Dr Ivo recommends:
Choose the right surgeon
Choose an experienced and skilled plastic surgeon who uses precise techniques and strategic incision placement to minimise scarring. Dr Ivo is a renowned cosmetic and craniofacial surgeon and trained in all areas of plastic surgery. Having carried out a 12 month fellowship in Craniomaxillofacial surgery at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation in the US, he’s more than equipped to ensure that your facelift procedure is safe, effective, and minimises scarring.
Diligent aftercare
It’s absolutely imperative that you follow your surgeon’s post-operative care instructions after your procedure, including proper wound care and avoiding sun exposure. You’ll also want to keep the incisions clean and moisturised with appropriate ointments, as recommended by your surgeon.
Good habits
Another way to reduce the appearance of surgical scars is to maintain good habits both before and after surgery. For example, avoiding smoking and maintaining a healthy lifestyle (eating well and engaging in regular exercise), can promote faster healing and help to improve visible scarring.
Adapt your skincare routine
Once the wounds are fully healed – but scarring is still visible – you can improve their appearance by creating an effective healing-based skincare routine. For example, evidence has shown that applying silicone-based scar treatments or gels – as recommended by your surgeon – can help reduce their appearance. You can also include potent skincare “actives” in your routine such as Vitamin C and retinol, both of which are proven to help promote collagen in the skin. Collagen is key when it comes to repairing scar tissue, so prioritising collagen production can speed up the healing process and reduce the appearance of scarring over time.
Do the scars from a facelift go away?
Scars from a facelift will typically fade over time, becoming less noticeable as they mature. The healing process may take several months to a year or more, and the appearance of scars can continue to improve progressively during this period. While the scars will not disappear entirely, they often become inconspicuous and well-concealed, especially when placed in discreet locations by an experienced surgeon. For example, you can take a look at some of Dr Ivo’s former patients’ facelift before and after photos to see just how unnoticeable these marks are.
Do note that the healing process will depend on a variety of factors, including how diligently you follow your aftercare instructions, your body’s own healing capacities, your age, and the condition of your skin.
FAQs
Can you see facelift scars?
When a facelift is performed by a qualified surgeon, you usually won’t be able to see incision scars once they’ve healed. You can also take steps to conceal them and improve their texture over time.
How do you hide facelift scars?
You can use make-up products to conceal the appearance of scarring, or even style your hair to hide the incisions as they heal.
