Facelift Surgery: What to Expect, Consideration, Types, and FAQs

By Ivo Gwanmesia. Posted March 12, 2023 in Facelift

Facelift Surgery: What to Expect, Consideration, Types, and FAQs

“Facelift specialist Dr. Ivo Gwanmesia understands that restoring facial volume is essential for producing the best results; Believes in providing improved facelift techniques, which help minimize discomfort and give remarkable results!”

• Do you know that various facelift techniques are available today to address the most visible signs of ageing?
• Are you experiencing a sagging look in the cheeks, jowls from excess sagging skin in the lower jaw, or a loss of definition in the face?
• Are you aware that even though we cannot prevent the visible effects of ageing, we can reverse them effectively with facelift surgery?
• Do you know that many types of facelifts available allow a wide variety of people to find a treatment that will help them achieve the look they desire?

As we age, the signs of ageing become obvious. This process cannot be stopped, however, a rescue can be chosen to achieve a youthful facial appearance. There is a correlation between the ageing process and the acquisition of knowledge and experience, however, this becomes unfavourable when the facial indicators become prominent. Facelift surgery addresses facial sagging, volume loss, and loose muscular and skin structures to restore a firm and rejuvenated appearance.

Dr. Ivo Gwanmesia, MBChB, MRCS, FRCS, a British and American board-certified plastic surgeon practising in Central London, consults patients at 10 Harley Street, noted that “facelift surgery is a highly customized procedure and a most sought-after anti-ageing remedy in Central London. Therefore, during the one-on-one consultation, I carefully evaluate my patient’s ageing status, facial anatomy, and skin quality. Then, I only recommend the specific facelift technique to meet the unmatched aesthetic results.”

What is Facelift Surgery?

Everyone ages differently based on skin quality, genetics, lifestyle, and bone structure. Some people can develop the most prominent signs of ageing during their mid-40s or 50s, while others may even start during their later 20s or mid-30s. However, scheduling an introductory consultation with a board-certified facial plastic surgeon is wise to get the best treatment plan according to your ageing status concern and anatomy. Facelift surgery in London gives a trustworthy option for those seeking a life-changing transformation with long-lasting effects. Usually, a facelift surgery lasts 7-10 years. Thus, it is ideal for working on your ageing concern once you start feeling conscious of the indicators, such as jowls from excess sagging skin in the lower jaw, droopy brows, and eyelids, sagging neck, deflated and more extended lips, laugh lines, or deep nasolabial folds.

Facelift surgery, medically known as rhytidectomy or rhytidoplasty, rejuvenates your face by repositioning the deeper tissues, removing excess facial skin, and tightening the remaining skin for a smoother, more youthful appearance. A facelift helps tighten the skin around your face, jawline, and neck, resulting in a youthful transformation to your face. In addition, the most visible signs of ageing, such as fine lines, wrinkles, deep folds, and jowls in the middle and lower region of the face, are effectively addressed, and the ageing appearance on the neck is also corrected with facelift surgery.

Facelift helps improve facial harmony, but it is essential to know your procedure briefly before having it done to avoid the doubts associated with the surgery and achieve realistic outcomes.

What Should I Expect with my Facelift Surgery Concerning Recovery, Results, and Cost?

Facelift surgery can be performed as either a daycase procedure, or with just one overnight stay at the hospital. It depends largely on the extend of the procedure, the performance of other adjunctive procedures, the patient’s general health status and whether the patient has support at home. Dr. Gwanmesia operates the Fitzrovia Hospital in Central London which provides patients’ utmost safety, privacy, and convenience. During the consultation phase, Dr. Gwanmesia provides specific instructions on how to care for the surgical site, medications to take, and when to follow up to help achieve a smooth healing process.

During the Recovery Process:

• Once all the bandages are removed, you can resume your easy day activities, such as simple walking from the very next day of your facelift surgery.
• Mild to moderate discomfort for a couple of days are common, and feeling somewhat tired for the first 48 hours is also not uncommon.
• Swelling, bruising, and pain are normal and last for a few weeks during the recovery process, and small drains may be present briefly to draw off any fluid drainage. These drains are removed after the first twenty four hours after surgery.
• Swelling and bruising will peak three to four days following your surgery; thus, you will be instructed to rest with your head elevated for a few days during recovery. The bruising usually settles by ten days post op.
• Oral pain medications, cold compresses, or over-the-counter pain medications are prescribed to control any associated discomforts during healing. During week 3, minor swelling may still be noticeable, but you are on your way to a full recovery, and sutures are removed after a week.
• Most patients resume work within two weeks of their procedure, and can usually begin strenuous activities within 4-6 weeks following the surgery. Following Dr. Gwanmesia’s recovery protocols is essential to heal smoothly and avoid any discomforts or side effects.
• Gwanmesia specializes in making your scar imperceptible by placing all the incisions discreetly along the hairline. Scar creams are recommended once our plastic surgeon clears you.
• You can experience your final facelift result within 6-12 months of the surgery.

How Long Will My Facelift Results Last?

Usually, facelift results last for about ten years. Still, you can extend the longevity of your achieved outcomes by following a healthy lifestyle, having good care by protecting the skin from harsh sunlight, eating a nutritious diet, and applying skin creams and moisturizers religiously. Since ageing is a natural process that cannot be stopped, thus it is important to note that the results of your facelift may eventually weaken, but it does not mean that you cannot help prolong the quality of your results. However, following the aftercare measures and follow-up visits as instructed by your facial plastic surgeon must be adhered to in order to prevent compromised results.

Facelift surgery gives you youthful contours for many years, regardless of the technique employed. However, it is a long-lasting solution to static ageing, which improves skin laxity and make it tauter, firmer, and rejuvenated.

How Much does a Facelift cost?

Facelift surgery is the only way to get a longer-lasting, youthful facial appearance. Though the procedure is highly customized, every patient has a different goal, skin quality, ageing extent, and anatomy. The procedure fee can be found at the following link: https://ivogwanmesia.com/price-list

Some of the significant determining factors regarding the price of a facelift are jotted down below:

• Facial plastic surgeons who are board-certified, have leading membership, and credit for many successful facelift results in their account weighs the cost of the procedure.
• Other fees are built into the price of a facelift, such as anaesthesia, the surgeon’s fee, surgical facility fees, and fees for any necessary medical tests influence the final cost.
• Location is a significant cost factor. Facelift surgery in London is in higher demand due to expert facial plastic surgeons’ availability, accredited hospitals, standard facilities of safety and hygiene, and quality care, which makes you assured about the best, safe, and most aesthetic results.

Things to consider when choosing a Facial Rejuvenative Procedure

1. Choose only an accredited plastic surgeon with ample experience, credentials, and membership from reputed plastic surgery societies, such as the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), United Kingdom Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (UKAAPS), British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons (BAPRAS), etc. The expert facelift surgeon understands the science of facial ageing and will recommend the best option to meet the aesthetic outcomes.
2. A face-to-face discussion with your plastic surgeon is essential, as it allows you to clear any doubts beforehand and ensure achievable, realistic outcomes. A good plastic surgeon will be professional, attentive, compassionate, knowledgeable, and empathetic, and these qualities should provide reassurance if you do consider undergoing surgery.
3. It would help if you asked about the accreditations of the facility and the qualifications of your care team to ensure the utmost safety, hygiene, and a hassle-free experience throughout the procedure.
4. One should know that facial rejuvenation is much more than just a facelift surgery because facial sagging is your concern. You must also know whether you require other adjunctive procedures to achieve optimal facial harmony. However, facelift surgery is often accompanied by eyelid surgery and filler to restore the eyes, restore the natural jawline, and re-establish fullness in your cheeks. Thus, having a healthy conversation with your plastic surgeon is inevitable before the procedure so you can feel comfortable and confident about the best experience and results.

7 Different Types of Facelifts: Which Technique is best for You?

One must note that there are several different types of facelift procedures, each targeting a different portion of your facial structure. However, choosing a specific one is a core concern of your plastic surgeon based on your ageing status, skin quality, and facial anatomy.

1. Deep Plane Facelift: Deep plane facelift is one of the most advanced surgical facial rejuvenation techniques that addresses mid-facial sagging. Deep plane facelifts are a type of full facelift also known as Rhytidectomy. It tightens the mid-face below the muscular and soft tissue layer known as the SMAS (superficial musculoaponeurotic system), a deeper layer than in a traditional facelift. Thus, it eliminates the look of sagging skin at the base of the chin and neck by lifting and strengthening the lax muscles in that portion of the face. It is best suited for patients with relatively long and thin faces.
2. SMAS Facelift: The SMAS (superficial musculoaponeurotic system) is the tissue layer that divides the superficial fatty tissue from the deeper tissues in the face. During the SMAS facelifts, Dr. Gwanmesia carefully dissects the SMAS layer from the surrounding tissue layers and repositions it in the proper direction without pulling or tightening the skin. Once lifted, the SMAS layer is sutured, and the excess skin is excised. Patients who undergo SMAS facelifts enjoy the most natural results because the underlying tissues are tightened instead of the skin.
3. Mini Facelift: It uses small, inconspicuous incisions under the hairline to tighten and smooth out your skin while removing excess tissue. A mini facelift is performed to reduce or eliminate the jowls’ appearance.
4. Mid-Facelift: A mid-facelift is either performed to remove excess tissue or use existing tissue to lift the cheeks, eliminate sagging, and remove fine lines and wrinkles. It is highly recommended for patients who do not have jowls or marionette lines.
5. Cheek Lift: Cheek lifts are performed to enhance the appearance of cheekbones while also addressing the concerns of fine lines and wrinkles in the mid-face area. Cheek lift helps achieve a voluminous, uplifted appearance and eliminates under-eye puffiness and contouring nasal folds to make them less pronounced.
6. Neck Lift: Ideal candidates are those having a flabby neck appearance or who may also suffer from a double chin. During the procedure, an incision is placed under the chin, and platysma muscles are pulled together and sutured tight to eliminate folds and neck bands. Excess fat should be removed through neck liposuction to improve the appearance of a double chin. And excess skin should also be eliminated to improve the contour of your neck.
7. Temporal or Brow Lift/ Browlift: It improves eyebrow area and gives them a slight lift without undergoing a full browlift procedure. Temporal browlift is suggested for individuals with slightly drooping or lowered eyebrows. This procedure involves a small incision (typically at the hairline for patients with high foreheads or within the hair for patients with lower hairlines) to lift the skin on the sides of the brows.

FAQs about Facelift Surgery

1. Who can perform a facelift?

Only a board-certified plastic surgeon with ample facial surgery experience can perform facelifts. Be wise and careful while choosing a surgeon, as it is a major life-changing decision, and board-certified plastic surgeons can offer the best, safest surgical outcomes. Plenty of research, including observation of after-and-before photographs of previous patients, including a good reputation and comprehensive portfolio of a plastic surgeon, must ensure the procedure’s success.

1. What kinds of results can a facelift achieve?

Facelifts help you achieve a younger, tauter, lifted, smoother, voluminous, and contoured facial appearance. The effect of results can last for around ten years or more as long as you maintain a healthy lifestyle. But one must note that facelifts only target visible signs of ageing present at the time of treatment/ procedure, as ageing is a natural process that requires regular care, treatment measures, and a healthy lifestyle to combat the signs of future ageing.

1. Can My Facelift Be Redone?

Yes, facelift surgery can be redone if you notice future ageing signs developing on your face. However, a less-invasive procedure can be performed to address minor ageing signs, which results in maintaining the effect of facelifts even years later.

1. Who is a good candidate for a facelift?

Generally, a good candidate for facelift surgery should have a healthy status with no smoking attitude for at least 4-6 weeks before and after the procedure. In addition, the patient must have realistic expectations and a positive outlook on the procedure.

As far as indications are concerned, the following concerns raise the request for facelift surgery:

• Sagging skin on the cheeks or jawline
• Lax muscle tissue in the cheeks
• Volume loss in the cheeks and around the mouth
• Loose, folding neck skin
• Noticeable wrinkles around the mouth and nose
• Deep nose-to-mouth lines
• Drooping jowls.

Are you considering getting a facelift but need help determining which option is right? Given your characteristics and goals, it is always essential to consult with a board-certified, skilled plastic surgeon regarding which technique would best produce the desired result—however, one-on-one consultation is necessary to decide the best approach based on your goals and expectations.

For more information about the facelift procedures in Central London, contact Dr. Ivo Gwanmesia at his Harley Street, London office by calling Tel: 020 7474 1300 or filling out our online consultation form.