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Facelifts are designed to provide a more youthful appearance. This is accomplished by removing excess facial and neck skin, as well as lifting areas of sagging skin and fat back to where they were when you were younger. Our facial rejuvenation can be done in the office surgery center or at the hospital in New Jersey. Mini-facelifts, aimed specifically at correcting facial jowls, can almost always be done in the office.
It is very common to perform other facial rejuvenation procedures such as a browlift or eyelid surgery at the same time as facelifts.
Pre-Operative Care - Facelift
The Operation - Facelift
Post-Operative Care - Facelift
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) - Facelift
Facelift Pre-Operative Care
Routine laboratory testing is often performed and photographs are taken to assess post-operative effectiveness of facelifts and mini-facelifts.
No aspirin, ibuprofen, or similar drugs should be taken within two weeks of the facial rejuvenation surgery in New Jersey. These medications can cause serious excess bleeding during and after the operation. If you have any questions about drugs you are taking, including over-the-counter preparations and natural herbs, please call the office.
Smoking can cause significant healing problems. Facelifts are exquisitely sensitive to smoking. Patients who smoke should quit at least three weeks prior to surgery and remain free of smoke for three weeks post operatively, or, preferably, for life. If you do not quit, you must tell the surgeon prior to surgery so modifications to the surgery can be made; otherwise, significant complications may arise.
Men should not shave their face for two days prior to surgery in order to better assess their beard growth for proper scar placement.
Do not eat or drink anything after midnight of the night before your surgery. This prohibition includes coffee and juice in the morning. Oral medications can be taken with a sip of water.
Facelift Operation
If you are having a full facelift, you should be at the office surgicenter or hospital at least 90 minutes prior to your scheduled surgical start time. Bring all paperwork from the office with you, as many of these papers will save time on the day of surgery. Mini-facelift patients should be at the office 1 hour prior to the scheduled start time.
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Before the surgery, lines will be drawn on your face to guide the incision placement. A small strip of hair may be shaved on the sides and back of your head and rubber bands may be used to keep your hair away from the incisions.
During the procedure, the skin of the face will be lifted and the layer beneath the skin (SMAS) will be tightened. The skin will then be redraped in an upward fashion and the excess skin cut away. Fat may be removed from the area below the chin if needed. Additional fat may be taken from the abdomen and injected to facial lines around the mouth to help rejuvenate the area. Additional fat is often added to the lips to correct thinning that comes with age. A small piece of cartilage may be taken from your ear and placed at the base of the nose near the upper lip. This helps correct the look of an aging, drooping, nose and keeps your entire face looking younger with minimal pain or expense.
At the end of the procedure drains will often be placed and a soft wrap put around your head to help prevent blood/fluid collections. If you have also had eyelid surgery, a cold pack will be placed over your eyes.
Facelift Post-Operative Care
Mini-facelift patients go home after the procedure and will follow up in the office the next day. Full facelift patients done in the hospital will stay in the hospital overnight. Those cases done in the office will go home with a private duty nurse. This is a safety measure. Though serious complications are rare, I believe that the few hundred dollars spent to ensure your safety is clearly worthwhile.
Pain is usually minimal and medications will be given. The nurses will repeatedly check you overnight. In the morning the dressings and drains will be removed and you will be able to wash your hair.
The day after surgery you can shower normally. A small amount of blood may be left in your hair that rinses out at home in the shower. Do not worry. A small amount of dried blood can look much worse than it really is. You may shower daily but do not color or perm your hair for 2 weeks.
Do not lift anything heavy or exercise for two weeks.
Do not take aspirin, ibuprofen, or similar drugs for two weeks. Use Tylenol for headaches and the pain medicine prescribed for surgical pain.
The stitches will be removed 6-8 days after surgery.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is a rhytidectomy or facelift?
- What are the benefits of this surgery?
- What are the risks associated with this surgery?
- What do I need to do before surgery?
- What happens on the day of surgery?
- What type of anesthesia will be used?
- What happens during the surgery, and how is the surgery performed?
- How long will I be in the hospital?
- How will I look and feel after surgery?
- Will there be scars?
- When can I expect to return to work and resume normal activities?
What is a rhytidectomy or facelift? |
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A rhytidectomy or facelift is a surgical procedure to remove excess fat and skin, tighten facial muscles, and re-drape facial and neck skin. |
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What are the benefits of this surgery? |
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A facelift cannot stop the aging process but it can decrease the most visible signs of aging. Your should look significantly younger after the procedure. |
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What are the risks associated with this surgery? |
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As with any surgery, there are risks such as infection, bleeding, and scarring. Nerve injury is a special risk in facial surgery, but is quite rare. Dr. Moskovitz will inform you of risks prior to surgery. |
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What do I need to do before surgery? |
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Please confirm your pre-operative appointment with our office. At this visit, you will undergo a history and physical examination and Dr. Moskovitz will be available to answer any questions you may have regarding your surgical procedure. The surgical fee will also be collected at this visit. Preoperative laboratory tests (blood work) will be done at least one week before the operation. If the procedure is to be done at the hospital, you will be sent to the hospital for a pre-operative interview with an anesthesiologist. The anesthesiologist will review your medical history with you and determine what type of anesthesia is most appropriate. Any laboratory (blood work) or diagnostic examinations will also be performed during this visit. The hospital and anesthesiology fees will also be collected during this visit.
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What happens on the day of surgery? |
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Please wear comfortable clothing to the surgery center. You will be asked to read and sign a consent form and to change into a hospital gown. A nurse will review your chart and confirm that all paperwork is in order. You will be taken to a preoperative holding area and the anesthesiologist will start an intravenous line in one of your arms. Before any medications are administered, Dr. Moskovitz will verify your name and the type of procedure you are having and will answer any questions that you may have. Surgical markings will be made on your skin to help guide the surgery. You will then be taken to the operating room where the appropriate anesthesia will be administered and the surgery will be performed. Once the surgery is complete, you will be taken to a post-operative unit where you will be monitored closely during your recovery. |
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What type of anesthesia will be used? |
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There are several types of anesthesia but the most common forms are general, local and monitored anesthesia care. With a general anesthetic, you will be asleep during your surgery. With a local anesthetic, you will be alert during the surgery and only the incision location will be anesthetized. With monitored anesthesia care or MAC, you will be given medications to relax you and the incision location will be anesthetized. A general anesthesia is usually given during this type of surgery when done in the hospital and MAC is used in the office surgery center. An anesthesiologist will carefully monitor you during surgery. This type of care minimizes risks and maximizes comfort. |
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What happens during the surgery, and how is the surgery performed? |
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A rhytidectomy usually takes several hours, but may last longer if multiple procedures are planned. During surgery the skin and fat are lifted from from the muscle. Extra fat will then be removed from the chin and neck. The skin is then placed back into place with any excess being removed. Stitches are used to close the incisions and metal clips may be used on the scalp. |
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How long will I be in the hospital? |
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A facelift is usually performed in a hospital or surgery center. If you are admitted to a hospital, you can expect to stay one night. A face-lift may also be performed in our office-based facility, in which case you will be permitted to go home after a few hours if done on an outpatient basis. A private duty nurse may be arranged to go home with you for added safety and comfort. |
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How will I look and feel after surgery? |
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There is generally limited discomfort after a facelift since many pain-sensitive nerves are temporarily cut during the procedure. However, if you experience some discomfort, pain medication will be prescribed by your surgeon. If you experience severe pain or sudden swelling, please contact the office immediately. Please note that your skin may feel numb for several weeks or months. A drainage tube may be placed behind one of your ears and will be removed one or two days after surgery. Bandages may also be placed around your head to minimize swelling and bruising and they will be removed one to two days after surgery as well. When the bandages are removed, your face will be puffy and bruised, but remember that in only a few weeks you will look normal. Stitches will be removed approximately five days after the surgery, while staples may not be removed for several more days. |
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Will there be scars? |
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During the healing process, your hair will conceal most scars. The scars will fade with time and should be barely visible when fully healed. The final appearance of the scars, however, does depend greatly on your genetic scarring and healing abilities. |
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When can I expect to return to work and resume normal activities? |
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You should feel well enough to be moving around in a day or two, but it is recommended that you take it easy for the first week after surgery. You can plan on returning to work 10 to 14 days after your surgery. You should be gentle with your face and hair during the healing process. You will be advised to avoid strenuous activity for at least two weeks. Initially, your face may look and feel strange; however, you will look and feel much better by the second and third weeks. |
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