Facelift
The Facelift, also known as rhytidectomy, is a surgical procedure to lift sagging skin, tighten facial muscles, and remove excess pockets of fatty tissue that create an aged appearance. A facelift will create an appearance of tighter facial muscles, tauter, less wrinkled skin, and will generally reduce the effects of gravity that make the face appear tired and aged. The facelift procedure varies quite a bit, depending on the patient’s individual goals and needs, but in most cases, the surgeon will make one or more small incisions around the ears and, in some cases, under the chin, to access the area to be worked on. Once the areas to be worked on are accessible, the surgeon may do one or more of the following, depending on the individual circumstances:
- Remove excess fat in areas such as the jowls, thus eliminating trouble spots that make the face look tired and aged
- Tighten the underlying muscle of the face and neck that contributes to a sagging, aged appearance
- Tighten the facial skin, creating a taut, youthful appearance