The Cervico-Facial Lifting is intended to soften the signs of aging (wrinkles and expression marks) caused by the action of time. It is most suitable for those who have wrinkles, sagging or excess skin on the face.
Surgical procedure:
Anesthesia may be general or local with sedation and surgery lasts an average of 3 hours. The length of stay is about 24 hours and the patient should try to have a slightly elevated head when resting.
Postoperative:
Compressive dressings should be made within the first 72 hours. Sun exposure should be avoided for the first thirty days, after this period with caution and the use of sunscreen.
Candidates:
Usually men and women over 40.
Results:
Objective:
Improve the deep groove that goes from the nose to the corner of the mouth, the cheeks, the jaw line and the cheekbones. It also helps to improve sagging skin and puffiness by removing excess skin, correcting muscles and reshaping the skin. It can be done in conjunction with frontal lifting and blepharoplasty to correct excess eyebrows and puffiness of the eyebrows.
Incisions and technique:
There are different variations of face lifting. The incision is usually placed in front and behind the ear, hidden by the natural ridges. Behind the ear the incision enters the scalp, hidden by the hair. The earlobe should be loose and natural, avoiding the taut appearance. Sometimes a small incision under the chin can be used to help correct the neck muscles (platysma). Preferably the deep structures of the face and neck will also be repositioned. The skin is pulled up and back and the excess is removed. The appearance should look normal and not stretched. To correct the neck liposculpture can also be used, improving the contour. One of the most important aspects of facial surgery is the replacement of the lost volume. This can be achieved either by folding and suturing deep structures or by injecting fat from another region.
Duration:
3 to 4 hours.
Anesthesia:
local with sedation or general.
Inpatient / Outpatient:
Most patients need 24 hours of hospitalization
Recovery:
Back to work: 10 to 14 days.
More strenuous physical activities: 3 weeks.
Bruises: 2 to 3 weeks. Avoid sun exposure for two months.
Myths and Realities
The unusual acceptance and expansion of cosmetic surgery in the last 2 decades has its genesis in social and individual motivations.
Among the social motivations: the aging of the population with the increase in life expectancy, the professional exclusion of the elderly, fashion and the media that impose biotypes and silhouettes depersonalizing the ego, the overvaluation of youth with their hedonistic cult, the delusional obsession with the politically cultivated image is the most relevant social factor contributing to this collective desire for eternal adolescence.
Secondly, individual motivations: the pace of biological degradation, usually faster than psychological deterioration, results in a lagged and aging real image of self-consciousness, the need to compete professionally and sexually in order to feel a new object of desire and finally the refusal of the idea of death.
We should focus only on those that we consider to be the most effective and lasting techniques to attenuate and counteract the marks of facial aging – cervico-facial rhytidoplasty and blepharoplasty showing clinical cases from our experience addressing the appropriate choice for each patient and each face. as well as the details to avoid iatrogenic sequelae and stigmas.
Attention should be given to unrealistic expectations with thorough clarification eliminating risks such as heavy smokers and psychiatric patients.
Finally, we must talk about the main complications and disappointments of these interventions from the point of view of the surgeon and the patient.
The longevity of our species has its genetically predetermined biological limit (Telomeres), but there is no consensus theory that explains aging that makes us all a being for death.
Until a factor or set of factors can act upon this relentless biological clock, Aesthetic Surgery is a legitimate transitional solution for living better with what we are becoming.
Complications:
Complications of Plastic Surgery of the face are not frequent. Hematoma (accumulation of blood under the skin), infection, bleeding and reactions to anesthesia. Some incisions may be visible due to variations in healing and may need to be retouched. Temporary injury to nerves controlling the muscles of the face or tenderness is rarely permanent. Asymmetry and change in the hair implantation line.
Details:
This intervention does not correct wrinkles around the mouth. The choice of technique depends on the thickness, texture and elasticity of the skin, the intensity of wrinkles and furrows. Overexposure to the sun will often produce more wrinkles and face lift will have to be combined with a laser resurfacing to eliminate them. The choice of incision site will depend on the hair implant line. Another procedure commonly associated with facial plastic surgery is nose rejuvenation (see Rhinoplasty). Smokers should decrease or even stop before surgery. You should avoid taking aspirin, which can cause bruising. Drains can be used to prevent fluid buildup. Recovery varies greatly. Sleeping with your head elevated helps decrease swelling and bruising and drains are removed in one to two days. Temporary asymmetry is normal and can be caused by swelling and bruising. Bruising should disappear within two to three weeks. Corrective makeup can be applied within a few days. Numbness can last for several weeks. Sun exposure is only allowed after the first month. It takes several weeks to evaluate the new look. Some men may have to shave behind their ears where shaved skin goes.
Duration of Results:
Usually 7 to 12 years.
