Facial Harmony: Enhancing Your Features With Facelift Surgery

As we all age, changes occur in our faces. Muscles slacken and skin loses elasticity Our facial features droop, lines deepen and skin sags. While there is nothing wrong with ageing or experiencing these changes to your face’s characteristics, some people lose confidence or feel unhappy with their appearance. 

However, cosmetic procedures can help restore a youthful look and tighten sagging, loose skin.  

Facelifts are one of the most common (and effective) surgeries for restoring facial harmony as you age. In this blog post, we’ll explain everything you should know about facelifts, including what happens before, during and after surgery and how to maintain your facelift results in the long term.  

Understanding facelift surgery

Facelifts reduce loose skin around the lower half of your face. Surgeons lift and pull back the skin on your face to tighten it and smooth deep lines and wrinkles. 

Among the most common facelift surgeries are a superficial muscular aponeurotic system (SMAS) and a mini facelift 

In a SMAS facelift, the surgeon makes incisions around the ear and lifts the skin, pulling and fixing it. They can remove muscles and excess tissue at this point to help create your desired look. 

A mini facelift is slightly different to a SMAS facelift. A mini facelift focuses on tightening the skin on your jowls and neck instead of your whole face. 

The best way to find the correct facelift type is through a comprehensive consultation with your chosen surgeon. You may think you need the SMAS facelift, but once they assess your face and compare it to your desired results, they may decide you only need a mini facelift to achieve what you want.  

Before the procedure 

Before you undergo a facelift, there are many things to consider. You should think about some of these even before having a consultation. Deciding whether you should have a facelift is a serious decision and talking it through with a surgeon is one of the best ways to ensure it is the right pathway. 

Some of the first things you must consider are:  

  • Your budget (some clinics offer payment plans) 
  • Your age (if you are younger, you may require another one as you get older as your skin can still age and change with time) 
  • Your desired results 

Once you know the above, you can research surgeons and clinics that can meet your needs.  

You’ll want to consider the surgeon’s experience and credentials to ensure you choose a reputable medical professional. It can be helpful to view before and after photos of facelifts to get a good idea of what to expect from a particular surgeon.  

You can undergo other procedures simultaneously as a facelift, such as a brow lift or blepharoplasty, as deciding whether you would like combined surgeries is essential. 

The importance of a consultation

A thorough consultation with your chosen surgeon is vital because they need to assess your unique needs, medical history and overall health to ensure you’re a suitable facelift candidate. 

They’ll also determine whether you can achieve your desired look to ensure you receive the best results possible. It’s not always possible to achieve your desired look, but the correct surgeon will work with you to provide a realistic plan to help you feel your best and restore facial harmony.  

Once you have completed your consultation, you can book your surgery. 

Facelift Surgery

As we age, the natural elasticity of our skin decreases, causing parts of the face to droop or slacken. However, having a facelift can provide you with a rejuvenated look, lifting not only your face’s skin but also your self-confidence.

Preparing for your facelift 

Before your facelift, your surgeon will provide personalised recommendations to support your health and wellbeing during surgery.  

Some preparations they may ask you to make are:  

  • Stopping smoking 
  • Adjusting or stopping medication 
  • Not drinking alcohol for a certain amount of time before your surgery 

During the procedure 

On the day of your surgery, you’ll visit your chosen clinic, where the surgeon will perform your facelift. Facelifts are performed under general anaesthetic, meaning you will be asleep during the procedure. Depending on how complex your procedure is and if it’s combined with others, it will take two to three hours to complete.  

First, your surgeon will make an incision around your ear. They can then lift and tighten the skin and remove any necessary excess tissue or muscle. Finally, they’ll stitch your skin back into place.  

Once the surgery is complete, we will take you to a recovery room, where the clinic will monitor you for complications. 

Risks of a facelift 

All surgical procedures have risks. 

Some potential, rare risks of facelifts include:  

  • Nerve injury, causing changes in sensation and movement in your face 
  • Asymmetrical results 
  • Hair loss around scars 
  • Infection 

However, complications are rare in facelifts and their likelihood decreases further when you choose a reputable surgeon and clinic. 

Spread the cost of your treatment

Are you considering treatment, but unsure about the best way to pay for it? If so, you might be interested in the payment plans we offer to fund your treatment.

After the procedure 

You may need to stay in the hospital for up to three nights after a facelift to support your initial recovery, and so we can act fast if a rare complication arises.  

When you’re ready to go home, your surgeon will give you personalised aftercare advice. You can’t drive home, but your surgeon will advise you when you can start driving again. Depending on your job, you may need around two weeks off work after a facelift.  

Once home, it’s usual to experience swelling and bruising in your face. Keeping your head propped up with a pillow for the first few days may help to minimise this.  

Do not get your bandages, stitches or wounds wet for the first two days at home and do not fully submerge them in water for at least two weeks.  

You’ll also attend follow-up appointments to remove any stitches and check the progress of your recovery. 

It can take up to four weeks for the swelling and bruising to completely disappear. It’s worth noting that it can take several months to see your facelift’s full results.  

Maintaining facial harmony – long-term care tips for preserving facial rejuvenation results 

The results of your facelift are not permanent but can last a long time. Your face will change as you age, even with a facelift.  

However, there are some things you can do to make your facelift results last longer.  

  • Wear sunscreen to protect your skin from ultraviolet (UV) rays – sun damage can cause hyperpigmentation and wrinkles, making your skin look older.  
  • Avoid smoking – it causes skin ageing, wrinkles and loss of facial fat and skin elasticity. 
  • Drastic weight changes – quickly losing a lot of weight can change the results of your facelift and cause your skin to sag.  
  • Stay hydrated – drinking enough water is vital for your skin’s hydration. Hydrated skin has better elasticity, which supports and minimises fine lines and wrinkles. 

Although a facelift isn’t a permanent solution to ageing or sagging skin, it can be beneficial and last years if you look after your skin.  

Book a facelift consultation at The McIndoe Centre

The McIndoe Centre can help if you’re unhappy with sagging, drooping skin and are considering a facelift. Our expert team of surgeons are highly experienced in performing SMAS and mini facelifts to ensure you receive personalised results that restore facial harmony.  

Book a consultation with The McIndoe Centre and discover how we can help you enhance your features and regain confidence in your appearance. 

News and articles

We offer a range of news and blog articles to enable people to make more informed decisions when it comes to the treatments we have at The McIndoe Centre.