Patrick Hudson MD, FACS

Indications: A face lift is done to tighten the loose skin of the face and neck. It does not remove fine wrinkle lines, these require resurfacing of the skin. The forehead and eyelids are not tightened by a facelift. At the same time as facelift the surgeon can correct other cause of fullness in the face and neck. One of the most difficult area to treat is the nasolabial fold, the crease between the nose and the corner of the mouth.

Method: The traditional method of surgery is to tighten the skin and the underlying muscle of the face and neck. The incision is placed in the natural creases in front of the ear and inside the ear. It extends above the ear into the scalp and behind the ear on the hairline. The operation is done under either local anesthetic (you are awake) or general anesthetic (you are asleep). You can choose. Most of the time this is an outpatient operation and a stay in the hospital is not needed. It is common to perform neck liposuction at the same time as a facelift.

Some variations of the facelift use a smaller scar. There are various names including short-scar facelift and MACS-lift.

complications • FAQs • cost

Problems: All operations have some risk. The risks of surgery are divided into two groups. First those that are seen in all operations and second those that are unique or special for this operation. In the first group, the main risks are swelling, bruising, bleeding, infection, a scar and numbness or change in feeling. The main problem which is special for this operation is damage to the facial or VIIth nerve. This nerve controls movement of the face.

It is important to remember that no surgeon can give a guarantee about the final outcome, including appearance, shape, size and so on.  You should have a realistic attitude about the outcome, and remember that all surgery has good and bad aspects. That there is no such thing as ‘perfect surgery’. 

The satisfaction rate for cosmetic surgery is around 90%  and although a satisfactory outcome is anticipated this means that 10% of people do not achieve the result that either the patient or the surgeon would like.  

If things do not go well you may need revision or secondary surgery. Although many surgeons do not charge for this, there is often a charge for anesthesia and operating room costs.

Postoperative care: The recovery takes one to two weeks. Most people are happy with the result and back to work within a week or two. Many people need fillers to maintain the results of a facelift.

For more information see the most frequently asked questions (FAQs).There are many different ways to do this operation and your best advice comes from your plastic surgeon. 

If you live in New Mexico and are considering a facelift you can contact Dr. Hudson's office in Albuquerque at 505-242-0070.

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