Seattle Face Lift - Facelift Procedure

Seattle Facelift - Seattle Face Lift Surgeon

A facelift (rhytidectomy) is a surgical procedure performed to minimize the signs of aging in the face. Factors such as heredity, general health, sun exposure, and alcohol and tobacco use affect how our faces age, eventually resulting in decreased muscle tone and lost skin elasticity. For men and women in Seattle, facelift surgery can address these issues, reducing sagging and excess skin, and tightening underlying skin structures. A facelift will not address the fine wrinkles around the eyes and mouth, or improve skin tone. A Seattle face lift surgeon at The Gallery of Cosmetic Surgery may recommend other treatments, such as laser resurfacing or a chemical peel to address these signs of facial aging.

Face lift surgery addresses issues of the mid-face, lifting deep layers, redistributing fat, repositioning underlying tissue, and redraping overlaying skin. To address issues below the chin, a neck lift may be performed as well. A facelift or neck lift may be performed alone, or in conjunction with other procedures, such as a browlift, eyelid surgery, or cheek and chin augmentation. Though facelift surgery can improve the appearance of men and women with a variety of characteristics, the best candidates tend to be between 40-60 years-of-age, have fairly good skin elasticity and a well-defined bone structure. Smokers can undergo facelift surgery, however they should be warned that nicotine use can greatly affect the results. Patients are urged to stop all nicotine use for at least two weeks before and after facelift surgery. Nicotine use delays wound healing, and may contribute to complications.

A facelift is performed under local, local-sedation, or general anesthesia. The procedure is performed on an outpatient basis, either in a surgicenter or area hospital. Most commonly, local plus amnesia-producing sedation is selected by the cosmetic surgeon.

Your Seattle facelift surgeon may use liposuction techniques to the jowl and neck areas in conjunction with face and neck lifting techniques. The removal of fat deposits beneath the skin may improve the post-surgical results and contours. Small incisions used to remove the excess skin usually follow the natural creases in front of the ear, behind the ear, and near the natural hairline of the sideburn and neck area. Gentle undermining is then performed to lift the skin from the underlying attachments; traction is applied to move and trim away excess skin; and sutures are used to repair the incisions leaving barely noticeable scarring.

Depending upon the issues being addressed, a variety of facelift options are commonly used. Options include limited (i.e. "mini-"), standard, or deep-plane lifts, each addressing certain areas, and offering advantages and disadvantages in individual cases. In some patients, minimally invasive endoscopic procedures may be used as well, offering less scarring and a shorter recovery. Liposuction and fat transfer techniques are often used to afford you the most optimal, and natural, result.

Through careful consultation your plastic surgeons at The Gallery of Cosmetic Surgery will discuss various facelift and neck lift options with individual patients. For more information on facelift surgery, or to schedule a free consultation, contact us online or call (425) 775-3561 or (866) 346-0000.

Before & After Photos [GO]