Face Lift

 

Otherwise known as a rhytidectomy, a face lift can reduce your visible age and appearance by years. Dr. Leonard can significantly improve all of your problem areas by tightening your facial muscles, reducing any extra facial fat, and by carefully positioning your facial and neck skin in a way that will give you a more youthful look.

 

Although a face lift will not necessarily keep someone from aging, many of Dr. Leonard’s clients choose to undergo other cosmetic surgeries alongside their face lift procedures. These often include surgery of the eyelids, reshaping the nose or lifting and tightening the forehead.

You Should Consider Having a Face Lift If...
If you are noticing environmental damage to your skin, you should consider a face lift. Over time, stress, anxiety, sun damage and makeup application can wear the skin down and create noticeable flaws due to aging. These environmental damages appear in the form of deep wrinkles, loose and dangling skin around the jaw, and hanging, misshapen flaps around the neck area.
Are You the Right Candidate for a Face Lift?

All any man or woman needs to be a great face lift candidate is saggy skin that still bares a little bit of elasticity. The more firm and defined your facial bone structure appears, the better your face lift will appear as well. Aging individuals of practically all ages from 40 years old and above can enjoy a successful face lift procedure.

Although your face lift will certainly improve your appearance and remove flaws due to aging, it is important not to have unrealistic expectations. Dr. Leonard will address your concerns and expectations during your consultation.

Risks and Concerns Associated with Face Lifts
Even when a highly qualified surgeon such as Dr. Leonard performs a face lift, a rare chance exists where (often temporary) nerve damage can take place in the facial tissue. Infection is also possible as well as complications due to anesthesia and hematomas, which must be surgically removed. Those who smoke cigarettes are more likely to suffer from inadequate healing of the skin. However,it is not possible to know for sure how one’s anatomy or physical composition will affect their recovery. These complications are almost always short-lived and easy to treat. Dr. Leonard will provide you with exact directions on how to best avoid these complications before and after your operation.
Making Plans for Surgery

Every face lift that Dr. Leonard performs is tailored and customized for each and every individual. During Dr. Leonard’s consultation with you, he will assess your facial tissue and bone structure while asking you questions about what you want your ideal outcome to be after the operation. Dr. Leonard will also inquire about all of your medical conditions as well as which medications you are taking. Out of control high blood pressure or issues with blood clotting are great examples of what to mention. You should be sure to include even over-the- counter medications as they can potentially cause complications if they go unmentioned. If it helps, write a list of your medical history and medications at home to bring to your consultation.

Dr. Leonard will give you a detailed plan and clarify details regarding how the surgery will be performed. He will also explain step-by- step how he will administer anesthesia before surgery, the specifications of the medical center where your surgery will take place, the surgical concerns, and the payment amount required. Dr. Leonard will encourage you to ask him any and all questions as the better you understand the operation, the more smoothly the process will go.

Preparing Yourself Before Surgery

Dr. Leonard will explain your customized and detailed directions on the ways which you can best prepare for the face lift operation. You should follow these directions very strictly. Expect to have temporary limitations on what you can eat, drink, and which vitamins or medications you can take. Of course, smoking cigarettes is heavily discouraged. Smoking can be dangerous within two weeks before and after the operation because it can prevent you from properly healing and looking your best.

Some patients’ advice is to purchase a scarf or wear your hair down to cover your surgical wounds while in recovery. Please also be sure to have a friend or family member drive you home from the operation. We prefer that you should also enlist this person to stay with you for a couple of days while you are recovering in case you need help with something.

Where Will Dr. Leonard Perform Your Surgery?
Dr. Leonard will conduct your face lift either in a hospital, a medical office building or a surgical facility that is outpatient-based. If you suffer from conditions like blood pressure issues or diabetes, Dr. Leonard will typically insist that you stay a short time longer than usual so that you can be properly monitored by medical staff.
Anesthesia Specifications

Patients will be given what is called general anesthesia, which simply means that you will be asleep through the entirety of your face lift surgery.

Your Face Lift Operation

The typical face lift operation requires between four and seven hours, depending on what you are getting done. If you wish to undergo more than just a face lift operation, Dr. Leonard will sometimes spread your surgeries apart over time so that you have healthy healing and recovery experiences.

When you wake up from surgery you should expect to see a drain located behind your ear in the form of a plastic tube. This drain helps clear out blood that gathers there. Dr. Leonard will also likely take measures to reduce swelling around your face by delicately placing bandages around your head.

Post-Surgery

Post-surgery recovery typically runs very smoothly. Patients rarely feel intense pain or discomfort. However, if you start to feel poorly after your operation, do not hesitate to contact Dr. Leonard and request a prescription for pain medication. If your pain persists or there is an increase in facial swelling please contact Dr. Leonard’s office right away. Do not worry if your face is numb after surgery. This is normal and will go away on its own.

Dr. Leonard often insists that his patients lay with their heads kept elevated with as little movement as possible for 48 to 72 hours after the face lift operation. This will help you recover more quickly with less painful swelling.

During your follow-up appointment with Dr. Leonard, he will remove the bandages around your head as well as the drain behind your ear. Do not expect to see immediate results when the bandages removed. Give yourself time to heal. The metal pieces and stitches around your scalp will also be removed several days after your face lift. This is generally a fairly painless process.

Returning to Your Daily Routine

You should expect to take it easy for a week after your face lift operation. Though you will be mobile a couple days after the operation, it is important that you do not over work yourself or try to do too much. Try not to touch your face or scalp during this week as you could inflict damage and prevent the skin from healing as fast as it should.

Dr. Leonard will provide you with your own list of rules for your recovery and suggestions upon returning to your daily routine. The three most important guidelines to follow are to refrain from over exerting yourself, don’t do anything to dehydrate your body like consume alcohol or enjoy steam amenities, and focus your energy on your recovery.

Again, you should not feel discouraged if you don’t look the way you expected to during the few weeks following your face lift surgery. Give the bruises and wounds time to heal and you will be looking beautiful in no time.

The New You

We are confident that Dr. Leonard’s work will fulfill all of your expectations once you are fully healed and looking like a newer, even more beautiful you. Do not feel discouraged if you see some longer term results such as dry skin or thin hair around your scalp incision lines. These areas are still healing and can be hidden very easily by using special cosmetics. The scars from the incisions will be hidden within your hairline and behind natural areas of your face. The scars will eventually disappear.

Undergoing a face lift operation may not be the fountain of youth, but you will continue looking significantly more beautiful than if you had avoided the procedure altogether. Many patients receive face lifts every 5 to 10 years depending on their own preferences and lifestyles. Many say that the procedure is so easy and fairly painless that it becomes both a treat and a long term routine.

References:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1KQkD4TS8OfdSW58rAvqTpyZTJJrLg-oKChPGaAeeV4/edituspsharing
https://leonardplasticsurgery.com/projectface-lift%20

Contact Leonard Plastic Surgery

Leonard Plastic Surgery

Water Place │ 500 Liberty Street S.E., Suite 400 │ Salem, OR 97301

(503) 391-2760 │leonardplasticsurgery@gmail.com

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