what is a face lift

A facelift, also known as rhytidectomy, is a cosmetic surgical procedure that aims to create a younger look in the face by reducing sagging skin and improving visible signs of aging. During the procedure, facial soft tissues are lifted, excess skin is removed, and skin is draped back over the newly repositioned contours. The incisions for the procedure can be made in the hairline starting at the temples, continuing down and around the front of the ears, and ending behind the ears in the lower scalp. The steps of a facelift procedure typically include anesthesia, separating the skin from underlying tissues, tightening the muscles and other supporting structures of the face and neck, removing excess fat in the neck and jowls, repositioning the skin over the face in a natural way, and removing any excess skin. A facelift can restore relaxed, sagging skin on the face, deep fold or crease lines between the nose and the corners of the mouth, facial fat that has fallen or is lacking, drooping skin on the cheeks and/or jaw, and loose skin and extra fat in the neck that looks like a “double chin” . However, it wont correct damage from sun exposure, such as fine lines and wrinkles, and it cannot change a person's fundamental appearance or stop the aging process. The best candidates for a facelift are those whose face and/or neck have begun to sag, but whose skin still has some elasticity, and whose bone structure is strong and well-defined.