How to Look Younger by Getting a Face Lift

If you want to know how to look younger by getting a face lift, then you’ve come to the right place. The following article will break down the various facelift procedures available, as well as examine costs, risks, and what to do to prepare for your surgery. Facelifts can help roll back the clock on the aging process and give the patient a boost in self-confidence, but, like any other surgical procedure, you’ll want to be armed with as much information as possible beforehand.

Benefits of a Facelift

If you’ve been noticing an increase in lines on your face or an overall sagging (especially under the chin or along the jaw line), you may want to consider a facelift or one of the many other procedures often associated with it. In general, the facelift is designed to correct the following problems:

Steps to Getting a Facelift

Before you go under the knife, you’ll want to undertake a few steps to ensure that you get the most out of your procedure.

Consultation - Talk to your family doctor and see if you’re a good candidate for a facelift. The best candidates are those whose face or neck has started to sag, but their bone structure is well-defined and the skin retains some amount of elasticity.

How to Look Younger by Having a Face LiftIf you are a good candidate, you’ll need to select a surgeon to perform the procedure. If you visit a facility that specializes in facelifts and plastic surgery, you’ll be able to talk to the surgeon directly and skip the family doctor’s fee. Be sure to pick a surgeon certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery.

Provide your surgeon with a complete medical history, as well as a list of all the medications you’re currently taking. In some cases, your plastic surgeon may have you stop taking certain medications in the weeks leading up to the surgery, and he or she may also suggest other medicines or supplements to add to your daily schedule.

Quit Smoking - While quitting smoking is a good idea anyway, it’s important that you don’t smoke for a month before and after your procedure. If you do, you run the risk of skin death (necrosis), which will require a skin graft to correct.

Risks of a Facelift

We’ve already learned a lot about how to look younger by getting a face lift, but the following section is one of the most important. I’m talking about the possible risks involved with facelifts and plastic surgery in general. While most are quite uncommon, you should still be aware that the possibility exists. Just remember: any type of surgery comes with risk.

Facelift Surgery

Depending on the procedures being performed, a facelift usually takes a few hours to perform. The actual face lift is performed by separating your face from the muscle and fat below it. Fat may then be removed from the chin and neck to improve the contours of the face. The skin is pulled back and stitched or stapled to close the incisions.

Following surgery, your head may be covered in bandages to help with swelling and bruising. A tube will also be placed in the skin behind the ear to help with blood drainage from the surgery. Swelling should completely subside in four to six weeks, although it should be significantly reduced in two weeks. For several months after the procedure, you may notice that your skin will feel rough and dry.

Types of Facelifts

If you want to know how to look younger by getting a facelift, it’s always helpful to know the types of procedures available to you. In most cases, face lifts vary by the following factors:

Here are the face lift procedures currently available to the general public:

SMAS Lift - Also known as the superficial musculoaponeurotic system lift, this procedure begins with an incision at the temple and runs downward along the creases of your face near the ear. When finished, the skin is pulled back and stitches are used to keep the new position in place. Considered safe and long-lasting, many consider this the finest option when it comes to looking younger by getting a face lift.

Short Scar Face Lift - Ideal for younger candidates who want to minimize scarring and have less sagging of the neck, this procedure is performed by the surgeon making an S-shaped cut either in front of the ear or near the temple. But while more involved facelifts extend behind the patient’s ear, the short scar face lift does not. The recovery time is shorter than that of the SMAS lift, and patients can wear their hair pulled back without exposing a scar.

Deep Plane Lift - This procedure goes deeper than the SMAS lift, making incisions along the hairline and down behind the ear. Recommended for older patients with severe sagging of the skin, the deep plane lift is expected to last anywhere from 10 to 15 years, although the risk of facial nerve damage during surgery is increased. The most expensive and involved facelift procedure.

Endoscopic Facelift - A small camera is inserted under the skin via a probe, allowing the surgeon to see under the skin without having to pull it up. Suggested for younger patients without neck sagging who require minor facial work, this process is normally performed on an outpatient basis. Mainly used to correct sagging of the cheeks, this is not an option for those who want neck work done.

Secondary Facelift - If you’ve studied considerably on how to look younger by getting a face lift, then you’ve realized that no procedure lasts forever. That’s where the secondary facelift comes in. These procedures are designed to balance out the areas of your face not initially treated or reposition skin that has once again started to sag.

Mid-Facelift - Designed to lift sagging cheeks and improve lines around the nose and mouth area, this procedure is accomplished by making small cuts in the inside of the mouth and on the hairline. This procedure can often be performed endosmotically, and the recovery time is very short.

Thread Lift - This facelift procedure, also known as an Aptos Lift or Feather Lift, is designed to improve sagging skin without resorting to surgery. Skin is not cut away, and small suture barbs are used to tighten the areas of your face. This is one of the cheapest face lift procedures, and only local anesthesia is used. Usually sought out by those in their 30s and 40s, or anyone who doesn’t require the more complicated deep plane facelift.

Facial Implants - Often used in conjunction with facelift surgery, these implants are inserted into certain sections of the face to highlight cheekbones or make a weak jaw line look stronger.

Thermage - Radio waves are used to reduce wrinkles and improve facial contours. Ideal for those who don’t want (or need) a facelift.

Blepharoplasty - Surgery that corrects oversized or disproportional eyelids.

Brow Lift - Also called a “forehead lift,” this procedure lessens the effects of aging on the area above your eyes. Normally used by people from 40 to 70 years of age.

Chin Surgery - Sometimes cosmetic and sometimes corrective, the two types of chin surgery are called Mentoplasty (chin reduction) and Genioplasty (chin augmentation).

Otoplasty - Perfect for fixing malformed ears, this procedure is more often performed on children and teenagers. It can, however, be performed on adults.

Neck Lift - Often performed at the same time as a facelift.

Cost of a Face Lift

Now that you know how to look younger by getting a face lift, you’ll also want to learn how much it’s going to cost you. Getting a facelift comes with three fees. These are:

The surgeon’s fee will be the most expensive, and the fee for anesthesia will depend on how invasive the procedure is (usually a little above $1000). The facility fee is normally anywhere from $500 to $2000, depending on whether you have to stay overnight in the hospital or not. Ultimately, the average cost of a facelift is in the $6,000 to $15,000 range. Of course, additional procedures like facial implants, eye surgery, or chin surgery also add to the cost. The only way to learn a definite dollar amount is to consult with a plastic surgeon.

Luckily for those on a budget, many surgeons allow for payment plans that let patients pay off the fee over the course of several years. Don’t count on your insurance helping, though, as facelifts are considered an elective procedure that’s not necessary to your survival (although many patients would disagree).