A Plastic Surgeon Can Reverse The Effects Of Gravity On Your Face With A Rhytidectomy

A rhytidectomy, most commonly referred to as a face lift, is a plastic surgery procedure that is capable of "set the clock back" with your neck and face. As a person ages the effects of gravity and exposure to the sun along with the stresses of daily life can be seen within their faces. The jawline grows slack and jowly, seep creases form between the mouth and nose, and fat deposits and folds appear around the neck. A face lift is capable of improving the most visible signs of aging successfully by removing excess fat, re-draping the skin of your neck and face, and tightening the underlying muscles.

A face lift procedure is very individualized. In your initial consultation with your plastic surgeon, he or she will evaluate your face. This will include the underlying bone and skin. Then your doctor will discuss your goals for the surgery with you. He or she will then review your medical history and check you for any conditions that could possibly cause problems during or after the procedure. These conditions include uncontrolled high blood pressure, the tendency to form excessive scars, and blood clotting problems. You must be sure to inform your surgeon of all the vitamins, herbs, and medications that you are taking. If you are a smoker, your plastic surgeon will counsel you on the increased risks associated with healing and he or she will wait for you to have stopped smoking for at least two months before performing a procedure.

After you meet with your surgeon, you will likely have the opportunity to meet with the nurse. This is when you can discuss important aspects of before, during, and after surgery care. Also, you will meet with the secretary in order to schedule and discuss fees associated with your rhtyidectomy. Often times a before surgery photograph will be taken during this consultation. These are capable of assisting the cosmetic surgeon in planning your surgery and can also be used for computerized imaging that you will be able to view at a subsequent appointment.

Every cosmetic surgeon will approach the face lift procedure in his or her own way. Incisions will typically be made above the hairline at the temples. This incision will extend in a natural line in front of the ear (or sometimes just inside the cartilage at the front of your ear) and will continue behind the earlobe to the lower scalp. If your neck is in need of improvement, a tiny incision may also be made underneath the chin. The doctor will then separate the skin from the muscle and fat below. Fat may be trimmed in some cases to improve the neck and chin contour. The cosmetic surgeon will then tighten the underlying membrane and muscles, pulls the skin back, and will remove the excess. Stitches will secure the layers of tissue and will close the incisions. A plastic surgeon may also use metal clips.