A facelift is a surgical procedure that is bound to create a youthful appearance on your face. The process is commonly known as rhytidectomy and it is known to reduce sagging and folding of your skin on your cheeks and your jawline and as well as changing other parts of your face shape that occur with age.

In the facelift process, there is a drawback of a flap of skin on every face side and the tissues below the skin are adjusted surgically to bring back the face contour to a more youthful shape. Facelifts are usually accompanied by blepharoplasty and other procedures in order to properly enhance the facial look and make the individual look younger.

A facelift is usually performed in order to bring back the facial appearance. Facial aging is caused by the changing positions of the anatomical structures. The effect of these changes consequently leads to the development of jowl and a burgeoning increase of the nasolabial fold. Scientists have shown that the ideal age for an individual to go through the facelift process is from 50 years and younger.

There are several types of facelifts that exists and the minor difference among them in the type of incision approach it has. Every professional surgeon practices different types of facelifts depending on the type of face the patient involved has. The most favorable outcome is chosen for every patient during a consultation process.

These several types of facelifts include:

  • Deep-plane facelift

Deep-plane facelift is mostly used to accurately correct the nasolabial fold deepening. It is different from other facelift techniques and it also has a slightly high risk of damaging the facial nerve. With the deep plane facelift, the surgeon can effectively work in the indicated problem areas. Most surgeons and patients actually like this method because it leaves no indication that a facelift procedure has just occurred. After the procedure, studies and research have shown that the patients look fresher, more alive and healthier and do not look like they just had a procedure. A Deep plane facelift is regarded as one of the best facelift methods right now.

  • Composite facelift

The composite facelift is regarded as one of the best procedures out there today. Although the results may come up longer than expected, in the long run, the process is longer lasting and more natural. With the composite facelift comes the ability to balance the horizontal pull with a vertical lift. When the facelift is used to elevate the forehead, it ensures that the upper parts of your face do not come crashing down over the lower part of the face. This method will ensure that the harmony within your face is progressive maintained for years. This is by far, a highly recommended technique.

  • Mid facelift

Most times, the mid face area has the tendency to flatten and makes a woman’s face look slightly more manly that is why the mid facelift was introduced. The mid facelift is sufficient enough to rejuvenate the face. Individuals above 40 are the right set of people to opt-in for mid facelifts. To effectively do the procedure, the surgeon has to make very small incisions along the hairline, that way, there will be no scars. The recovery time for this procedure is quite short when compared to others and this procedure most times is accompanied by eyelid surgery.

  • Skin only facelift

The skin-only facelift has a very short lifespan of approximately 6-12 months. This option is considered because it is very few complications attached to it and it is not high in technical advancement unlike other types of facelifts. One way these procedures can be obtained is by using a needle which is spirally shapes depending on the area of lifting in question. The simple reason why the longevity of this method is very short is that during the process, only the skin is lifted. The process does not involve the lifting of the muscles or any other thing.

  • Subperiosteal facelift

The Subperiosteal facelift method is achieved by gradually lifting the face tissues vertically. To effectively achieve this, you have to separate it from the facial bones completely correcting sagging cheeks by enhancing it to a pleasing position. This technique is important and it has to be combined with some of the other techniques in order to provide longer rejuvenation to the face. This technique is not ascribed to any age as all individuals from 18 can take part in this procedure when necessary. Most times, patients tend to suffer severe swelling after the procedure has taken place. This is what makes this procedure different

  • Mini facelift

This type of facelift is regarded as a temporary solution facelift for the aging of the face and this procedure can be done with equipment known as the endoscope, used to reposition the tissues. For people with slacking facial structures, this procedure is mostly ideal for them. It is fondly called the short scar facelift due to the type of incision that is normally used by surgeons. Towards the end of the whole process, the skin is then repositioned by the surgeon and this procedure is better for people who age prematurely when compared to other procedures.

  • SMAS facelift

The SMAS stands for the superficial muscular aponeurotic system facelift is regarded as a surgical layer that is made up of some ligaments which encases the fat in the cheek, and which effectively targets the lower two-thirds of the face.  The major points where SMAS facelift addresses are jowls, excess fat etc. Further resuspension of the SMAS will definitely lead to an uplift of the face. As you begin to age, there exists a lot of less elastic nature which in turn results in saggy cheeks. Those that are above the age of 50 are regarded as the very right candidates for this procedure

  • MACS facelift

Minimal Access Cranial suspension facelift is a type of facelift which allows the correction of several sagging features of the human face. In the MACS facelift, there is a lower risk of bleeding and also a lower risk of nerve injury. The procedure operation is also very short. The time it takes to get done with this procedure takes about 70% of the total time that it takes for other procedures. The results gotten from the MACS Procedure are very natural and very normal and it has been used by several surgeons because it is also safer.

Consequently, all plastic surgery procedures are known to have its own set of complications and the facelift procedure is no different. The facelift process is not an easy one so far and most times a professional plastic surgeon try his possible best to reduce the risks of these complications. it is without a doubt that the facelift process is always bound to have certain complication even the smallest ones except at very rare situations that may occur. In this article we will be taking a deep dive at the several complications these processes can incur which may be detrimental to the physical state and the health conditions of the said patients. These complications may or may not be fatal depending on the overall facelift process and the level of professionalism the surgeon has.

  • Loss of hair

It is no news that hair loss is one of the complications that is associated with the facelift process, especially along the hairline. Facial hair(beard) by men is more affected by the process. It is very hard to achieve a very natural facial appearance after the facelift process. The Permanent loss in hair is mostly seen as the places where the incision took place. For men, this hair loss will result in an unnatural appearance and the sideburn will be pulled from one point to another. Surgeons need to be very careful in this case.

  • The appearance of Hematoma

With these procedures, Hematoma is the most witnessed type of complication these individuals are bound to face in the long run after the procedure has taken place. A Hematoma is described as the bleeding that takes place outside the blood vessels. This can be caused either by disease, injury or surgery. After the facelift procedure, a hematoma may arise and it can be very dangerous leading to a shortage of breath which may be fatal. The hematoma spread rapidly among the tissues and quickly solidifies immediately before your blood enters back inside the blood vessels. This whole process happens immediately after the facelift process has taken place.

  • Intense bleeding

Bleeding after the facelift process can be very dangerous and very hazardous especially after the whole process has taken place. If not properly taken care of and monitored, bleed may result in so many other complications that will lead to the patient being under the knife again. Bleeding may be caused by damage to the nerves or to the inner part of the skin. Excessive bleed after the procedure is something that must be controlled especially by the surgeon. It is important the Surgeon and the doctor-in-charge should try their best to reduce the risk of excessive bleeding.

  • Injury to the nerve

Injuries to the nerves can occur during or after the process of facelifts. These types of injury can cause serious harm to the sensory nerves that are found in the harm. The results may be permanent or may be temporary depending on the severity of the injury involved. Nerve injuries could be very serious and if not taken care of, it may lead to the partial or total dysfunction of that particular area of the face where the facelift occurred. It is very important for the surgeon to take note and take care during this process.

  • Presence of scars

Scars are very common in processes like this and the facelift process does not seem different. Scars are evidence that shows that a surgical procedure was made in that particular area. Most professional try their very possible best to reduce the scars in order to make it less visible but so far, it rarely works. Most individuals often go through another plastic process in order to get rid of these scars from their faces and their heads. In some rare cases, there are some hypertrophic scars that may occur which may end up turning into something else.

What should the patients do?

When considering a facelift, you need to go to the hospital and they will direct you to a capable surgeon with so many years of experience. This surgeon will then evaluate and examine you to know the possible reasons why you need to do this process and to inform you about the possible complications that may be encountered during or after the process. This type of surgery is one that is regarded as a selective surgery. This means that not everybody can go into this surgical process and come out with the desired results of looking fresh, young and rejuvenated. Everybody skin texture is totally different so the surgeon will determine which of the procedures is right for you. Most individuals have also said that it is very important that you get very comfortable with your surgeon before you go for your procedure. This way, you will be able to feel less fear during the whole process.  After the procedure, it is greatly expected that you will experience a lot of pains. The surgeon should also be able to tell you how you can go about that with ease in order not to put yourself in more complications.

Conclusion

So, there you have it. Facelift surgery or rhytidectomy has been applied by many to bring back their youthful faces and most surgeons have recorded a very high success rate. However, this article has dissected several types of facelift surgeries and several complications for you to know in order to gain knowledge about the procedure. The facelift process is said to be challenging both by the surgeons and the patients. But in the long run, you’ll get to enjoy all the benefits.