Facelift Surgery
A facelift is a surgical cosmetic procedure that lifts and tightens skin on the face and neck. It can also reduce sagging skin on a person’s face. The operation may also involve:
- tightening of facial muscles
- removing or redistributing fat from the neck, jowls and face
- taking fat from other parts of the body, such as the abdomen, and putting it in areas like the cheeks.
A facelift is also known as a meloplasty or rhytidectomy.
Facelifts, necklifts and browlifts are surgical procedures to improve the visible signs of aging in the face and neck, including sagging cheeks or jowls, deep creases along the nose or mouth, and loose skin under the chin or jaw.
Dr Kennedy performs facelift procedures primarily in the Pacific Day Surgery, located on the ground floor of the building. The surgery takes around 3 hours and is done under general anaesthetic. You will need someone to pick you up, take you home and stay with you for the first night. You may go home with drains in, and you will need to come and see us in the rooms for drain removal and suture and staple removal. This is not a particularly painful procedure, but you can expect some bruising and swelling. You will probably want to have 2 or 3 weeks off work.
We offer both surgical and non-surgical alternatives at our clinic. If you are not wanting to commit to surgery, you may be interested in non-surgical enhancements, which can be used in many ways to enhance, restore and reshape areas of your face.
Eyelid Surgery
Blepharoplasty is a surgical procedure to remove excess skin and fat from the upper and lower eyelids. As we age, our eyelids can become loose and the excess skin can sit heavily on the eyelashes, causing our eyes to not open as wide as they used to, and obstruct vision. This can also make some people appear tired, puffy or angry. Blepharoplasty, also known as an eyelid reduction, can help to treat these issues.
Blepharoplasty can improve the appearance of the eyes, making them appear more open, as well as improve vision.
Blepharoplasty procedures take around 45 minutes, and are typically performed by Dr Kennedy in the Pacific Day Hospital under either local anaesthetic, sedation or general anaesthetic. You will need someone to drive you home after surgery. We will need to see you for suture removal one week postoperatively. Typically you will need to have one week off work. It is not usually a painful procedure, but regular use of ice packs after surgery can be extremely beneficial.
In many cases, this surgery is considered a medical procedure, not a cosmetic one, so Medicare and your health fund can make a contribution to the cost. If your eyelids rest on your lashes in a straight ahead gaze, it is usually considered medical.
Surgery Risks
All surgery is associated with risks and complications. Many of these are well known, including infection, bleeding, scarring, pain, and bruising. Less common issues can include asymmetry, ongoing pain from nerve irritation, loss of sensation, loss of movement because of nerve injury, and the possibility that revision surgery may be required. What can be an acceptable result to one patient can be a disappointment to another. All surgery requires a period of rest for safe recovery, however immobility can predispose to clots in the limbs and lungs.
Facelift Surgery Risks
In addition to usual surgical complications and the risks of anaesthesia, there are some specific issues with facelifting. The face is a dynamic structure and will continue to age and relax after surgery. There is some unpredictability in how well the collagen in a particular face will hold the facial position after surgery. Increased solar damage, major weight fluctuations, and advancing years will all result in diminished collagen, elastin in the dermis, and a less significant long term result.
A haematoma, which is a bleed under the skin, can occur after a facelift. This can require a return to theatre for drainage or aspiration in the rooms. This can be a distressing event. Larger haematomas are managed in hospital, which can result in additional costs.
Scarring from a facelift is usually socially acceptable, and although visible, is not conspicuous with makeup on. Sometimes an infection, a wound separation, or skin loss will result in wide scarring, which is clinically obvious and may require later surgical revision to optimise the outcome.
Injury to the sensory nerves is universal after a facelift or necklift. Patients typically indicate that they recover most of their sensation over 6 to 12 months with some residual numbness persisting around the ear. More serious complications can occur when the nerve affected is a motor nerve. If a motor nerve is injured, muscle activity is diminished. The most vulnerable nerves are nerves to the forehead and the lower lip. It is possible that a permanent injury to these nerves will impair movement and symmetry of the face. This should be discussed at your consultation. Some factors will predispose and increase the risk of nerve injury, such as previous surgery or trauma, or known facial palsy.
Some of the incisions are through hair-bearing skin, which can result in hair being lost or repositioned.
Typically, a minimum of two weeks off work is required for recovery, though this may be longer depending on individual circumstances.
Eyelid Surgery Risks
The eye is a delicate structure and the lids protect it. Surgery on the lids can impact on the comfort and protection of the eye and the risks must be well understood.
Early after eyelid surgery, pain, bruising, and swelling will be the key complaints. Sometimes dryness and vision disturbance can happen in the early postoperative period, however dryness can be a long-term issue and may require drops, gel, and eye protection.
Scarring is not usually prominent after blepharoplasty, but poor healing associated with infection or excess removal of tissue can be deforming. A conservative approach must be made to skin removal, which can mean that the lids seem to be looser than what is desired. More skin can be taken away later with a revision procedure, however the skin that is removed cannot be put back.
Blindness is a rare but documented complication of blepharoplasty. The most common reason is bleeding behind the eyeball, which results in tension on the optic nerve. Avoiding exertion, blood thinners and raised blood pressure can help minimise these risks.
Upper eyelid surgery can be done under local anaesthesia, which reduces overall risks.
After surgery, it is also common to see small differences between both eyelids.