Multi Plane Facelift (Rhytidectomy)
Revitalize your face for a fresh, youthful look
Why Facelift Surgery
It can be difficult to look in the mirror and notice the passage of time. Your face is the first part of you that the world notices, and knowing that yours is showing your age can lead to a lack of confidence. With a facelift, Dr. Zukowski can help you take back your youth and realign your face with your youthful personality.
What Is a Facelift?
A facelift, also called a rhytidectomy, is a surgical procedure that rejuvenates the entire face and neck by repairing signs of aging.
As we age, our face loses its youthful contours. Time leaves its mark with sagging skin, wrinkles, deeper fold lines, jowls, hollow cheeks, double chins, loose skin, and excess fat. A facelift is done in patients who want to turn back the clock by correcting these signs of aging.
For MTF transgender patients, a facelift can enhance the feminization achieved with facial feminization surgery (FFS) by giving you a smooth, youthful face.
Who Is a Good Candidate for a Facelift?
A good candidate for a facelift is someone who:
- Is a non-smoker or willing to quit smoking.
- Is in generally good physical health with no significant medical conditions.
- Suffers from sagging/loose skin, jowls, loss of volume in the cheeks, and/or wrinkles around the nose and mouth OR has had their lower face reshaped in the course of facial feminization surgery.
Best Age for a Facelift
Facelifts are most commonly done on patients who are 40+ years old. Some people in their 30s may choose to have a facelift, but patients younger than 30 rarely benefit much from them. The best results can be achieved with people in their 40s. A facelift can still make a drastic difference for older patients, but as the skin loses elasticity with age it becomes less possible to achieve optimum results. A secondary smaller lift may be needed a year and a half later.
For MTF transgender patients, some varient of a facelift can be done at any age to enhance facial feminization surgery and help the skin fit better on your new facial shape. Even in younger patients, the skin might not adapt to some of the reshaping done in the course of FFS and might appear looser than before. This is why with neck and chin procedures, some form of neck tightening is needed. Dr. Zukowski will perform your facelift at the same time as your other FFS procedures.
Types of Facelifts
Traditional facelifts involved simply pulling the skin tight and removing the excess. Over the last 30 years, it came evident that this is insufficient. The face has multiple layers, and these layers must be taken into account during a facelift. Traditional facelifts did not yield long term results and gave the skin an overly stretched appearance. Now, multiple options exist that address the underlying fat and muscles of the face for a natural look. The type of facelift that is best for you depends on your age, anatomy, and goals.
Minimal Scar Facelift
This option is best for patients in their 20s and early 30s, or someone with only mild to moderate loose skin. It uses the smallest possible incision, which is behind your ear only.
Retroauricular Variant Facelift
This facelift is best for patients in their mid 30s to mid 40s. It involves a larger incision that starts behind the ear but only goes up to the opening of the ear canal on the front of the ear.
Full Facelift
This is the most comprehensive facelift and is typically used on those in their early 50’s and older. It typically uses the largest incision that starts at the sideburn, goes completely in front of the ear following the natural creases, then ends behind the ear and into the hairline.
Is a Neck Lift Always Done with a Facelift?
It is common and recommended to have a neck lift with a facelift, since this will fully address any loose skin and help to achieve a youthful, feminine contour in the jaw and neck. Neck lifts can also be done without an upper face lift.
For MTF transgender patients looking for a more feminine appearance, masseter muscle reduction surgery may also be recommended. Commonly called jaw reduction surgery or jaw shaving, this is done to reduce the size of the masseter muscle.
Fat Grafting with a Facelift
Fat grafting during a facelift is complementary at the Zukowski Center. It can be used to create a more youthful appearance by filing out hollow cheeks and wrinkles. It can also smooth out a masculine face and give it plumper cheeks and lips. Dr. Zukowski will evaluate your face and decide if you would benefit from fat grafting with your facelift.
Facelift Risks
A facelift carries the risks associated with all surgeries such as a reaction to anesthesia and infection.
What to Expect with a Facelift
Depending on the type of facelift you are getting and whether you will be undergoing other procedures, Dr. Zukowski may use “twilight” sedation or general anesthesia. For every type of facelift, he will make an incision, lift up the skin, and tighten the underlying tissues and muscles. He may remove fat with liposuction, redistribute it, or add new fat to certain areas. Depending on which procedures you are having done, he may contour your facial bones. Finally, he will place the skin back over the face and position it over the new contours, remove any excess, and close the incisions.
Facelift Recovery
Immediately after your surgery, you will most likely experience mild to moderate pain, swelling, bruising, and numbness. Compression bandages will be applied to your face to protect the incisions and minimize swelling. You may have a drain placed behind one of your ears. This will be removed in a post-op appointment 24-48 hours after the procedure. Your stitches will be removed about one week after the procedure..
Most patients feel ready to go out in public in about two weeks. However, if you are undergoing full facial feminization surgery, this may be closer to one month.
How Long Does a Facelift Last?
Facelifts can significantly turn back the clock, but they do not freeze it. After a facelift, your face will continue to age. You can generally expect a facelift to last 10 years.
Factors such as ethnicity, skin tone, and lifestyle also play a big part in skin quality and aging. All patients should avoid sun exposure and seek good skin care products that exfoliate as well as enhance the collagen of the skin in order to get the most lasting results.
Dr. Zukowski is an unparalleled expert in all complex facelift procedures. He will apply his years of experience to your situation for a deep, comprehensive facelift that gives you a naturally vibrant and youthful face.
If you have any questions or concerns about facelifts, please don’t hesitate to contact our office in Chicago to learn more.
Visit the patient gallery to see before and after transformations.