What is actually done in a “traditional facelift?
An incision is made from the top of the ear, in front of the ear, around the ear lobe, and into the neck skin, usually at least 6- 8 inches in total length. The face is dissected from the ear to the corners of the mouth, down into the neck, and behind the ears. Significant amounts of skin are removed, and the facial structures are pulled tighter. Some surgeons also perform liposuction, and may also include a chin implant and eyelid surgery. Some surgeons also perform laser skin resurfacing at the same time. This often requires 4-6 hours or more of surgery, and is usually done with general anesthesia. Some surgeons (one locally) feel that better results are obtained when the facial skin is “stretched” with hooks for several days before the surgery, with patients wearing this apparatus prior to the actual surgery. While the results can be very good in any facelift surgery, for many patients, much of the risk, expense, and extensive surgery involved may be unnecessary.
