Facelift

A facelift is an aesthetic procedure that corrects the facial signs of ageing. The facial ageing process manifests in skin becoming looser, an increase in wrinkles and the sagging and/or atrophy of certain parts of the face.

A facelift restores these changes without taking away the natural facial expression. Of course, this operation does not stop the ageing process, it just turns back the clock.

The following situations make a facelift a consideration:

• You are bothered by certain signs of ageing on your face.
• Your facial ageing process is progressing faster than your peers, making you look older or more tired than you actually are.
• You have already undergone some non-operative aesthetic treatments (botulinum toxin, wrinkle fillers or laser treatment) to look more youthful or fresh, but you are looking for a more permanent solution.
• You are looking for a thorough approach to the ageing of your face and you are willing to factor in several weeks of recovery time for that.

In a classic facelift, incisions are made in front and behind the ear to lift and tighten the skin and subcutaneous tissues of the face. In a MACS-lift (Minimal Access Cranial Suspension lift), only a small incision is made in front of the ear to tighten the loose skin and reposition the underlying tissues (lifting). The MACS lift is performed under general anaesthesia. The procedure takes about 3-4 hours. You can usually leave the hospital on the same day.

In practice, the MACS lift is often combined with lipofilling and eyelid surgery if needed. The facelift will create a balanced youthful and fresh appearance, with nearly invisible scars.

A facelift can be complicated by post-operative bleeding. Good blood pressure control during surgery by experienced anaesthetists, careful surgical technique and proper bandaging after surgery make these problems very rare in practice.

Issues with the wound and infection also occur rarely, provided that smoking is avoided for a few weeks before and after the procedure

Facial nerve bruising is a rare complication, but can be avoided with a thorough knowledge of facial anatomy and experience with the technique.

The bandage is usually removed after a few days, and the sutures after about 10 days. Bruising takes about 7-10 days to subside, with most swelling gone after 3 weeks.

The procedure is usually not very painful. Certain parts of the skin on the face may feel rather numb, but this disappears over time.

The facelift results continue to improve in the months after surgery.

A facelift is an aesthetic surgery that is not reimbursed under health insurance. After an initial consultation to discuss your specific requirements, a customised solution will be offered as well as a cost estimate.

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Latest publication date: 13/08/2024
Supervising author: Dr Vertriest Rudolf