Dr Michael Kaplan - Missouri Facelift - Rhytidectomy

A facelift, called a rhytidectomy, is a cosmetic surgery procedure that offers a patient a more youthful appearance. A facelift is more surgical than facial fat grafting, requires incisions in the face, head, or neck and excess skin is removed. The first facelift was performed in Berlin by Eugen Hollander in 1901, and since then has become one of the most popular aesthetic surgeries used in modern days.

Traditionally, an incision is made in front of the ear extending up to the hairline, then curves around the bottom of the ear and behind it. After the incision is made, the skin is separated from the deeper tissues with a scalpel or scissors over the cheek and neck. The deeper tissues are tightened with sutures, and sometimes excess deeper tissues are removed. The skin is redraped and excess skin is removed based on the surgeon’s judgment. Sutures and staples are used to close the incisions.

Botox treatments or liposculpture are other options for a facelift candidate, or can be combined depending on the varying individual needs. A facelift is helpful for eliminating loose skin folds in the neck, and sagging or laxity of tissue in the cheeks, as well. A pro to the facelift is that the incisions made through the procedure are usually very inconspicuous as the hairline around the head and neck allow this convenience.

Complications can occur, such as bleeding, damage to the facial nerves, or infection, which is why it is prudent to choose an experienced plastic surgeon like Dr. Kaplan that is skilled in this procedure. Patients should abstain from taking aspirin or other blood thinners for at least one week prior to surgery.

A true facelift will cover all the needs a patient has about their face, as other procedures such as a "lunch facelift" or "weekend facelift" can promise youthful looks fast with very little downtime. These are more person-to-person focused on specific problem areas of the face, such as cheeks and jowls, so depending on the person, it is important that they make a good informed decision with the experienced plastic surgeon to choose the most sufficient facelift method.