A facelift procedure surgically refines aged facial features by removing facial skin from the neck, chin and cheek areas. General anaesthetic is administered and an incision line is made near the temple, this line continues along the hairline, along the ear and then ends behind the ear lobe. The incisions allow the surgeon to remove slack skin, tighten the muscles and remove unwanted fat from under the chin area with minor liposuction. The skin will then be lifted up, pulled back and any excess will be removed. As a result the position of the hairline in front and behind the ear is lifted, in males the beard may appear to lie closer to the ear. Since the incision line borders the hairline, it remains invisible.
The facelift surgery will typically take between two and thee hours to perform and will require one or occasionally two nights stay in hospital.
After the cosmetic surgery, it is likely that you experience bruising and swelling around the area. This will only remain temporarily and painkillers can be taken if needed. Minimum activity is advised in the days following the operation, to avoid straining the stitches.
You are advised to keep abstain from vigorous activity until a month after surgery. You should be able to return to work about 3 weeks after the operation, once swelling and bruising have gone down
