• Facelift
• Rhinoplasty
• Eyelid Lift

Facelift

The Facelift (rhytidectomy) is a surgical procedure used to smooth the loose skin on your face and neck, and to reduce the most apparent signs of aging in the facial area, giving you a more youthful appearance. The procedure involves reducing the creases from the nose and mouth, the slacking jaw line, sagging jowls and fat deposits around the neck by removing excess fat and tightening underlying muscles. The remaining skin is then redraped on the face and neck. Though the procedure cannot give you a completely new look, it can give you a younger, fresher look, and can also have a positive effect on your self-confidence.

The best candidates for a face-lift are those who have:

• Face and neck skin that has begun to sag, but still have skin elasticity and a strong well defined bone structure.
• Lost their well-defined jaw line.
• Deep wrinkles in their cheeks.
• Loose skin, wrinkles or excess fatty tissue in the neck.

A face-lift is generally performed by making an incision around the natural contour of the ear and around the earlobe along your hairline. This helps to keep scarring hidden. Any incision can be easily masked by make-up or hair. If a neck lift is performed, you may have a small incision under your chin. After surgery, you may have a drain tube to allow for excess fluid drainage from the incision. Your bandage will stay in place for 1 to 2 days, and you may see some increased swelling in the first 24 to 48 hours after surgery. Your stitches will remain until your 1-week office visit. Most bruising disappears in about 2 weeks.

During a face-lift, complications are infrequent and usually minor. Each individual will vary greatly in his or her anatomy, physical reactions and healing abilities, and thus outcomes are never 100% predictable. Some complications that may arise include hematoma (blood under the skin that must be removed by your doctor), injury to the nerves that control facial muscles (usually temporary) infection, and reactions to the anesthesia. Smokers are more likely to experience poor healing of the skin.

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Rhinoplasty

Surgery of the nose is one of the most common of all plastic surgery procedures. The best candidates for a rhinoplasty are those people who are looking for an improvement in the way they look, not those searching for perfection. This surgery can reduce or increase the overall size of your nose, change the shape of the tip or bridge and narrow or widen the nostrils.

Rhinoplasty usually takes an hour or two, though more complicated procedures may take longer. The surgery starts with the skin of the nose being separated from its supporting framework of the bone and cartilage, which is then sculpted to the desired shape. The skin is then redraped over the new framework. After the surgery is complete, a splint is applied to help the nose maintain its new shape. Nasal packs or soft splints may be placed in the nostrils to stabilize the septum; this is the dividing wall between the air passages.

After surgery, during the first 24 hours, the face will feel puffy, the nose may ache, and the patient may experience a dull headache. The patient should plan on resting with their head elevated for the first day. There will be swelling and bruising around the eyes, reaching a peak after two to three days. By the end of one week all packing, dressings, splints and stitches should be removed.

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Eyelid Lift

Blepharoplasty or eyelid surgery can enhance your appearance and self-confidence by eliminating droopy or sagging eyelids. As people age, the eyelid stretches and muscles weaken causing fat to accumulate around the eyes, causing "bags", or excess skin to become prominent. During your consultation with your doctor, they will assess which of the four eyelids (top and bottom for both eyes) require the procedure.

The best candidates for eyelid surgery are men and women who are physically healthy, psychologically stable, and realistic in their expectations. Generally patients for this procedure are 35 years or older. However, if sagging eyelids run in your family, it may be advisable to have eyelid surgery at a younger age.

Eyelid surgery is performed under general or local anesthesia. If your doctor chooses local anesthesia, he will numb the area around your eyes, along with giving you a mild oral or IV sedative. The actual surgery takes one to three hours. The incisions made during the surgery follow the natural lines of your eye.

As with any procedure there may be complications. These include infection, or a reaction to the anesthesia used. Minor complications that commonly follow eyelid surgery include double or blurred vision for a few days, which is caused by swelling at the corner of the eyelids, and slight asymmetry in healing or scarring. Following surgery, some patients may have difficulty closing their eyes when they sleep. Adhering to the physician’s advice on pre and post op care will greatly reduce the risk of complications.

After your surgery, you will feel a tightness in your eyes. An ointment and a bandage will cover your eyes. A cold compress and elevation will help keep the swelling and bruising down. For the first few weeks following your surgery, you may experience excessive tearing, sensitivity to light, and temporary changes in your vision such as blurring or double vision. Your stitches will be removed 2 to 7 days after your surgery.

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