Face Lift

As we age, the skin and tissue in our faces loses its elasticity. Aging, inelastic skin and tissue can droop and sag. This sagging skin can cause you to look tired, and older than you feel. When you have a face lift to tighten the skin and underlying muscle structure of the face, it can lead to a more youthful and refreshed appearance.

Facial cosmetic surgeon Dr. Mikel Lo can perform a face lift to correct laxity on the lower half of the face that can be a result of aging.

When To Consider a Face Lift in Tucson

A face lift can correct laxity on the lower half of the face. Dr. Lo achieves the results of a face lift through a tightening of the skin and underlying tissue and muscle structure of the face.

You may consider a face lift if you want to improve:

• An aged, tired appearance,
• Sagging skin on your lower face
• Sagging cheeks and jowls

If you also wish to improve excess, sagging skin beneath your chin and banding on your neck, Dr. Lo can perform a neck lift along with your face lift.

How is a Face Lift Performed?

A face and neck lift are usually performed together, although in certain instances they may be performed independently. The surgery is done on an outpatient basis under local anesthesia with intravenous sedation. The incision for the face lift is placed in front of the ear and follows the back curve of the ear before extending into the hair. The loose muscle layer under the skin on the face is raised and tightened, then the skin is redraped on the face. At this point, any excess skin is removed and the incisions are closed.

A neck lift incision is placed under the chin. The procedure involves liposuction to remove excess fat, and a surgical tightening of the midline neck muscle (called a platysmaplasty) to correct the bands that occur with aging. Sagging skin may also be lifted with excess skin removed.

Your Recovery

To complete the surgery, Dr. Lo may place surgical drains under the skin at the incision site in order to prevent fluid build up. Preventing fluid build up reduces swelling and facilitates healing. These surgical drains will be removed after several days. You may need to wear a compression garment over the head and neck to further prevent swelling.

Sutures are removed in about a week following your surgery. Swelling and bruising typically last about one week and most patients report minimal discomfort.

Your Face Lift Results

The key to successful facelift surgery is to tighten the underlying tissues with a vertical pull and to not remove too much skin. Most unnatural looking face lifts are caused by excessive skin removal, which results in a wind-swept look as seen in some actors. Dr. Lo has performed hundreds of face lifts in his Tucson facial cosmetic practice, where he specializes in these procedures. Dr. Lo's patients frequently comment on the natural results achieved after his facelifts.

It is important to note that a face lift only corrects sagging skin and tissue on the lower portion of the face and the upper neck. The results of a face lift show most at and around the jaw line. In patients who have significant aging changes on the neck, liposuction and/or neck muscle tightening (neck lift) should also be done along with the face lift to achieve optimal results. If you wish to correct signs of aging on your forehead or around your eyes, you would require an additional procedure. To achieve such results, a brow lift, a blepharoplasty, or an eyelid lift can be performed along with a face lift.

To Learn More About a Face Lift in Tucson

To learn more about a face lift, please contact the office of Tucson cosmetic surgeon Dr. Mikel Lo. Subscribe to our email list to receive updates about cosmetic procedures and treatments. Call (520) 877-2725 to speak with the staff of About Faces Cosmetic Surgery in Tucson, AZ.