Facelift
As we age, the loss of youthful contours can occur due to thinning of the skin, a loss of youthful fat, sun damage, smoking, gravity, and stress. These factors can leave us with many noticeable signs of aging such as sagging facial skin, jowls, deepening folds between the nose and mouth (nasolabial folds), and fat that has fallen. A facelift procedure is a fantastic option for you if you wish to erase these signs of aging, taking years off of your appearance. Dr. Walker is highly skilled in facelift and revision facelift procedures, producing beautiful and long-lasting results for each of his clients. Walker MD is 19 minutes from Downtown Atlanta and 16 minutes from Buckhead.
What is a Facelift?
Facelift and neck lift are some of the most commonly requested procedures that Dr. Walker performs. He is proud to be able to offer his signature facelift and neck lift in Atlanta, GA, which are safe and effective procedures that result in a natural, non-operated appearance. These procedures are designed to rejuvenate the lower half of your face, the neck, the jawline, and the jowls to restore a more youthful and refreshed appearance. Improvement in these areas with tightening of the neck can make a long-lasting and natural enhancement in your appearance.
As we age, the tissues of the face and neck relax and descend, leading to excess soft tissue in the lower cheek (jowls), loss of a defined jawline, and loose skin of the face and neck. A facelift is a procedure that re-suspends the deeper tissues of the face to lift, tighten, and restore the face and neck to its more youthful position. Depending on your goals for surgery, a facelift can focus on your cheeks and mid-face, or the jowls, mouth, and neck. Various techniques of face lifting exist that help accomplish this goal, each having its own pros and cons. The best technique chosen is individualized to each client and is designed to maximize the amount of time that the results will last, all while minimizing your downtime. Dr. Walker’s overall philosophy of “less is more” leads to his natural, non-surgical-appearing results.
For more information, we invite you to contact us at WalkerMD in Atlanta, GA, to set up your free consultation with Dr. Walker.
What Types of Facelifts are there?
There are numerous facelift techniques, some of which are the same but branded or trademarked under different names. However, there are some techniques that are quite different from each other, whereas others are differentiated only by nuances that have no relevance to the client. The best technique suited for you depends on your goals, your lifestyle, the condition and laxity of your skin, your age, gender, and anatomy. Some men and women have enough skin laxity requiring a full facelift, while others may benefit from only a midface lift. Dr. Walker is a highly-trained and experienced facial plastic surgeon who has a thorough understanding of the complex anatomy of facelift surgery. The overall goal is to create a youthful and natural look that’s subtle yet still striking, in which you no longer are afraid of looking in the mirror.
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Full Facelift
Considered the gold standard of all facelift techniques, a full facelift requires an incision around your ear (in front and behind) close to the temporal hairline, extending up into the temporal hairline or around the temporal hair tuft and behind the ear into the occipital hairline. The underlying facial tissues and muscles are carefully released, pulled back up, and re-suspended for a lifted outcome thereby improving droopy facial features such as jowls. The overlying skin is tightened, which reduces excess skin that gets removed. This type of facelift is generally reserved for individuals who have advanced signs of aging at around age 50 or above. Other treatments are often combined with this operation including fat transfer/fat grafting to the face to restore volume, blepharoplasty (eyelid lift), eyebrow lift, or skin resurfacing with a laser or chemical peel.
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Lower Facelift
A lower facelift is intended to address the chin, jawline, and neck. In some cases, it can also improve the jowls. Non-surgical alternatives, such as Kybella injections, may also be utilized for double chin reduction to attain a younger, more chiseled, and refined jawline. Frequently clients benefit from a simultaneous chin augmentation to help pull the tissue from under the chin forward for a more refined neck and jawline.
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Mini Facelift
A mini facelift is a procedure with a small, well-hidden incision around the ears to lift the skin to a higher position which enhances the corner of your mouth, jawline, and jowls. It does not address the neck, given the limited incision. It may be combined with other procedures including chin augmentation or liposuction in the submental area or chin. Results are very natural and more subtle than in a full facelift.
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Midface Lift
With a similar approach to the mini lift, the surgery known as a midface lift focuses on the hollow and lax areas close to the cheekbones and the upper jaw. This lift works well for those who hope to achieve improvement in the lower two-thirds of the face, which also improves the look of the jowls.
Revision Facelift
Clients who have previously undergone a facelift and are unhappy with the results or who have progressed in life enough to be ready for another facelift (typically after 10-15 years) may be a candidate for revision facelift. Dr. Walker performs revision facelift surgery and is sensitive to his client’s concerns who previously underwent unsuccessful surgery. Rest assured that your revision facelift is in capable hands with Dr. Walker.
Who is a Good Candidate for a Facelift?
The ideal candidate for a facelift is the client with changes to the lower facial contours. The profile demonstrates fullness under the chin, muscle bands in the neck, and loose skin throughout, with descending cheeks and jowls on frontal view and a poorly defined jawline. Both men and women alike undergo facelifts and neck lifts.
In every procedure we deliver at WalkerMD, we employ a detailed approach, providing one of the top facelifts for Atlanta patients. Because no two patients are ever the same, no two surgical procedures are ever the same. Your personal consultation with Dr. Walker will last as long as necessary to ensure all your questions are answered to your satisfaction and you are able to make an informed decision. Prior to and after your surgery, Dr. Walker’s staff is available 24/7 to address any questions or concerns you may have. With his specialization in facelift and neck lift surgery, Dr. Walker is a top facelift surgeon on the East Coast and the Southeastern United States. His advanced techniques deliver results that look natural and rejuvenated without evidence of prior surgery.
The specific lifting technique chosen will vary for clients who are between 30 and 40 years old versus those in their 60s, 70s, or after. The condition of your skin and overall health is one of the most important elements in the planning process. Facelift patients should be in good physical health, refrain from smoking, and have realistic expectations about the outcome.
There is only a very small number of individuals above the age of 45 who would not benefit from a facelift with Dr. Walker. The degree of aging on your face and neck is a combination of genetics and a variety of environmental factors including how much time you have spent in the sun throughout your life, personal habits, stresses, and the like. Generally, a facelift rejuvenates the mid-to-lower face and neck.
If you can relate to these characteristics on your face, a facelift with Dr. Walker could be a great option if you exhibit any of the following:
- Midface sagging.
- Deep creases under your eyes.
- Deep nasolabial folds.
- Jowls on your jawline.
- Unrefined jawline.
- Fatty, sagging areas just below your cheekbones.
- Vertical bands in your neck.
- Loose skin, wrinkles, and fatty neck tissue.
How is the Facelift Procedure Done?
A facelift is typically an outpatient procedure usually performed in the operating room under anesthesia. Unless you have a pre-existing medical problem that requires inpatient observation overnight, our clients go home a couple of hours after the procedure. For our out-of-town patients, special arrangements can be made for you to stay overnight.
The duration of surgery varies from patient to patient but generally is around four hours for a routine facelift and neck lift. However, since the surgery is highly customized, some facelifts and neck lifts have taken less than that and some more than that. The duration of surgery should be secondary as ultimately it is the outcome that matters, the healing of the incisions in a way that they are essentially inconspicuous, and most importantly that the procedure is performed safely.
You will have a pre-operative history and physical exam performed to ensure that there are no health concerns prior to your surgery. You will be given instructions on what to do before, during, and after the operation and will be given prescriptions for medications that you will need to take after the procedure. In general, all blood-thinning medications that contain aspirin, ibuprofen, diclofenac, or any other medication, such as Advil, Aleve, Motrin, and certain herbal supplements, need to be stopped two weeks prior and two weeks after the procedure. Please consult with your physician prior to stopping any medication! Prescription blood thinners such as Plavix, Coumadin, Brilinta, Eliquis, Xarelto, Pradaxa, Savaysa, etc. can only be stopped with medical supervision and coordination with your prescribing physician. This helps reduce the bleeding during the procedure and the degree of bruising that you will have after the surgery.
Anesthesia
A facelift is typically performed in the operating room under an anesthetic (twilight or general anesthesia) that is designed to maximize the safety of the procedure, ensure your comfort, and minimize your recovery in order for you to be able to resume your normal daily activities as soon as possible.
Surgical Technique
Depending on which issue you wish to correct, there are several facelift techniques to address different portions of the face. The treatment plan is truly customized to every single client on a case-by-case basis. Some techniques address the upper portion of the face, while others focus on the middle and lower portions. In addition, some methods are slightly more invasive and intricate than others. Each procedure offers benefits for a specific situation and specific outcome. It is very important that you talk to Dr. Walker about your goals and work together to determine the best procedure for you. Regardless of the type of procedure you decide to undergo, incisions are well hidden within the existing hairline or camouflaged by the natural creases of your face.
Most of our signature Atlanta facelift surgeries are done under general anesthesia in order to keep you comfortable, even though conscious sedation (twilight anesthesia) is an option for some clients. This is determined by the extent of the operation required to accomplish your goals.
Rejuvenation of the neck is performed through a skillfully-placed, small and well-hidden incision under your chin. This allows for conservative removal of excess fat via liposuction, re-approximation of the loose neck muscles (aka platysmal bands), and re-draping of excess neck skin.
To correct your loose and sagging cheek skin, well-planned incisions are made around your ears. The deeper supporting tissues are lifted and re-suspended into a more favorable and youthful position, allowing improved contour while alleviating any skin tension. Excess skin is conservatively trimmed and the incisions closed with a tension-free closure to avoid visible and excessive scarring, ear malposition, and poor longevity of surgical results. Dr. Walker occasionally places a small soft drain at the end of surgery for less than 24 hours to prevent any significant fluid or blood accumulation in the face or neck. Typically, our patients have not seen any side effects or discomfort from having a drain in place. Some plastic surgeons believe that drains help prevent one of the more common complications following facelift surgery: hematoma formation. A hematoma is a collection of blood that usually occurs (if it does occur) the first night after surgery. While hematomas after facelift are not life-threatening, they require immediate attention with drainage of the hematoma to reduce local pressure at the surgical site.
Once the surgery on both sides is completed, a head and neck dressing is applied overnight that is changed the following day to either another dressing or already a flexible headband. After awakening from anesthesia and assuring your comfort, you will be able to go home in the care of a responsible adult family member or friend.
Facelift Recovery
After your facelift in Atlanta, you will be monitored before you are released to go home with a responsible adult who you know. Before your procedure, we will make your follow-up appointments and go over tips to make you feel more comfortable during your recovery process.
Recovery time depends on the procedure performed and your overall health status. In general, all bandages and drains, if present, are removed the next day although the dressing may be left in place for up to three days. Swelling is normal and to be expected, worsening within the first few days, and then improving. It responds well to cool compresses, head elevation, and adhering to light physical activity as well as a low sodium diet. You should expect to have bruising, along with some soreness and discomfort, which can be helped by prescription pain medication we prescribe to you prior to surgery. Bruising, especially on the cheeks, the neck, and under the eyes, usually goes away after about one week, but may persist for up to two weeks.
Your cheeks, eyelids, and neck will be swollen. The majority of the swelling will subside in the first couple of weeks; however, there can be swelling that can last for several weeks to months. The healing time can take up to several weeks, but once completed, you will look and feel more refreshed. While significant pain is not a usual part of the recovery process, tightness is expected and continues to improve during the first couple of weeks after surgery. All sutures and staples (if present) are removed after 1-2 weeks, at which time most bruising will have subsided. The neck may feel tight for the first few days but softens as time goes by. This should not lead to any difficulty breathing or swallowing. Usual skincare and light makeup may be worn at 10 days after the procedure once the sutures have been removed. With the exception of overly rotating or extending your neck, normal non-strenuous activities can be resumed after approximately two weeks. Strenuous activities may be resumed 2-4 weeks after your surgery; please do not resume such activities without Dr. Walker’s permission. Patients flying in for their operation should make arrangements to stay in town for at least 7-10 days. The final facial and neck contours will continue to improve as residual swelling resolves over the first couple of months. Patients can return to work whenever they feel up to it. For some patients, that might be 3 days after surgery; for other patients, it might be 10-14 days after.
We will see you at one month and then every few months afterward to follow your progress and ensure your proper healing. We aim to make every part of your rejuvenation journey as pleasant as possible and are confident you will be happy you trusted Dr. Walker to help achieve your goals.
Schedule Your Consultation
If you desire to achieve a more youthful, refreshed appearance, a facelift may be a great option for you. The best way to determine candidacy is to contact us today to schedule your personal consultation appointment with Dr. Walker. During this time, you will discuss your individual aesthetic goals, and Dr. Walker will create a treatment plan to help you look and feel your very best!
