Face lift cosmetic surgery, or rhytidectomy, is intended to improve your facial appearance and make you look younger. It is, perhaps, the most popular procedure in plastic surgery.

About Face Lifts

Today's face lift is more effective and natural-looking than ever. Many patients look as much as five to ten years younger; they look refreshed, rested and healthy.

With today's new surgical techniques and advancements, face lifts last longer too. The surgeon tightens up not only the skin but the underlying tissue as well. The average face lift lasts from five to ten years and follow-up procedures can be performed to keep you looking as good as you can for as long as you can.

The basic idea behind a face lift is to remove excess skin that is loose and sagging on the face and the neck and sometimes to tighten the underlying tissue. If there are bags or pouches around the eyes, eye lid surgery can also be performed at the same time. Sometimes a brow lift is performed to get the best overall result.

The procedure usually takes from two to five hours. It is almost always done on an outpatient basis, with local anesthesia plus sedation. The surgeon begins with an incision along the hairline from the temple down around the ear lobe and to the back of the neck. A small incision may also be made under the chin to remove excess fat. After separating the skin from the muscle and fat underneath, it is then pulled up and back and the excess skin is removed. Sagging muscles and tissues can be tightened and fat deposits removed.

Every effort is made to keep the scarring to a minimum, the incisions closed along natural skin lines and creases; though some scars are unavoidable. They usually fade and become unnoticeable over time.

After surgery, any pain or discomfort can generally be controlled with medication. The dressings are removed in a few days. Swelling and bruising subsides within two weeks. You may experience a certain numbness or tightness in your face or neck which will lessen as you heal. Your final result probably won't be realized for at least three weeks. You'll need to limit your exposure to the sun for the first few months after surgery.

Overall, the goal of a face lift is to make you look younger. Together, the tightened skin and tissue lessen and eliminate wrinkles, creases and lines as they restore the younger, natural contours of your face - the way your face looked five or ten years ago.

Are You a Good Candidate for a Face lift?

Face lift surgery may improve some of the damage from aging, such as loosening of the facial skin and creasing around the nose and mouth. Facelifts are not primarily a treatment for wrinkles.

Face lift Variations

From deep plane lifts to feather lifts, almost any variation and extent of surgery is available to meet the needs of your facial-improvement goals.

Facial Implants

Facial implants are inserted into areas of the face to restore a more balanced and youthful appearance. Facial implants can strengthen a weak jaw line or accentuate your cheekbones. They are often used in concert with face lift plastic surgery.

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Thread Lifts

You may have heard of the "lunchtime face lift". It is not the same as a face lift, but it is a cosmetic facial procedure that is growing in popularity. Ask your doctor more about this option and whether or not it is right for you.

Thermage

If you need facial uplifting, but not necessarily a face lift, this procedure may be what you're looking for. Recently approved by the FDA, Thermage is less invasive than a face lift, using radio waves to improve facial contours and reduce wrinkles.

Face Lift Cost

Costs vary over a wide range depending upon the surgeon, your region, the type and extent of your face lift procedure, and other factors.

$4,856 is the national average cost for a face lift, though accounts for the physician's fee only. The total cost for a procedure may vary by physician and include additional fees for anesthesia, surgical center or hospital stay, supplies, and other necessities.