7 Surprising Facelift Facts You Should Know

Facelift surgery, also known as a rhytidectomy is a surgical procedure that improves the face shape against visible signs of aging in the face and neck. Those common and also natural signs of aging include sagging skin, deepening of the fold lines between the nose and corner of the mouth, jowls developing in the cheeks and jaw, fallen or disappeared fat and double chin.

Facelift term derived from Ancient Greek roughly translates as “surgical removal of wrinkles”. Facelift surgery is usually performed in order to provide patients with a rejuvenated facial appearance. It’s one of the many ways we can “trick” the natural aging process and maintain our youthfulness. Rhytidectomy surgery is quite popular in all corners of the world, so there are plenty of facelift surgery centers available for patients offering both excellent quality and budget-friendly cost

For this article, we have gathered 7 important and interesting pieces of information about this popular and rejuvenating procedure.

READ: Fight Against The Gravity with Facelift

1. Facelift Is Mostly Cosmetic

As with breast lift surgery, facelift surgery has no functional indications, only cosmetic ones. The principles of cosmetic surgery are fully focused on enhancing an individual's appearance. Different from functional correction targeted plastic surgery procedures, improving aesthetic appeal, symmetry, and proportion are the key goals of all cosmetic surgeries. The facelift is a part of facial rejuvenation surgeries in the field of cosmetic surgery with other procedures such as eyelid lift, neck lift, and brow lift.

Looking older than you “feel” can lead to depression, lower self-esteem, and other problems related to the “self”. In today’s day and age, your facial appearance can hold you back from social activities as well, so it’s definitely worthwhile to ask questions and seek answers.

2. The First Facelift Procedure Was Performed In 1901

The first rhytidectomy surgery was performed in Berlin in 1901 by German surgeon Eugen Hollander for an elderly female Polish aristocrat who asked him to “lift her cheeks and the corners of her mouth.”
From then on, facelift surgery was continuously developed into the safe and reliable procedure we know today.

3. Facelift Is the Sixth Most Popular Plastic Surgery Procedure in The USA

According to 2017 statistics of The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS), facelift surgery is at number 6 on the list of the most popular procedures in the USA with a number of 82,410 procedures performed. Other popular procedures include liposuction, abdominoplasty (tummy tuck), eyelid surgery, breast lift surgery, and breast augmentation.

READ: Things You Should Know About Eyelid Surgery

4. There Are 10 Different Techniques Available

Facelift surgery came a long way from its first shy attempts at diminishing the effects of age. As of now, there are 10 mostly used facelift techniques available. The differences between them relate to the type of incision used, the area of the face being treated and the technique’s invasiveness. Certain techniques bring better results than others, so it’s a good idea to find and consult an experienced doctor before going in for surgery. Facelift techniques can include:
• SMAS lift (Superficial Muscular Aponeurotic Sheath)
• Deep-plane facelift (DPFL)
• Composite facelift
• Mid-face-lift
• Mini-facelift
• Thread lift (Facelift threading or Facelift with Threads)
• Subperiosteal facelift
• Skin-only facelift (Cutaneous Lift )
• MACS facelift
• Facelift without surgery techniques such as Silhouette Facelift, Botox, Dermal Fillers, and Laser Lifts

5. It Can Be Combined with Other Procedures

Facelift surgery can achieve great results for patients, but it cannot do wonders by itself. That’s why sometimes patients combine the procedure with other types of plastic surgery. Combining procedures has great benefits related to cost and downtime. It’s especially recommended for patients with an active lifestyle or patients who don’t want to spend too much time recovering from different procedures. Currently, for reaching the best results, you may need additional procedures, such as
• Neck lift
• Fat transfers
• Eyelid surgery
• Dermal fillers
• Botox
• Skin resurfacing
• Liposuction
• Removal of cheek fat
• Forehead lift
• Brow lift

READ: 5 Things You Should Know About Botox Injections

6. It Doesn’t Necessarily Improve Wrinkles

Facelift is a rejuvenation surgery, but it does not change your fundamental appearance and cannot stop the aging process. https://www.plasticsurgery.org/cosmetic-procedures/facelift
It can improve deep wrinkles or folds, but it doesn’t have an effect on surface imperfections. This is another reason why some patients combine facelift procedures with other types of aesthetic treatments such as Botox and skin resurfacing.

7. The Recovery Period Is Just as Important as The Procedure Itself

Although it may take a few months to see the final results of a facelift, the recovery period takes much less time. It is difficult to give a certain number for recovery times as they are dependent on various factors such as age, patient’s health status, and type of procedure performed.

During your recovery time, the swelling recedes, the redness goes down, and the skin heals into its final form. Patients are given specific guidelines related to the recovery period but it’s important to note that these guidelines are not optional, they are vital for a more comfortable recovery period and a pleasant result from the procedure. For example, smoking has a very negative effect on the body’s healing properties, so it’s a good idea to quit smoking before and after the operation.

This content is edited by Flymedi Medical Editors in March 2023.