Facelift

Over time gravity, sun exposure and the stresses of daily life manifest on our faces in changes such as skin laxity and pigmentation irregularities, creases and jowls around the nose and mouth, fat deposits and folds on the neck. A facelift corrects these telltale signs by tightening skin and muscles, adding volume to restore youthful beauty and freshness, and redefining the angle of the jaw line. When appropriate, a mid depth chemical peel or semi ablative resurfacing can be combined with your procedure to improve skin quality and provide an enhanced result. Dr. Sabry highly recommends effective medical grade skincare as part of your pre-procedural preparation and post operative maintenance.

What Is a Facelift Procedure?

A facelift procedure (rhytidectomy) is a facial plastic surgery procedure that restores the youthful appearance of your face. It corrects facial muscles and loose skin that make your face look older. In addition, it removes facial wrinkles, helping you achieve a more youthful appearance.

The ultimate goal of your facelift is to refresh your appearance and restore youthful tone, balance and harmony. Innovations in surgical techniques and procedures have vastly improved patient outcomes and satisfaction.

Often a combination of procedures may be recommended. Fat transfer, eyelid surgery, chin and cheek implants, neck lift and brow lift can all be combined with facelift procedures.

Murray Hill Plastic Surgery & Vein Center Facelift

Facelift Consultations

During your facelift consultation with Dr. M. Zakir Sabry, he will answer questions you may have about the procedure and will discuss any safety concerns related to the surgery.

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Your facelift consultation will involve the doctor checking your health status and medical history. The doctor will also ask about your goals for your facelift procedure. Your face will be examined and assessed, and Dr. Sabry will create a surgical plan.

Ideal Candidates for a Facelift Procedure

If you feel like you look old and want to regain your youthful appearance, then a facelift procedure is an ideal solution. Anyone with a healthy body that heals normally is fit to undergo a facelift procedure. Ideal candidates have realistic expectations and are non-smokers or are willing to quit.

Procedure

Facelifts are usually outpatient procedures. When appropriate, Dr. Sabry prefers to perform surgery under a combination of local anesthesia and sedation. This approach is considered preferable to general anesthesia, and recovery is usually faster and smoother.

The most common facelift procedure entails incisions made from the temples down to the front of the ears, and back behind the earlobe to the lower scalp. The skin is lifted, the underlying fat is sculpted, and volume may be added. Muscles are tightened, excess skin is trimmed and the incision is closed with very fine sutures. This usually takes around 3 to 4 hours.

Dr. Sabry prefers the short scar facelift in appropriate patients. (MACS minimal access cranial suspension lift) In this procedure the incision stops just below the earlobe. Skin and muscle is moved and secured in an upward (cranial) direction. This procedure is usually done in around 2 to 3 hours, and some simple short scar facelift procedures are finished within an hour.

Prepare

Your initial consultation with Dr. Sabry will take at least one hour.  During your consultation Dr. Sabry will discuss your goals and expectations. Then he will thoroughly examine you, explain which of your facial components are contributing to an aging appearance, and outline the best options for your unique facial structure. If you are a smoker you will be asked to quit smoking 6-8 weeks prior to your surgery. Once you decide to proceed you will meet with our Practice Manager to go over scheduling, payment options and insurance questions.

As you approach the date of your surgery you will have a comprehensive preoperative visit in our office approximately two weeks before your surgery. A complete list of “dos and don’ts” will be reviewed as well as the pre and postoperative instructions and any questions that remain will be answered. You will be directed to avoid anything that has a blood-thinning effect (aspirin, ibuprofen, vitamin E etc.) for two weeks before surgery. You will be asked to minimize alcohol intake. Basic blood work for preoperative testing will be ordered.

Taking these steps will help to avoid surgical complications. The procedure will only proceed as scheduled once you are prepared for the treatment. This can only be done if you faithfully observe the instructions and checklist the doctor has given you in preparation for your surgery.

The Recovery Process

You will be seen on the day after surgery to remove bandages and drains. You may shower upon returning home. Stitches are removed within 4 to 7 days. Temporary bruising and numbness are normal, and will improve in a few weeks. Most patients return to work within two weeks and can resume physical activity in 4 weeks. During your recovery process Dr. Sabry will see you for post-operative visits. He and our staff will answer any questions you may have about your recovery. Our care and concern extends to your overall health and well-being.

Complications

Temporary bruising and numbness are expected and may improve in few weeks. Complications are rare but may include hematoma, temporary or permanent nerve injury, infection, and reactions to anesthesia.

Facelift Cost

Facelift cost depends on the surgical plan the doctor creates for your specific facial structure. Factors that may affect price include anesthesia fees and total procedure time. We partner with Green Sky to provide you with an alternative payment option for our facelift procedure.

Liquid Facelift

Not ready for surgery? Neurotoxins, fillers and non ablative resurfacing can restore a youthful appearance and dramatically enhance your features and skin quality with little or no downtime.

A liquid facelift usually combines soft tissue fillers such as Restylane®, Juvéderm™, Radiesse™  Voluma™ or SculptraTM with a neurotoxin such as Botox®, Dysport ®, or Xeomin®. The neurotoxin eases wrinkles and furrows by temporarily immobilizing the muscles that create an unwanted appearance. The soft tissue fillers are used to restore volume in nasolabial folds, malar areas, and recesses of the chin and mandible. The results are almost immediate and very gratifying.

Two very important considerations are the fact that the effects of a liquid facelift are temporary; and the process may need to be repeated to maintain results. The duration depends highly upon which filler is recommended for your particular facial structure, and the number of times you’ve had a neurotoxin administered, and where. Many patients are completely satisfied until ready for a more permanent surgical solution.

We often recommend one or more of the following complementary options to give you a more complete rejuvenation: chemical peels, HydraFacials, IPL, non ablative laser resurfacing and medical grade skincare.