Facelift

With time, a human face changes: the subcutaneous fat layer starts disappearing, the skin starts changing, skin surplus appears, and tissue starts sagging. The shape of the face starts changing from V into a rectangular form, the underjaw line disappears, the skin on the chin starts to overhang, and the sides of subcutaneous muscle are seen. A facelift (rhytidectomy) is done to correct these age-related changes. Even though it is one of the most difficult aesthetic surgeries, it is one of the most effective. During the surgery the surplus of skin is removed, sagging tissues are lifted up, and subcutaneous fat layer is formed. It’s one of the oldest plastic surgeries that has already been performed for over 100 years.

Surgery. Surgery is done with general anesthesia, although sometimes a local anesthesia with sedation is used. Surgery takes from 3 to 5 hours. Incisions are made around ears, in the hairy part of the head in order to be less visible. Sometimes, when area beneath the chin needs to be fixed (to get rid of fat surplus), additional incisions in the chin (along the natural wrinkle) are performed. During the surgery, the patches of skin and subcutaneous skin are divided. Fascia is lifted, chin’s surface muscle is pulled, fat is sucked, surplus skin and subcutaneous skin is removed. The incisions are sewed, drains are left in subcutaneous skin, and face is bandaged. After the surgery, the patient stays at the clinic for one night. Drains are removed the next day and a special pressing splint is installed. The biggest swelling is visible during the first few days, and it starts disappearing on the fourth day. It’s possible to have hemorrhages, but not necessarily. If there are no hemorrhages, the patient can show in the public after 7-10 days, and they fully return to their normal life in 3-4 weeks. However, the final result forms in 4-6 months. A repeat surgery is recommended in 8-10 years. By reversing time, our clinic performs the most natural looking facelifts.

Facelift before and after in Lithuania, at Plastic Surgery Clinic in Kaunas