Facelift Procedures

Facelifts

Facelift surgery can dramatically improve the appearance of the face and neck when one or more of these conditions are present: Loose, sagging tissues of the mid-face, deep folds of loose skin at the sides of the nose and mouth, jowls or loss of definition of the jaw line, and excess fat or loose skin causing loss of definition and "hanging" of the tissues in the neck area.
During your complimentary consultation, Dr. Levens will discuss your particular areas of concern and show you how much correction you can expect to see in each area. A facelift is sometimes combined with procedures for simultaneous correction of such areas as forehead, eyelid or chin, to produce a balanced, more youthful appearance for the entire face. Read a testimonial about a facelift

How long does a facelift last? It is often said that a facelift does not stop the clock. It simply "resets" it. Many factors influence how long the initial post-surgery results will remain satisfactory. The inherent characteristics of your tissues and factors such as cigarette smoking and sun exposure play major roles. Within a few months of facelift surgery, there will be a slight loosening but your tissue may never revert to its pre-surgery position. However, many patients do request a less extensive tightening procedure 7-10 years after initial surgery to maintain a desirable, fresh appearance.

GOOD CANDIDATES FOR FACELIFT SURGERY:

Healthy men and women who feel the skin and muscle of the face and/or neck areas has loosened to create an undesirable, aging appearance are good candidates for this procedure. While the average age of facelifts performed annually is about 60, many individuals opt for the surgery as early as mid-40s or later, in their 70s. Dr. Levens will carefully examine specific characteristics of your skin, including its elasticity, and then advise you on the outcome you can expect.

THE PROCEDURE:

In order to reposition facial tissues, the skin and deeper tissues of the face are first very carefully shifted. The deeper tissues and skin are then lifted in a generally upward and backward direction to reposition and retighten them to a more satisfactory location.

In the neck area, malposition of neck muscles is corrected to provide better support and ideal contour. In both face and neck areas, excess or malpositioned fatty tissue is removed or sculpted using small suction tubes or direct removal. After re-draping the skin and soft tissues, excess tissue is removed and the incisions are very carefully closed.

Incisions are carefully concealed within the hair in the area of the temples, in skin creases in front of and behind the ear, and in the hair behind the ears. Dr. Levens will discuss specific incision locations with you during your consultation.

CONSIDERATIONS:

Certain tissue characteristics present special challenges which can impact the level of success which can be achieved by a factlift procedure. These include thick, heavy, oily skin, sun damaged skin, excessive fatty tissue, and changes in tissue resulting from previous surgical procedures. Dr. Levens will discuss any specific limitations with you at the time of your initial consultation. In most cases, there are techniques he can use to compensate for special tissue challenges.

Smoking is a significant risk factor for facelift surgery. Nicotine and carbon monoxide cause constriction of the blood vessels that supply the skin, reducing blood flow and increasing the risk of skin loss. If you are a smoker, Dr. Levens will require that you stop smoking and completely avoid exposure to smoke for a minimum of 3 weeks prior to surgery, and at least 3 weeks following the procedure.

Patients with hypertension (high blood pressure), must have that condition under control prior to surgery to reduce risk of bleeding. Dr. Levens will coordinate this with your internist or family physician.

There is a very small risk of impairing nerves that control facial movement during facelift surgery, depending on the extent of procedure necessary to achieve desired results. Dr. Levens will discuss this in more detail with you during your consultation. You will likely have areas of numbness that can last for week or months.

Your incisions will be carefully closed with sutures to hopefully produce only very fine line scars. Most patients have scars that are undetectable when covered with makeup. The quality of the scars depends on each individual's healing characteristics.

Risks common to all surgical procedures such as bleeding, infection and scar tissue formation occur in a very small percentage of cases. We will give you more detailed information about these and other rare risks in our written information, and encourage you to discuss any that concern you during your consultation.

RECOVERY:

Dr. Levens prefers that you be hospitalized for one night after a facelift for observational purposes and also to enhance rest. The goal is for you to remain quiet with your head elevated and someone to attend to your needs. This atmosphere will promote the least possible swelling and bruising and the fastest recovery.

Recovery is generally quite rapid though actual recovery time varies from person to person. You will feel some tightness in the neck area immediately after your facelift. This early tightness is necessary to produce the best possible results long-term. Most of the tight feeling fades entirely during the first 2-3 weeks after surgery.

The typical schedule of recovery is: Bruising and swelling, 5-10 days; return to work & social activity, 10-21 days; aerobic or strenuous activity, 14-21 days. Any aerobic activity that increases your pulse over 100 also increases your blood pressure, and could make you bleed if this activity is resumed too soon after surgery.

FIND OUT MORE:

Dr. Levens will review every aspect of facelift surgery with you during your complimentary consultation. Patient Coordinator Diana Doria will discuss fees, financing plans and scheduling, and answer any additional questions. There is absolutely no obligation to schedule a procedure. To arrange your consultation, please call 954-752-1020.

Read a testimonial about a facelift

Dr. Levens has been providing facelift surgical procedures for patients in Boca Raton, Boynton Beach, Coconut Creek, Coral Springs, Davie, Delray Beach, Ft. Lauderdale, Hollywood, Lauderhill, Margate, Miami, North Lauderdale, Parkland, Plantation, Sunrise, Tamarac, West Palm Beach, Wellington, Weston and throughout South Florida since 1989.