Fort Worth Facelift Surgery - Facelift (Rhytidectomy) Procedure

• Introduction
• Am I a good candidate for facelift surgery?
• What should I expect from my facelift consultation?
• What does a face lift entail?
• Are there safety concerns associated with facelift surgery?
• How should I prepare for my facelift surgery?
• What will happen the day of my surgery?
• What should I expect during my recovery?
• How soon will I see my results, and how long will they last?
• How long will I continue to see my plastic surgeon?
• Choosing a plastic surgeon
• Make sure your surgeon is board certified
• Ask about the surgeon's hospital privileges

Introduction

The face often shows some of the most visible signs of aging. And though these changes appear gradually, they can impact the way you feel about yourself. If your reflection in the mirror is starting to look older than you feel, a facelift (rhyditectomy) may help you look younger and more refreshed. A facelift tightens underlying facial tissues, removes excess fat, and smoothes loose skin on the face and neck, offering a fresher, more youthful appearance.

Though basic face lift information is provided on this website, the best way to get answers to specific questions about your needs is to schedule a personal consultation with a plastic surgeon certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. For individuals considering a face lift in Dallas, plastic surgeon Dr. White is ABPS certified and will gladly address any questions and concerns you may have during consultation.

Am I a good candidate for facelift surgery?

Most commonly performed on patients in the 40-60 age range, facelifts can also produce great results for people in their 60s, 70s and 80s. Good candidates for a facelift include healthy men and women with any of the following conditions:

• Deep nasolabial folds-the lines that runs from the corners of the nose to the corners of the mouth
• Sagging skin and deep wrinkles in the cheeks and cheekbone area
• Loss of jawline definition
• Redundant skin, wrinkles, or excess fatty tissue in the neck

Though facelift surgery offers great benefits for many, it should to be approached with extra caution for those with any of the following medical conditions:

• High blood pressure
• Blood-clotting issues
• Problems healing causing excessive scarring

If you have any of these medical conditions, be sure to alert Dr. White during consultation.

What should I expect from my facelift consultation?

A personal consultation with your surgeon is the first step for any patient considering face lift surgery. Dallas plastic surgeon Dr. Steven White believes in careful patient consultation to assess your physical and emotional health, discuss your aesthetic goals, and address any questions or concerns you may have.

Issues you should be prepared to discuss during consultation with Dr. White include:

• All medical conditions, both past and present
• Current medications, including nutritional supplements and herbal remedies
• Past surgeries
• Other treatments received in the past

Because significant weight loss after surgery can affect your surgical results, it is also important to discuss any weight loss goals of 15 pounds or more with Dr. White during consultation.

Your physical evaluation with Dr. White will include an assessment your bone structure and underlying facial tissues as well as the thickness, texture and elasticity of your skin and the severity of the wrinkles and folds being addressed. Your hairline will be carefully examined as well to create a plan for discreet incision placement.

For a more complete rejuvenation, Dr. White may discuss additional procedures that can be performed along with face lift surgery. Dallas men and women frequently combine facelift surgery with:

• Eyelid surgery, to address upper eyelid droop or bags beneath the eyes
• Brow lift, to smooth forehead lines or furrows
• Rhinoplasty (nose reshaping)
• Skin treatments, such as chemical peels, to improve skin tone and minimize fine wrinkles

What does a face lift entail?

There are many variations to the facelift procedure. The technique Dr. White uses for your procedure depends upon your individual features and aesthetic goals. Dr. White will discuss your options with you during your pre-op consultation. Typically, the incision is hidden in the natural contour of your ear, and extended around the earlobe and into the hairline for easy concealment. A small incision hidden beneath your chin may also be needed.

Using these facial incisions, Dr. White will separate the facial skin from the underlying tissues, pulling it back. He will then remove any excess skin and may reposition deeper tissues if needed to improve your facial contour. If necessary, an incision may be made beneath the chin to remove fatty tissue in that area and decrease the appearance of muscle bands in the neck.

Are there safety concerns associated with facelift surgery?

Though thousands of men and women undergo facelifts each year and experience no major complications, facelift surgery does carry some degree risk. It is important you be well informed of these risks when considering face lift surgery. Dallas cosmetic surgeon Dr. White sees the discussion of potential risks and complications as one of the most important aspects of patient consultation. During your consultation, he will discuss these potential complications with you, listen to your safety questions, and offer instructions on how to minimize your risk.

How should I prepare for my facelift surgery?

It is important to follow Dr. White's instructions when preparing for facelift surgery to ensure the best possible results. Those instructions may include:

• Refraining from smoking for several weeks before and after surgery
• Avoiding certain medications
• Arranging for help following surgery, such as a ride home and in-home care
• Growing your hair to cover your incisions as they heal

What will happen the day of my surgery?

For your comfort and convenience, Dr. White maintains privileges in several hospitals in greater Dallas/Fort Worth. Face lift surgery may require a one or two night stay in the hospital.

During surgery, medications will be administered to ensure comfort. General anesthesia will most likely be used to allow you to sleep during the procedure. Dr. White uses only doctors (anesthesiologists)-not nurses (CRNA's or anesthetists)-to administer anesthesia to his Dallas face lift surgery patients. He will carefully monitor your physical status throughout the operation and during your recovery.

What should I expect during my recovery?

Dr. White uses new advanced techniques to foster faster recovery for all his Dallas/Fort Worth face lift surgery patients. Directly after surgery, you'll be taken to a recovery area. A bandage may be used around your face to control swelling, and small drainage tubes may be placed beneath the skin to prevent the accumulation of fluids. Though post-surgical discomfort is typically minimal, your pain can be controlled with medication. Though everyone heals at a different pace, you can expect your recovery to roughly follow this general time line:

The day of facelift surgery

• You can expect to experience some bruising and swelling which can be reduced by keeping your head elevated.

The first week

• Bandages will be removed
• Bathing and showering will be permitted
• Stitches will be removed or dissolve
• Applying makeup to hide bruising and discoloration
• Swelling will reach its peak, then begin to subside
• Light activity will be permitted
• Sleeping with elevated head will continue to aid in the reduction of swelling

Within two weeks

• Most bruising will subside
• Normal activities and non-strenuous work will be permitted

After several weeks

• Swelling will continue to subside
• Numbness will diminish greatly; though some may persist for several months
• Exercise may be resumed

Direct sunlight should be avoided throughout the entire healing process. Sunblock should be used long-term to protect your skin.

How soon will I see my results, and how long will they last?

Most people who undergo facelift surgery are very pleased with their results. The healing, however, will take some time, so you may not see the final results of your surgery for several months.

How long your facelift results will last depends upon a number of factors, including your genetics and the lifestyle you lead. Though a facelift cannot stop the aging process, Dallas face lift surgery patients are typically very happy with their facial appearance for many years following their procedure. Additional improvements, such as a neck lift or brow lift, can be performed at a later time to maintain a more youthful look.

How long will I continue to see my plastic surgeon?

Dallas plastic surgeon Dr. White believes in the importance of follow-up visits, to answer any questions you may have and monitor your healing process. Rather than delegating all of these visits to a nurse, he enjoys seeing his patients as they heal over time. Your first post-operative visit will be scheduled after the initial healing period, during the first week after surgery. In the following months, Dr. White may ask you to return for periodic checkups. Keeping these appointments is important to allow him to assess your long-term results and address any questions or concerns you may have.

Choosing a plastic surgeon

When considering undergoing face lift surgery, Dallas plastic surgeon Dr. White believes choosing a qualified surgeon to perform it is one of the most important factors. Though it's hard to believe, not all physicians who perform cosmetic surgery have had formal surgical training. It's important to research the credentials of all surgeons you consider for your procedure. Dr. White is fully trained in Plastic and Reconstructive surgery as well as Otolaryngology (head and neck surgery). He invites potential patients to fully explore his training, experience online or during a personal consultation.

Make sure your surgeon is board certified

Find out if your doctor is certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. Surgeons with this certification have completed a minimum of five years of surgical training following medical school, including a plastic surgery residency program. During this intensive program, surgeons learn to perform surgical procedures for the entire body and face. At the same time, they develop their technical skill and aesthetic judgment. After training, a surgeon must pass comprehensive oral and written exams before being granted certification.

Both the American Society of Plastic Surgeons and the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery require their members to be certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. Plastic surgeons with this certification have completed approved training and examinations in plastic surgery including both cosmetic and reconstructive procedures.

Dallas plastic surgeon Dr. White is certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery as well as the American Board of Otolaryngology / Head and Neck Surgery. He is one of the few plastic surgeons in the United States certified by both of these boards.

Ask about the surgeon's hospital privileges

It is very important to find out if your surgeon has operating privileges in an accredited hospital for the procedure you are considering, even if you are planning to undergo surgery in your doctor's office or at a surgery center. Before granting privileges, hospital review committees evaluate a surgeon's training and competency for specific procedures.

Dr. White maintains surgical privileges at several area hospitals in the Dallas/Fort Worth area.

To find out more, click on Making Sense of Certification.

Click here for Face Lift Patient Comments

For more information on Dallas face lift surgery, or to schedule a consultation with Dr. White, call 214.696.6676 or contact us online at usaplasticsurgery.com.

       

STEVEN J WHITE, MD
PRESBYTERIAN HOSPITAL OF DALLAS
TEXAS HEALTH PRESBYTERIAN DALLAS
PROFESSIONAL BUILDING 3, SUITE 814
8230 WALNUT HILL, DALLAS, TX 75231-4485

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