Facelift FAQs: Your questions answered by an expert

To reverse or delay signs of ageing, many people may consider undergoing a cosmetic facelift procedure, also known as facial rejuvenation surgery. Deciding if a facelift is right for you can be challenging, especially if it is your first cosmetic procedure. In this article, we ask Mr Makarand Tare, a highly respected consultant plastic, reconstructive and cosmetic surgeon, to answer frequently asked questions and clear up common misconceptions about facelift procedures.

Why do people seek out facelifts?

As part of the natural ageing process, collagen within the skin thins out causing a number of changes to the appearance of your face occur over time. These may include:

• deterioration of skin quality
• greater prominence of wrinkles
• sagging of fat areas on the face
• appearance of jowls (sagging skin under the jawline and chin)
• loss of definition of the lower jaw and chin
• slackening of skin over the upper part of the neck, sometimes forming into prominent vertical folds

Sometimes, particularly if you are a smoker, wrinkles become even more prominent because of the poor quality of the skin’s collagen. As a result, your face may appear slightly older than your actual age. That’s why people seek out facial rejuvenation surgery to try to correct some of these changes in the skin. We can do this by getting rid of excess skin and jowls as well as repositioning the fat to the prominences on the cheeks, where it formerly was.

Are there different types of facelift?

Yes, there are different types. A simple facelift could involve removal of excess skin. SMAS (superficial muscular aponeurotic system) facelifts on the other hand go deeper. This method uses a facial sheet which lies under the skin to hold the fat and other structures in place. Over time however, the SMAS stretches and then the underlying fat and contents drop and sag down so SMAS plication, a procedure to retighten the sheet, may be required a later stage. Other procedures that work at a deeper level, such as the deep plane facelift that goes below the SMAS and the sub-periosteal facelift, are available but less common.

What results can realistically be expected?

As I always tell my patients of cosmetic surgery, I cannot reverse the clock but I can make it run slower. We can remove loose skin and jowls and achieve better definition of the lower area of the face but over a period of time due to gravity and ageing, the result won’t be permanent. The results of facelifts can prolong the desired appearance for at least 4 to 5 years but the bottom line is you will always look better than your actual age.

How do you make sure the face looks natural after a facelift?

It’s important not to overtighten the face as this would create an unnatural appearance. My patients feel good about their results and they tell me that friends and family compliment them but it’s not obvious or overdone. The key to a successful facelift is not to overtighten the skin and underlying structures to leave a natural and graceful appearance.

When is the best time for a facelift?

There is no ‘best time’ for a facelift. I’ve performed on patients as young as fifty years old and as old as seventy seven years old. It all depends on the laxity and quality of the skin, how much it is bothering you and how fit you are. It takes almost four hours to perform a good facelift. So the first thing to consider is safety and patients should be reasonably fit and well, without any major health concerns.

Secondly, it is essential to choose the most appropriate procedure depending on where the problem area is. The important thing to achieve a natural look is a balance between the upper, middle and lower third of face, so patients may opt for a mini facelift, a full facelift or a neck lift to suit their personal needs.

If you are considering a facelift and would like to book a consultation with Mr Tare, you can do so by visiting his Top Doctors profile.

Mr Tare recommends visiting the BAAPS website and his personal website for further reliable information about facelift procedures.