Aging of the face is inevitable. As the years go by, the jawline softens into jowls, extra skin, fat and vertical folds appear at the front of the neck. Heredity, personal habits, the pull of gravity, and sun exposure contribute to the aging of the face. As the aging population grows, it is obvious why rhytidectomy has become the third most desired facial plastic surgical procedure. Feel free to call our office for more information about a facelift in Westborough, MA.

	Arrangements:
	The vast majority of people return home the same day. You will need someone to drive you home that day. For those who do not have someone to drive them, or are from another area, a comfort care service can be arranged to pick you up from the hospital and take care of you either at home or at a private, discreet hotel nearby. The registered care provider will stay with you overnight and will provide transportation to see Dr. Ahn at his office the next day. Please ask Rebecca Hoffey, the patient care coordinator for more details.

As with all facial plastic surgery, good health and realistic expectations are prerequisites. Understanding the limitations of facelifting is crucial and psychological stability is vital. There is no ideal in a facelift. Rather, the goal is to improve the overall facial appearance and achieve a facial rejuvenation. Most of Dr. Ahn’s clients tell him that they don’t want to look 20 again, they just want to look refreshed and more in line with how they feel within. A facelift cannot stop aging, nor can it turn back the clock. What it can do is help your face look its best and give you a look of health and a more youthful appearance. A side benefit is that many patients experience increased self-confidence.

What exactly is a facelift? Many people assume that a facelift involves a complete facial makeover. In fact, a true facelift improves mainly the lower face (jowls) and neck area (extra skin and bands). Dr. Ahn devotes a significant amount of time to improving the neck during the procedure. He feels that the improvement of the neck contour is critical for a pleasing rejuvenation. What some refer to as the “complete facelift” is truly a combination of browlift, upper and lower eyelid lift, and facelift. This is also commonly done as well.

Your choice of a qualified facial plastic surgeon is of paramount importance. During the preliminary consultation, Dr. Ahn will examine the structure of your face, jawline and neck, skin texture, color, and elasticity. Photographs will be taken so Dr. Ahn can study your face and show you in detail the steps of the procedure and the possible effects of the facelift. Individual risks will also be examined, especially those related to medical situations such as high blood pressure, a tendency to scar, smoking, and any deficiency in blood clotting. The expected length of recovery and potential complications will also be discussed. Dr. Ahn will take a thorough medical history, as well as assess your emotional attitudes toward the surgery. Realistic expectations are crucial to the success of the surgery.

The Surgical procedure (The modified deep plane facelift)

Modern facial plastic surgery tries to achieve excellent results with smaller incisions and less recovery time. Whereas older techniques use long, straight, noticeable incisions, Dr. Ahn uses three gentle curves that follow the natural contour of the ear to start the procedure. Curves on the face are less noticeable to the naked eye than straight lines. Many of his clients feel the healed incisions are barely noticeable.

After lifting the skin the muscle layer is then addressed. According to Dr. Ahn, lifting the muscle layer is the key to modern facelift surgery. Dr. Ahn lifts underneath the muscle layer, in the deep plane, and tightens it so that the jowls are lifted and the neck contour tightens. By tightening the muscle, layer, Dr. Ahn can then just gently redrape the skin layer, and not pull tightly on the skin, so that his patients do not look like they have had a pulled facelift. In this way, you can achieve a natural appearing rejuvenation. Extra skin is then trimmed and the incisions are closed with fine sutures in a meticulous manner. Dr. Ahn then applies a loose wrap around the head and neck. Depending on the extent of the surgery, the process can take from two to four hours. The procedure is performed with a combination of local anesthesia and a mild intravenous anesthesia or under general anesthesia for facelifts.

What to Expect After the Surgery

Most patients have very little pain after surgery though they do feel some discomfort. For this reason, pain medication will be provided for you. The dressing (and drainage tube, if placed during surgery) will be removed the day after surgery in Dr. Ahn’s office. Sutures will be removed after 7-10 days. At 10 days, most have a slight yellow discoloration above the collar bones. In the weeks following surgery, the facial skin and area around the ear may be numb. Though there are few risks in facelift surgery and thousands are performed every year, some risk exists and will be discussed in detail before the surgery. Postoperative instructions will be provided to minimize the amount of bruising and swelling. Following the rapid recovery program has helped many of Dr. Ahn’s patients have minimal discoloration after just one week.

Though the recovery usually takes two to three weeks, if you have a special engagement such as a wedding or reunion planned, Dr. Ahn advises that you allow 4 or more weeks of time before the event. The best result is when friends who haven’t seen you in years tell you that you look great, but they can’t quite figure out why.

Q-What is a facelift?
A-The facelift is a plastic surgery procedure which can improve the appearance of jowls, extra skin, fat and vertical folds at the front of the neck. The procedure can rejuvenate the face and neck and restore a more healthy and youthful look to the overall facial appearance. The traditional facelift targets the lower face and neck area including jowls, excess skin and neck banding. This can be combined with a browlift and upper and lower eyelid lift for what some refer to as a complete facelift.

Q-What are the limitations, if any, of the facelift?
A-The facelift does not stop the aging process or turn back the clock. Instead, the procedure restore a more healthy a youthful appearance to help your face look its best. The traditional facelift targets the lower face and neck area and will not affect the forehead, brow or eyes. These areas may be treated with browlift or eyelid lift.

Q-Who is a candidate for a facelift?
A-Healthy individuals who are looking to improve the appearance of the lower face and neck, including jowls, excess skin and fat, and vertical neck folds, may be good candidates for a facelift. Patients should also be psychologically stable and have realistic expectations.

Q-What will happen during a consultation for a facelift?
A-During the consultation for a facelift, Dr. Ahn will discuss the available treatment options, the benefits, the expected outcome and any alternatives. He will go over any questions or concerns that you may have and help you to make an informed decision by educating you about the facelift surgery. Dr. Ahn will also examine the structure of your face, jawline and neck as well as your skin texture, color and elasticity. Photographs will be taken so that the doctor can study your face and demonstrate the potential results of the facelift. Your medical history will be reviewed and individual risks assessed. Be sure to tell Dr. Ahn if you have any medical situations such as high blood pressure, a tendency to scar, blood clotting problems, and whether or not you smoke.

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