Facelift and Necklift
AVERAGE COSTS :
£4,000-£25,000
DESCRIPTION
Redistribution and/or reduction of facial fat, repositioning and tightening of facial muscles and tissue, plus redraping and reduction of excess sagging skin of the face, jowls and neck to produce a more youthful appearance
AVERAGE COST
£4,000-£25,000
LENGTH OF SURGERY
Three to four hours
IN/OUTPATIENT
Either
ANAESTHESIA
General
RECOVERY TIME
Two to four weeks
TREATMENT FREQUENCY
Usually once
RISKS
These are fortunately rare and when they do occur usually represent a temporary inconvenience rather than a permanent problem.
Bleeding beneath the skin causing excessive bruising (haematoma) can occur and may, on occasion, require surgical treatment.
The overall incidence is approximately 2-3% in all face-lifting procedures.
The most common time for it to arise is within the first twelve hours after surgery when you will be in hospital. It normally does not influence the ultimate outcome of the surgery but is a temporary hiccup.
Infection is extremely uncommon in the face, the incidence being approximately 1-2%.
Some numbness in the area of surgery, particularly in the cheeks is to be expected for about three months.
As this recovers you may notice some tingling or pins and needles.
Temporary hair loss particularly in the region of the temple is seen occasionally (usually only in smokers) although this invariably recovers over a period of three to six months.
The scars are normally very fine and well hidden but in some individuals a scar may tend to thicken after 6-12 weeks, such "hypertrophic" scars can be improved and curtailed by appropriate treatment.
Wound healing in the face is generally very quick and reliable.
Occasionally a slow healing wound may be seen.
This is usually behind the ear since the skin there is most fragile.
Such problems are, fortunately, very uncommon indeed but are known to be more likely in smokers.
DURATION OF RESULTS
The modern facelift has reached a point where it is possible to tailor the operation to suit individual needs. For most patients it will produce a significant rejuvenation and improvement in facial appearance for many years.