Facelift
A face-lift (a rhytidectomy in medical terms) is a form of cosmetic surgery that's supposed to tighten the skin of the patient's face and remove creases and large wrinkles from the areas of the nose and mouth. Usually the patient's neck is also treated at the same time, so that the patient cosmetically matches.
The Procedure
A face-lift begins by making an incision along the hairline of the patient. The incision continues down in front of the ear, around the earlobe, and ending at the hairline behind the ear. After the incision, the skin is gently pulled away from the fat and muscle, and excess fat is trimmed or suctioned the neck and chin. If the patient has jowls he wants fixed, fibrous tissue and muscle under the skin may be tightened to fix them. After this stage, the skin is pulled tight and any excess skin is trimmed away.
Finishing Touches
Once the skin is taut and trimmed, the incisions are closed with a combination of fine sutures and staples, depending on what's appropriate to the patient. In a select few cases, a drainage tube is left in the patient's skin, protruding from behind the ear. This tube is meant to allow any excess fat or blood to be siphoned out of the patient's face. The patient's face is wrapped in gauze and elastic bandages, which may be removed in one to two days. The drainage tube, if left inserted, is also removed within two days of the surgery's completion.
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