``The Queen of the plastic operations`` is a name which explains the meaning and the importance of the face-lift procedure.
If begun early in the aging process, patients can continue to look youthful with small quick recovery procedures.
However, once aging has been progressed, full face lift procedure is indicated.
The aim of a full face procedure is to correct the looseness of all the parts of the face, including the jaw area, neck and the forehead. If the eyelids have to be corrected then this should take place at the same time. Face lift combination with laser skin resurfacing or chemical peeling or dermabrasion is often recommended. The dermabration of the lips is a procedure that is very easy to perform, very effective and highly recommended to treat the wrinkles of the lips and the surrounding area.
Wrinkles that are present elsewhere on the face, if they do not disappear by mild stretching of the skin, will probably persist after surgery and additional treatment will be required either by use of an injectable filler, skin resurfacing or BOTOX treatment.
If the progressed looseness appears harmonious everywhere the full face lift is especially indicated as complete and not divided. It means that by correcting a part of the face only, the rest of it is going to look strange.
A full face lift takes approximately 4-5 hours to complete and 1-2 days hospitalization is necessary.
The whole procedure can be performed either under general, or local anesthesia after complete mental and physical calmness is achieved with the proper medication.
Swelling and bruising should resolve within 10 days following treatment, and mild swelling should resolve within a month. Patients may return to work and normal activity after 3-4 weeks. Mild discomfort resolves within 2 weeks and mild numbness gradually within 1-2 months. We advise patients to realize that all the above are mild problems. The pain, which is the most important problem, is successfully treated and painless recovery can be experienced.
Some problems, referred to in the literature, such as nerve injury or skin slough are of course serious. If the procedure is performed by a talented and skilled surgeon, serious complications and injuries are almost excluded.
The results of a procedure, successfully performed, gradually change as the age progresses but the results should last for approximately 10 years. Of course no one can stop time running but the benefit to the patient can last for ever! If we were to compare the operated and non-operated face after many years, we would realize that the operated face still looks better.
