Facelift

You’ll be able to meet one of our experienced cosmetic surgeons in a private consultation room. There will be an opportunity to discuss:

• The look you are hoping to achieve
• Your medical history
• Any other surgery you might want to consider as an alternative to facelift surgery, there are options available for different parts of the face and neck including the eyelids and a brow lift.
• The kind of tests you’ll need to have before the procedure
• What’s involved in having the surgery, including the anaesthetic, and any risks and complications
• Any other questions or concerns you may have about your surgery and what happens afterwards

You might want to bring a friend or relative along. They can remind you of the things you want to discuss and act as an extra pair of ears to absorb information you can discuss together later.

You should also ask to see some of the surgeon’s recent before and after pictures from similar operations they’ve performed. This is an important decision and we’re here to listen and help you achieve your goals.

Your surgeon may ask to take confidential photos for your medical records.

You won’t be put under pressure to make any decisions straight away. Your consultant will explain that even if you feel sure about what you’d like to do next, there’s at least a two week cooling-off period before the operation in case you change your mind.

Before you go ahead with the operation, you may need to have a pre-operative assessment.

Your surgeon will be able to explain how long you’re likely to stay in hospital and what you need to bring with you. In some cases you may be ready to go home on the same day as your procedure.

On the day of your operation, our ward staff will show you to your own private room. Your private room will have an en-suite bathroom and TV and Wi-Fi facilities.

Once you’re ready, our nurses will help you prepare for your operation. You will see your consultant and there’ll be a chance to meet your anaesthetist and surgical team.

Having had a general anaesthetic you’ll be asleep while the surgeon and clinical team perform the surgery. There are a number of different facelift techniques. Your surgeon will explain the options available to you and the best method to achieve your goals.

For a typical facelift your surgeon will make a surgical cut right around your hairline past the front of your ears. Cuts may also be made under your chin if the operation includes lifting a sagging jaw line. Your skin will then be carefully separated from the underlying muscles of your face. Excess fat will be removed and the muscles will be tightened. The skin will then be lifted up pulled back and any excess will be trimmed off. It will then be stitched back to the line where the cut was initially made.

At the end of a facelift operation your face is tightly wrapped in bandages. Depending on the exact procedure carried out these may run under your chin around your ears and/or over your head.

Another type of facelift surgery is called minimal access cranial suspension (MACS). Shorter cuts compared to a traditional facelift are made in the temple and in front of the ears. Fibrous tissues under the skin are tightened with permanent stitches that are fixed to tissue close to the cheekbone or the fibrous connective tissue under the skin. MACS has the advantage of smaller scars and usually a shorter recovery time.

Typically, a facelift takes around four hours.

After surgery you will be taken from the operating theatre to a recovery room where you will come round from anaesthesia under close supervision.

After this you will be taken to your room where you can rest and recuperate until we feel you’re ready to go home.

A facelift typically requires one night’s stay in your chosen hospital and the clinical team will remove your bandages during that time. After a facelift your consultant will visit you to see how you’re doing.

You’ll need to arrange a taxi friend or family member to take you home as you won’t be able to drive. You should also ask them if they can run some light errands such as shopping for you as you won’t be feeling up to it.

After you’ve gone home, we’ll arrange a follow-up appointment at a time that’s convenient for you.