This surgery is usually done for cosmetic reasons. It’s also an effective way to improve sight in older people whose sagging upper eyelids get in the way of their vision.An eye lift will not eliminate dark circles under the eyes, crow’s feet, or other facial wrinkles. It is often done along with other procedures such as laser resurfacing, filler injections, or forehead lifts.

What is facelift surgery:

A facelift is a surgical method that removes excess facial skin to make the face appear younger. However, the aging face not only loses skin elasticity and develops looser skin, but also loses fat and muscle tone. Additional procedures that may be necessary to achieve the best results include: necklift, blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery), liposuction, autologous fat injection, removal of buccal (cheek) fat pad, forehead lift, browlift, chemical or laser peel, and malar (cheek), submalar or chin implants.

How is facelift surgery performed?

A traditional facelift procedure is performed through an incision starting in the hair or hairline above and in front of the ear (the temporal region). The incision is extended downward in front of the ear, comes under the ear and then upward behind the ear ending in the hair or hairline behind the ear. The skin and fatty tissues are then lifted off the underlying muscle and fascia (connective tissue) as far forward as is necessary to correct the loose skin problem. The underlying muscle and fascia can be tightened with sutures if the surgeon feels it is necessary. The skin is pulled back and upward and the excess skin removed. The wound is then closed with sutures and skin staples. Some surgeons leave a drain in the wounds to remove excess blood. Bandages are then applied. There are surgical techniques which go into deeper tissues rather than under the skin and fat. The results are similar.

What are complications of facelift surgery?

Although infrequent, the risks and complications of facelift surgery include:

  • Bleeding, hematoma, bruising
  • Infection
  • Neurological dysfunction (loss of muscle function or sensation), which is usually temporary
  • Widened or thickened scar
  • Loss of hair (around the incision site)
  • Asymmetry (unevenness between two sides)
  • Skin necrosis (loss of skin from tissue death)

Skin Resurfacing:

Laser resurfacing is a treatment to reduce facial wrinkles and skin irregularities, such as blemishes or acne scars.

The technique directs short, concentrated pulsating beams of light at irregular skin, precisely removing skin layer by layer. This popular procedure is also called lasabrasion, laser peel, or laser vaporization.

Who Is a Good Candidate For Laser Resurfacing?

If you have fine lines or wrinkles around your eyes or mouth or on your forehead, shallow scars from acne, or non-responsive skin after a facelift, then you may be a good candidate for laser skin resurfacing.

If you have active acne or if you have very dark skin, you may not be a candidate. This technique is also not recommended for stretch marks. You should discuss whether laser resurfacing is right for you by consulting with the doctor before having the procedure done.

How Does Laser Skin Resurfacing Work?

The two types of lasers most commonly used in laser resurfacing are carbon dioxide (CO2) and erbium. Each laser vaporizes skin cells damaged at the surface-level.

CO2 Laser Resurfacing

This method has been used for years to treat different skin issues, including wrinkles, scars, warts, enlarged oil glands on the nose, and other conditions.

The newest version of CO2 laser resurfacing uses very short pulsed light energy (known as ultrapulse) or continuous light beams that are delivered in a scanning pattern to remove thin layers of skin with minimal heat damage. Recovery takes up to two weeks.