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Every year, millions of people turn to plastic surgery to improve the look of their bodies. Facelifts are one of the top five most popular procedures performed, and in 2020, that amounted to 234,374 procedures in total.

If that number sounds big to you, it’s because it is. The face is one of the most visible parts of the body, and it plays a massive role in your self-confidence. For many people, a facelift is the best way to turn back the hands of time and look years younger. But what does a facelift do, and what are the long-term results?

Common Reasons for a Facelift

The most common reasons for a facelift are to reduce the signs of aging, improve the appearance of the neck and jawline, and restore volume to the face.

Facelifts can also help correct facial asymmetry, lift and tighten skin to reduce the signs of aging, and improve the overall shape and contour of the face.

Many patients choose to get a facelift when they’re in their mid-to-late-40s and want to improve the look and feel of their skin. The neck and jawline are two of the main areas that facelifts target and these areas tend to sag as we age. Facelifts can help give the face a younger, firmer appearance by tightening these areas.

Facelift surgery can also help restore volume to the face, especially in the cheeks, which can help give the face a more youthful appearance.

What Does the Facelift Procedure Entail?

The face is a very complex structure, and each face is unique. That’s why facelifts are often referred to as “personalized” procedures.

During a facelift, your plastic surgeon will perform one or more procedures to tighten facial muscles, remove excess skin, and lift the underlying tissue.

Some facelifts involve a combination of procedures, including neck lifts, jawline procedures, and brow lifts.       

A Typical Post-Surgery Timeline for Facelift Procedures

If you’re considering a facelift, it helps to know what to expect after surgery. Here is a typical timeline for facelift procedures:

Right After Surgery

After your facelift procedure is complete, you will likely have some type of surgical dressing in place. It’s best to keep this dressing in place for as long as your doctor recommends. The dressing will help reduce any swelling in the area and keep you comfortable. You will likely feel some discomfort as the anesthesia wears off, but you can take pain medications if needed.

The healing process following a facelift can be uncomfortable and slightly shocking at first. Your body will be swollen, and your incisions will be open. The first few days after your facelift, you’ll be red and swollen, and you may even have some bruising. But as the swelling goes down, you will begin to see the results of your facelift.

What you can see right away after your facelift will depend on the type of procedure you had. If your facelift involves a neck lift, you may be able to see some improvement in the shape of your neck and jawline right away. If your facelift consists of a brow lift, you may notice that your eyebrows appear higher than they did before. In some cases, facelifts involve both a neck lift and a brow lift, so you may be able to see both of these improvements right away.

1 Year Post-Op

One of the most exciting parts of facelift surgery is seeing the long-term results. It will likely take at least a year for your body to heal from your facelift fully. Once it does, you will be thrilled with the results. The redness and swelling will have subsided, and the incisions will have become almost unnoticeable.

As you continue to heal and see the long-term results of your facelift, you may notice that your cheeks feel firmer, your neck feels tighter, and your skin feels smoother. What you notice will depend on the type of facelift you had and your unique facial anatomy and skin.

5 Years Post-Op

Your facelift will likely continue to improve even further over time. As you continue to heal, you will probably notice that your skin feels softer and smoother than it did before your facelift. You may also notice that you don’t need as much makeup to cover up your fine lines and wrinkles. While most of these improvements are subtle, they are worth the wait.

While a facelift procedure cannot stop the aging process, by maintaining a healthy lifestyle and taking care of your skin post-op, you’ll be able to enjoy the long-term results of your facelift for many years to come.

Face Tomorrow with Confidence

Facelift surgery can help you look and feel younger. It can also help you restore your confidence and boost your self-esteem.

Do you think you may be an ideal candidate for a facelift? Then contact us today to set up your consultation!