Facelift

The most common sign of facial aging noted by Dr. Schwarcz's patients is sagging skin and excess skin, particularly on the face and neck. With facial rejuvenation, cosmetic surgeon Dr. Schwarcz creates remarkable results for his patients. With his expertise, he is able to surgically tighten and pull the skin back, giving his patients a more youthful, fresh look wiping away years of aging. While facial rejuvenation is highly effective and is typically more effective than non-surgical methods, the results are unique to the individual. The results from facial rejuvenation can last anywhere from 5 to 10 years depending on your skin, environmental exposure and genetics. The effects of gravity and the aging process also effect an individual's skin elasticity. Prospective patients generally have wrinkles, sagging skin, jowl and neck laxity and may opt to undergo a facelift. This operation is routinely performed by Dr. Schwarcz and is no longer the procedure once thought of as reserved exclusively for celebrities.

What can you expect from a facelift?

Patients who come to our facility for cosmetic plastic surgery can expect the finest quality of care with the industry’s most advanced technology and procedures. Dr. Schwarcz strives to a level of excellence and professionalism consistent with industry standards. Dr. Schwarcz achieves a natural and subtle result for his patients while creating an effective change. There is a distinction to be made between natural, subtle results versus the undesireable operated look.

The signs of the overdone or poorly executed facelift are frequently seen around us. It is important to maintain the natural face and avoid the operated look. For instance, closure around the entry point of the facelift is around the ears. One should not see scars or pulling of the ears. One complication is a pixie ear, in which the lobule of the ear looks as though it is connected to the jawline. This should be avoided. Please refer to the attached image of an actual post-operative facelift patient’s ear one year after surgery. Note the complete lack of an operated appearance. The ear looks natural.

A facelift consultation with Dr. Robert M. Schwarcz

What does a facelift involve?

For a facelift, an incision is made immediately in front of the ear extending behind the ear by the earlobe. The skin, fat, and muscle are separated, lifted and then re-draped to a more youthful-appearing position. Usually the skin is lifted as a separate entity upward, but the real work is in the SMAS, or deeper muscular layer beneath the skin. This is lifted as a separate layer, lifed upward and outward, thus achieving two separate vectors of pull. The excess SMAS is removed and the dissected flap of SMAS is anchored to the stable SMAS to prevent premature descent. The facelist procedure is performed on an out-patient basis under local anesthesia and/or MAC with oral or IV sedation and usually takes three to four hours.

The facelift surgery procedure

How long is the recovery process after surgery?

Stitches are removed within seven to ten days. Most patients return to work after two weeks. Overall healing usually takes about three to six months. Patients should rest for a few days after the surgery and be especially gentle of their skin and hair as these areas near the face may be sensitive while the healling process takes effect. For patients interested in traveling to New York City for Dr. Schwarcz to perform the procedure, facelift surgery necessitates usually a minimum one-week stay.

Actual 6 month post operative facelift patient, not imperceptible scar with very natural looking ear after surgery.

A personal touch for natural results

There are many ways to perform a facelift, thus the formula for a facelift and the areas that could benefit from tightening and pulling of the skin depend on the patient's facial features as well as his or her bone structure. Age is not the determinant for when a facelift should be done or what type of facelift should be implemented. Rather, the determining factor is the patient’s anatomy, skin elasticity and soft tissue volume. For example, while face lifts are predominantly performed on patients between the ages of forty and sixty, they can also be safely and successfully performed on patients in their seventies or eighties depending on the individual patient's facial structure and characteristics of the skin, tissue and muscle. Dr. Schwarcz and his team strive to provide excellence and natural yet effective results for patients who decide they want to undergo a facelift.

Please contact Dr. Schwarcz's office today to schedule a consultation to see whether you are a qualified candidate for a facelift and whether you would benefit from this procedure.