Face / Neck Rejuvenation

A Facelift restores smoother, softer contours to the face and neck. It can help you look as good as you feel, and perhaps even help you to feel younger than you are.  A Facelift can “turn back the clock” and improve most of the visible signs of aging by removing excess fat, tightening underlying muscles, and reshaping the skin of the face and neck.

Although a successful Facelift can temporarily reverse the signs of aging, no cosmetic procedure can permanently prevent the effects of aging. In combination with your Facelift, you may select other procedures to achieve the results you desire, for example, a Brow or Forehead Lift, eyelid surgery, nose reshaping, fat injections, chemical peel, Dermabrasion, laser skin resurfacing, Botox or soft facial filler injections.

Ideal Candidates for a Facelift

• Are in good Health
• Have realistic expectations
• Have a deep line, or fold, running from the corners of the nose to the corners of the mouth
• Have jowels, or lack of a well defined jawline
• Have deep wrinkles in the cheeks and sagging of the “highlight” areas of the cheekbones
• Have loose skin, wrinkles, vertical “cords” or excess fatty tissue in the neck
• Have sunken areas of the face that need to be filled in

Facelift Procedure

An incision is usually made above the hairline at the temple, extends into the natural line in front of the ear, and continues behind the ear lobe to the lower scalp. If the neck needs tightening, a small incision may also be made under the chin. The underlying muscle is lifted, which brings the skin back to a natural firmness.  Stitches secure the layers of tissues and close the incisions. Bandages are loosely wrapped around the head to minimize bruising and swelling. The procedure itself requires two to three hours to perform.

Short Scar Facelift

Over the past few years, Dr. Gartner has achieved amazing results with the Short Scar Facelift. This procedure avoids the incision behind the ear in the hairline, allowing women to wear their hair up with no visible scars behind the ears. This also achieves superb results in male patients.

Facelift Recovery

Recovery varies among individuals and you will be asked to restrict your activities and simply relax for a few days. Elevating your head when you sleep will help minimize swelling and bruising. Bandages and drain tubes will be removed in one or two days. The greatest amount of swelling occurs 24 to 48 hours after surgery, and you may notice puffiness and discoloration which may be more pronounced in some portions of your face than in others. Do not be alarmed by any unevenness or temporary asymmetry caused by swelling and bruising, as it is perfectly normal. Stitches will be removed four to seven days after the surgery. Most patients are able to return to work in 10 to 14 days.

The ideal Facelift doesn’t draw attention to itself. It just leaves you with a brighter, more youthful looking face, a clarity around the eyes, forehead and mouth, and a refreshed expression. The effects of a Facelift are long-lasting.  Years later, you will continue to look better than if you’d never had a facelift at all. Examine some of the before and after pictures and see for yourself.