Facelift (Rhytidectomy)

What is a facelift?

A facelift is a surgical procedure that improves the appearance of the face and neck by tightening and lifting the skin and underlying muscles. Facelifts eliminate the excess skin and laxity of the deep facial tissue, which causes sagging. They can turn back the clock by reducing wrinkles, sagging skin, and jowls, creating a more youthful and refreshed appearance.

Various facelift methods which target the entire face or just a portion of it are among the most popular facial rejuvenation procedures for both women and men.

Techniques such as a mini facelift, midface lift, lower facelift, and deep plane facelift mostly target sagging and laxity in one part of the face. In more advanced cases, an endoscopic full facelift can be done for a more thorough and effective intervention, turning back the clock 10-15 years.

How is a facelift done?

In general, a facelift involves making incisions around the hairline and ears, then lifting and repositioning the skin and muscles of the face and neck, trimming the excess skin, and tightening the remaining skin. The incisions in the hairline allow to lift the outer parts of the brows; the incisions in front of the ears help eliminate sagging in the cheeks, and the incisions behind the ear are for tightening the neck.

The procedure is typically performed under general anesthesia and can take 4-6 hours to complete.

 

Benefits of a facelift

Facelifts restore volume and eliminate sagging for a more youthful and refreshed appearance.

A facelift can have several benefits, including:

• Reducing the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines
• Tightening and lifting sagging skin
• Improving the contour of the jawline and neck
• Boosting self-confidence and self-esteem

Combining a facelift with other procedures, such as neck lifts, fat injections, eyelid surgeries, and brow lifts, can achieve more comprehensive and satisfactory results.

 

Surgeries combined with a facelift

A neck lift is one of the most common surgeries combined with a facelift. Sagging in the neck and jowls, especially after major weight loss, and also due to aging, can be very uncomfortable, especially in patients with a recessed chin.

In these cases, in addition to a facelift, muscles in the jowl may be tightened, and chin implants may be used for a more prominent contour. Liposuction/liposculpture can be performed on patients with visible subcutaneous fat for better definition. This way, the patient can also benefit from the contraction effect caused by liposuction.

A traditional facelift, short-scar facelift, midface lift, or facial fat grafting may be considered for sagging in the midface and cheeks. Sagging brows can be fixed with a brow lift.

 

Non-surgical facelift

There are different types of facelifts, and the specific technique will depend on the patient's needs, goals, medical history, and overall health. In addition to these, there are facial rejuvenation methods that do not require incisions or anesthesia, such as radiofrequency, microneedling, Ultherapy, focus ultrasound, etc.

Other procedures include:

• Dermal fillers to add volume and smooth out wrinkles and fine lines
• Anti-wrinkle injections to relax muscles and reduce the appearance of wrinkles and lines
• Thread lifts to lift and tighten sagging skin using dissolvable threads
• Laser treatments to improve skin texture and tone

It should be kept in mind that each technique has its own advantages and disadvantages and that each procedure may affect the results of other future procedures.
While non-surgical facelifts may not provide the same dramatic results as a surgical facelift, they can be a good option for those who want to improve their appearance without the risks and downtime associated with surgery.

However, it's important to note that non-surgical procedures may require more frequent touch-ups to maintain their effects. It goes without saying that surgical methods create longer-lasting results. Your surgeon will recommend the best procedures, surgical and non-surgical, to meet your needs and your goals.

What is a deep plane facelift?

A deep plane facelift is a surgical procedure that addresses the underlying facial tissue and muscle structure, rather than just pulling the skin taut, to achieve a more natural and long-lasting result. A deep plane facelift deals with the SMAS tissue (superficial musculoaponeurotic system), a layer of muscle, fat, and nerve tissue that lies just beneath the skin in the face and neck. Facial nerves responsible for our facial expressions are also located in various layers beneath the SMAS tissue.
In a deep plane facelift, instead of only lifting the skin, the SMAS layer is separated from the underlying tissues to access, reposition, and surgically suspend deeper facial tissues to lift the cheeks and jowls and smooth out wrinkles and lines.

This allows for a more comprehensive lifting of the cheeks, jowls, and neck without causing an unnatural pulled-back effect or over-tightness, or limiting facial expressions. A deep plane facelift can take 10-15 years off the patient's appearance in the most natural and lasting way possible.

 

The advantages of a deep plane facelift

One of the key advantages of repositioning the midface in its entirety is that the SMAS technique provides a natural lifting effect and more comprehensive results.
Since sutures are situated at regions close to facial muscles, the tightening effect is relatively more pronounced than other facelift techniques.

 

The risks of deep plane facelift

The risk of nerve damage during the separation of the SMAS tissue is greater than in other facelift methods. While this damage is often temporary, it is a risk that should be carefully assessed, and the surgeon should decide whether the patient is a good candidate for this surgery.

Addressing the SMAS during a deep plane facelift requires a higher level of surgical skill, extensive anatomy knowledge, specialized experience, and a longer learning curve.

Dr. Bora Ok has had specialized training in the field of deep plane facelifts. He has trained with Dr. Bryan Mendelson, one of the leading names in plastic surgery, and completed his hands-on MAFAC program.

Dr. Ok has also visited the world-renowned surgeon Dr. Andrew Jacono in his clinic in New York City to make observations. Dr. Jacono has authored a book on deep plane facelifts and is considered the pioneer of the technique.

Remember that there is no ideal facelift technique for all patients, and the appropriate method for each patient should be determined after a detailed consultation and analysis. After learning about your wishes and goals, your surgeon will advise you on the best approach.

You can find answers to frequently asked questions on facelifts here.

What is an endoscopic midface lift?

An endoscopic midface lift is a surgical procedure that lifts and tightens the midface region, including the cheeks, using an endoscope, a small camera inserted through tiny incisions.

As we age, our muscles weaken, our fat tissue diminishes, and our skin loses elasticity. The cheeks begin sagging and lead to jowls; nasolabial lines, which extend from the sides of the nose to the corners of the mouth, tear troughs, and under-eye hollows become more evident. All these changes cause a weary and worn-out look, a major complaint for many people.

A midface lift addresses all these concerns and creates a much younger, well-rested, refreshed appearance.

 

Midface and the aging skin

The effects of aging are most readily visible in the midface. When we vertically divide the face into three parts, the middle part containing the eyes, cheekbones, and cheeks, and the sides of the nose and mouth is considered the midface. The earliest signs of aging are usually seen in this portion

 

Treating nasolabial folds

Nasolabial lines, also known as smile lines or laugh lines, are the creases that run from the sides of the nose to the corners of the mouth. As the cheeks continue sagging over time, they become more pronounced.

There is a tendency to try fixing these lines with dermal fillers. However, in most cases, the problem is sagging, not loss of volume. Therefore, filler procedures cannot succeed in reducing the nasolabial lines in the mid to long run.

 

How is an endoscopic midface lift done?

An endoscopic midface lift is done under general anesthesia and usually takes 2-3 hours. The procedure involves incisions in the hairline of the temples and the mouth.

Fat tissues that cause sagging are carried to their original place to create a naturally tight and firm look. Cheekbones become fuller, and the sagging in the cheeks and under-eye bags are reduced, resulting in a youthful and refreshed appearance.

A midface lift also fixes deep lines and wrinkles in the soft tissue. If your surgeon decides you are a good candidate for a midface lift, this procedure can take years off your face and restore your natural beauty.

A midface lift can be combined with upper and lower eyelid surgery and a brow lift for a more comprehensive result.

 

What is the ideal age to have a midface lift?

Ideal patients are between 35-50 years old. After 50, the lower portion of the face typically sags more, in which case a midface lift is not appropriate. If that's the case, more comprehensive methods may be considered.

 

What is the healing process like after a midface lift?

Bruising and swelling are normal and largely subside in 7-10 days.

It may take six weeks for the swelling to go down completely.

While the effects of the procedure are immediately visible, it takes around six months for the final shape of the face to settle.

 

What is the cost of a midface lift in Turkey?

To learn whether you are a good candidate for this procedure, see before and after pictures of other facelift patients and learn the cost of a facelift in Istanbul, please schedule an appointment with us on Whatsapp +90 552 822 23 21

You can find answers to other frequently asked questions on facelifts here.

What is a vertical facelift?

A vertical facelift is a procedure that addresses sagging in the lower portion of the cheeks, jawline, jowls, and chin and restores a firmer, youthful appearance.

Age and gravity pull the face down, causing drooping and sagging, especially around the lower half of the face. The face loses its naturally oval shape and becomes more quadrangular as tissues migrate and pile up around the jowls. The neck loses its definition, a turkey neck appears, and jowls become fuller. A vertical facelift can address all these issues.

 

How is a vertical facelift performed?

In a vertical facelift, tissues are lifted and repositioned vertically at an appropriate angle for the patient's age and the degree of sagging, rather than pulling them back horizontally, to create a more natural-looking result. A vertical facelift allows to carry the sagging cheeks to where they should be, and significantly reduces the Marionette lines on the corners of the mouth, the nasolabial folds, and the turkey neck appearance.

You can find answers to other frequently asked questions on facelifts here.

What is an endoscopic full facelift?

An endoscopic full facelift is a surgical procedure to lift and tighten the skin and muscles of the entire face. In other words, it combines a brow lift and midface lift to restore the forehead, eyebrows, cheeks, jowls, and neck all at once. If necessary, eyelid surgery and fat grafting may be added to a full facelift for a comprehensive rejuvenation effect.

An endoscopic facelift is performed using small incisions and an endoscope, a small camera that allows the surgeon to see inside the body without making large incisions. Incisions of 1-2 cm are made, as well as incisions inside the mouth if needed. This way, scarring is minimized.

 

Who is a good candidate for a full facelift?

An endoscopic full facelift is typically performed on younger patients with moderate signs of aging who do not have too much sagging skin in order to create a more proportionate and aesthetically pleasing face.

You can find answers to other frequently asked questions on facelifts here.