Facelift surgery is a surgical procedure to re-tighten sagging and loose skin caused by aging.

With aging, wrinkles, sagging, and stains are seen on the facial line of people. Unbalanced sleep patterns, poor diet, and some other habits also trigger these negativities. Since the face is the area where these symptoms are noticed most quickly, interest in this procedure, which has become easier to apply in recent years, has been increasing.

Facelift surgery is used to reshape the skin in the face and neck area to achieve a younger appearance. It includes operations such as repositioning of skin, muscles, and other tissues, removal of adipose tissue, and cutting off excess skin.

Facelift surgery can be performed alone or, if appropriate, combined with other aesthetic operations. Although it's usually preferred because of aesthetic concerns, it's also considered a medical necessity for some people.

People who are afraid of a surgical procedure are curious about non-surgical facelift methods. Some applications such as Botox, filler, and PRP treatment are used for facelift. However, it's essential that the environments where all these processes are extremely hygienic, and that the applications are performed by competent people.

Otherwise, the patients may be faced with irreversible results. It's also known that these applications above do not give as successful and permanent results as facelift surgery. Their effects fade in a short time and they need to be renewed.

Who Can Have Face Lift Surgery?

Facelift surgery is generally preferred by men and women between the ages of 40 and 60. However, whether this surgery is appropriate or not may vary from person to person. In general, in order to be a good candidate for facelift surgery, it's necessary to have a healthy lifestyle and to be uncomfortable with sagging skin.

In addition, during the preparation process before the facelift surgery, the person should not smoke, their blood pressure and blood sugar levels should be in the normal range, and they should be ready for the surgical procedure. In addition, since the recovery can take a long time, it's recommended to have the surgery at a period when the person can easily go through this process.

How is Face Lift Surgery Performed?

Facelift surgery is mostly performed under general anesthesia for the comfort of the patient and takes about 2 to 5 hours. During the preparation for the surgery, the doctor tries to understand the aging process by looking at past photographs of the person and making the treatment plan accordingly.

Initially, an incision of approximately 2mm is made from the back of the ears to the hairline and an incision of the same size extends from the ear lobe to the back of the neck. The surgeon makes the face firmer by removing the skin and underlying connective tissues. Fat tissue can also be removed if necessary.

Sutures are used to close the skin incisions while the surgery is completed. The question of whether there is a scar after a facelift is often asked. Stitches are neatly placed behind the ears or in the hair so that their marks are not visible to the naked eye. Finally, the operation area is wrapped with a bandage or dressing.

The results obtained as a result of facelift surgery are usually permanent, but the effects of aging may reappear. After the surgery, the skin looks tighter and younger, and the effects of the operation last at least 5-10 years on average.

However, of course, the skin will continue to age after the surgery. Although it's inevitable for the sagging and wrinkles on the skin to recur, the results obtained after facelift surgery can slow down the aging effects on the skin as much as possible.

The permanence of facelift surgery depends on how the surgery is performed, the experience of the surgeon, the age of the person, the skin type, and the lifestyle of the person.

Facelift Surgery Aftercare

Post-op care is important for accelerating the recovery process and achieving the best results.

• The patient should rest for at least 48 hours after surgery. It's recommended to lie on the back while sleeping. Keeping the head in an elevated position can help reduce swelling.
• During the first 24 hours, a cold compress can be applied to the face area to reduce swelling. In the first days, it can be done more often if necessary. However, it should not contact the skin directly.
• It's necessary to use painkillers, drugs that reduce swelling, and antibiotics prescribed by the surgeon. Especially in the first few days, the person may need painkillers.
• For the comfort of the patient, a bandage or wrap can be applied to the face area. Bandages and wraps can also reduce puffiness and maintain the shape of the face.
• It's also important to pay attention to nutrition after surgery. The patients need to consume liquid foods and soft foods in order not to damage the face area. Hard foods that require chewing should be avoided during the first few days. Smoking and alcohol use must be stopped for a while.
• Heavy exercises should not be done during the week following the application. In line with the surgeon's recommendation, light exercises and slow walks can be done.

Although the facelift surgery was successful, the permanence of the results depends on the patient's consideration and application of these warnings.

Facelift surgery costs are also one of the most frequently asked questions about the application. The price of the operation varies according to factors such as the scope of the operation, the materials used, and the experience of the doctor.

In the consultation between the doctor and the candidate before the surgery, the expectations and goals of the person are understood. The average cost is determined by the treatment plan offered by the surgeon.