Dr. Eduardo Sucupira - Plastic Surgery – Face

Áudio

 

The face lift or facial rejuvenation surgery is suitable for people that present facial flabbiness, expression wrinkles, and furrows accentuated by the passing of the years.

This surgical procedure promotes the removal of the skin excess, along with repositioning of soft tissue (muscle, fat and skin), softening your expression and enhancing the facial outline and bone prominences, which are very characteristic of young faces. It as well has the objective of not altering the patient's physical features, providing a facial rejuvenation, preserving your natural aspect. It is very important to emphasize that facial lifting provides a significant rejuvenation of the face, but it doesn't interrupt the natural aging cellular process, which continues happening now in a rejuvenated skin. By doing this, the patient always maintains a younger look.

This procedure is usually performed along with blepharoplasty (or surgery of the eyelids). Depending on the case, the facial lifting can begin with a cervical liposuction (neck), following with the repositioning of the musculature of this area.

Immediately after, the treatment of the face begins with a continuous incision that usually starts at hair line, close to the ear, outlining it and ending behind it, on the scalp. This incision is practically unnoticeable and hidden by hair. To proceed, the surgeon first makes the repositioning of the deep tissue of the face and skin excess is removed. The amount of skin to be cut out varies from patient to patient, depending on the needs of each one. Individual needs are carefully studied to avoid excessive removal, which if not done could leave the patient with an artificial looking face. In the end, the surgery of the eyelids is performed which what the surgical procedure concludes.

Commonly, the facial lifting is accomplished with local anesthesia and mitigation. However, some patients require general anesthesia. The surgery has a duration of about 3 at 5 hours. The hospital stay period after the surgery is of 24 hours. The results are noticed starting from the 15th day and they turn even more noticeable starting from the 6th to the 12th month.

In some cases some additional procedures are recommended such as the use of botulinum toxin (Botox) and hialuronic acid, to enhance the results of the surgery. Home rest is recommended during the 1st week of postoperative which is usually painless. It is common to notice presence of bruises, edema, or some hypersensitivity or insensibility in some areas, which disappear with time. The edema can be avoided using cold compresses on the eyes during the 1st week. Therefore in the 3rd or 4th day of postoperative, the curative is removed along with the eyelids stitches and the hair can be washed. The stitches of the face are removed between the 10th and the 15th day. Use of make-up in the eyes is usually allowed after the 15th day, and hair coloring after to 4th week. Physical exercises and direct sun exposure are only allowed after the 3rd month.