Facelift

What is a facelift without scars?

A facelift without scars is the same as a lipofilling of the face. We treat mainly the central part (between the eyes and the mouth).

Advantages

• Improvement at both the recipient site and the site from where the fat is harvested.
• The fat surviving the transplant is permanent.
• A completely natural material.
• Day surgery, minimal discomfort and a short recovery.
• Minimally invasive, with a low risk of complications.
• Small scars at the donor site and no additional scars at the recipient site.
• Improves the quality of the overlying skin.

Disadvantages

• The patient must have enough fat available for grafting.

How does a facelift without scars work?

A youthful look depends on having the right amount of facial fat in the right places. Redistribution, accumulation and atrophy of fat lead to facial volume loss. Today we are able to restore the fat that has disappeared by means of lipofilling.

The goal should be:

• As much symmetry as possible
• Smooth convex contours
• Homogeneous skin tone and texture

Lipofilling of the face that is performed by an experienced person can realize these three goals.

What can a facelift without scars do for you?

Lipofilling can help to augment and restore the volume of your face. If you do this step by step, your face can slowly become younger instead of older without people around you noticing. The healing after small fat injections happens that fast that you can be back at work within one week after the treatment.

It has also been shown that fat grafts have a beneficial, rejuvenating effect on ageing or damaged skin. Cells within the fat grafts are capable of “repairing” damaged tissue and they are presumed to stimulate the skin cells to produce substances that improve skin elasticity and deposition of essential structural proteins.

Who is a good candidate for a facelift without scars?

• If you do not mind getting older but you would like to keep your good looks without everyone knowing that you had ‘something done’, a facelift without scars is a good option for you. You can do it in yearly steps, so your face looks a bit younger each year instead of older.
• You should have enough fat available to fill up the deficit.

What is a classic or deep vertical lift?

A deep vertical lift is a type of facelift that is typically used to give the face a more youthful appearance. It tightens wrinkles and sagging skin on the face and neck caused by aging or weight loss. A deep vertical lift is known for its short downtime with still a long lasting and powerful effect.

Advantages

• Very safe procedure.
• Short downtime: less than one week.
• Long-lasting effect (more than 10 years).

Disadvantages

• Insufficient for necks with severe sagging of soft tissues and/or platysma banding (vertical strings in the neck).

What can a deep vertical lift do for you?

This type of facelift is very effective to get rid of the jowls (sagging skin at the lower border of the mandible) that mostly appear around the age of fifty years and it also tightens the neck. This effect lasts very long. A deep vertical lift can be combined with a liposuction of the neck if indicated.

A deep vertical lift does not deal with sagging of the submandibular glands and platysma bands. For those who absolutely want a very tight neck, an additional neck lift with extensive skin undermining, incision and suturing of the platysma bands and partial resection of the submandibular glands is necessary.

Who is a good candidate for a deep vertical lift?

Any person aged over fifty years of good health who wants to get rid of jowls and wants to tighten the neck.

How to prepare for a deep vertical lift?

There is no special preparation for a deep vertical lift. If you are a smoker however, you should stop smoking three weeks prior to the surgery and wait with taking it up again until three weeks after. Smoking seriously reduces the blood supply and may lead to wound healing problems at the far end of the skin flap.

How is a deep vertical lift performed?

The skin incision starts (different from the drawing below) 3 – 4 mm inside the hairline, goes down just in front of the ear, turning upwards behind the ear to end in the hair behind the ear. Just 1 – 2 cm of skin will be loosened from the underlying muscle in front of the ear before the muscle is cut to enter the plane under it. The muscle transection is continued over the zygomatic arch. Next, the muscle with the skin attached to it is mobilized anteriorly and downwards into the neck until the flap is mobile enough to be rotated upwards as far as is needed to create a smooth and youthful neck, jawline and cheek.

In many cases, it will be necessary to also do a lower and upper blepharoplasty. If so, the midface can be mobilized over the bone through a muscle incision under the orbicularis muscle (sphincter of the eye) which enables the malar fat pad to be pulled upwards with a stitch in the lateral portion of the orbicularis oculi muscle. The redundant SMAS tissue will be excised and the SMAS skin flap will be sutured against the fascia of the parotid gland in its new lifted position. Finally, the excess skin is removed and the skin is sutured.

What to expect and do during the recovery period after a deep vertical lift?

The healing after a deep vertical lift is fast (maximum one week) because of its deep plane of dissection. If there is any bruising, it will occur under the muscle so not too much bruising will be visible. The bruising caused by the blepharoplasty (if performed) can be visible for two weeks though.

• The day of the procedure: The face can be swollen and bruised, especially around the eyes. Pain is not really an issue and can be managed very well with the painkillers we give you. It is important that you get your rest and that you do not engage in activities that can raise the blood pressure. We therefore strongly advise our patients to stay overnight in the clinic after a deep vertical lift.
• First week: The bruising and swelling in the neck and at the jawline will disappear after four to six days, leaving only some bruising around the eyes.
• Subsequent weeks: After two weeks the patient can resume social activities, if necessary with some make-up around the eyes to cover the remaining bruising.
• Full recovery: after two to three weeks.

What are the risks of a deep vertical lift?

A temporary weakness of some of the facial muscles is possible. This is caused by the dissection in the plane under the muscle. You will completely recover from this in the next three to four months. If the dissection is carried out in a prudent way, no permanent damage to the facial nerve should ever occur.

How long can I expect the results of a deep vertical lift to last?

In fact, you will turn back time with around ten to fifteen years. However, the aging process will continue, which means that in ten to fifteen years from now you will look about the same as before your surgery.

What is a face- and neck lift?

A neck lift removes excess fat and skin from the neck and deals with the cord-like bands in the neck. This procedure is often performed as part of a facelift. Neck lift surgery uses a combination of liposuction, fat excision, incision and suturing of the platysma muscles and incision to trim excess neck skin.

Advantages

• Has a very strong rejuvenating effect.

Disadvantages

• Longer recovery time compared with just a deep vertical facelift.
• An additional horizontal incision in the middle of the neck, just where the floor of the mouth starts, is necessary.

What can a face-/neck lift do for you?

It can give you a nice angle between the floor of the mouth and the neck and remove the platysma bands.

Who is a good candidate for a face-/neck lift?

Any person in good health who suffers from not having a clear angle between the floor of the mouth and the neck and/or platysma bands.

How to prepare for a face-/neck lift?

If you are a smoker, you should stop smoking three weeks prior to the surgery and wait with taking it up again until three weeks after. Smoking seriously reduces the blood supply of the skin and may lead to serious wound healing problems.

How is a face-/neck lift performed?

We perform face-/neck lifts under general anaesthesia only. The procedure starts with the surgery in the neck after which the deep vertical facelift will be performed. Through a skin incision about three cm under the chin, subcutaneous fat is removed under direct vision and the medial borders of the platysma muscle are exposed on both sides. Over a distance of three to four cm the platysma muscles are incised with scissors at the supposed limit between the neck and the floor of the mouth. Some fat under the platysma muscles can be removed but care must be taken not to remove too much to prevent an operated look. The platysma muscles are then sutured together in the midline to create a clearly defined angle between the neck and the floor of the mouth after which the skin incision is closed.

• First week: There will be some bruising and swelling in the neck and at the jawline and some bruising around the eyes.
• Subsequent weeks: After three weeks the patient can resume social activities, if necessary with some make-up around the eyes to cover the remaining bruising.
• Full recovery: After three to four weeks.

What are the risks of a face-/neck lift?

A temporary weakness of some of the facial muscles is possible. This is caused by the dissection in the plane under the muscle. You will completely recover from this in the next three to four months. If the dissection is carried out in a prudent way, no permanent damage to the facial nerve should ever occur.

How long can I expect the results of a face-/neck lift to last?

In fact, you will turn back time with around ten to fifteen years. However, the aging process will continue, which means that in ten to fifteen years from now you will look about the same as before your surgery.

Frequently asked questions

• What is the cost of facial surgery?

  You can find estimated prices here, after your consultation you will be informed of the exact prices of your operation. Prices are average and may vary depending on: the exact treatment or surgery needed; the exact area you want to have treated; your bone structure; your expectations and wishes...

  We have a specific procedure to get a quote from the doctor. To receive a personalized quote, please visit the following link to see your different options.

• Is there a payment plan or financing option for a surgery?

  No, payments have to be made following our payment policy. It is not possible to pay for a surgery via monthly/... payments.

• What is the cost of a forehead lift?

  You will find all the prices of our treatments and operations here.

• How long will the results of a forehead lift last?

  A forehead lift has a long-term result of 10 to 15 years. Of course you also have to take into account the natural ageing process of the skin as you get older.

• What are the risks of a forehead lift?

  Any disadvantages or possible complications can be found here.

• Who is a suitable candidate for a forehead lift?

  People who suffer from low-set eyebrows, deep frown lines on the forehead and between the eyebrows, drooping eyelids and tension headaches caused by frowning.

• How to prepare for a forehead lift?

  For this procedure, you do not need to make any specific preparations apart from the standard preoperative instructions. You will receive these by email.

• What is the cost of a mid-facelift?

  You will find all the prices of our treatments and operations here.

• How long will the results of a mid-facelift last?

  A mid-facelift is very effective in tightening the skin around the cheeks, and most people are satisfied with the results. The results usually last for about 10 years.

• What are the risks of a mid-facelift?

  Any disadvantages or possible complications can be found here.

• Who is a suitable candidate for a mid-facelift?

  A mid-facelift can be a good option for people who want a more youthful appearance, prominent cheekbones and a radiant look, but who do not require surgery to their jawline or forehead.

We are doing our very best to keep this information up-to-date. In case you see anything that no longer seems accurate, or in case you have a question, please fill out the form below.