Facelifting (Rhytidoplasty)

Post-operative care for a Facelift

After a facelift, a bandage will be applied around the head. Two drains will be coming out from behind each ear lobe. The patient should be nursed with their head up or on a few pillows to decrease the facial swelling.

Any gross asymmetrical swelling should be reported as soon as possible.

The facial dressing and the drains will be removed on the first post-operative day or the second day should this be more convenient. Once the dressing is removed, I am happy for patients to shower and wash their hair gently.

Patients should sleep with their head up for 7-10 days post-operatively.

The sutures will be removed at about one week post-operation.

Oral antibiotics are usually prescribed for five days post-operatively as well as oral pain relief. The swelling will be really quite terrible for the first week. The bruising and swelling should be nicely settled at about one week when the sutures are removed but there still might be swelling for 2-3 weeks post-operatively.

Mouth corner lift

As we age the corners of our mouth turns down giving us a rather unhappy or grumpy look. Some people even complain of saliva escaping from the corners of their mouth which gives them embarrassing dribbling.

A corner lift addresses this by quite simply repositioning the corners of the mouth into a higher position. The operation is simple and the scarring is minimal. It is worth considering.

Liposuction of jowls

There are many different options for facial rejuvenation depending on what the pathology is. Dermal fillers are good if your signs of ageing are subtle. If your jowls are becoming prominent but the other areas are not as bad and you are reluctant to warrant a facelift I believe a small amount of liposuction to your jowls gives a very good improvement and might delay your facelift a further year or two.

However with some facelifts even by pulling the tissue back the jowls still look too prominent. I perform a small amount of liposuction to the jowls which is very beneficial and adds to the harmony of the lower face.