Facelift
Facelift or wrinkle removal is the procedure that treats sagging and drooping skin of the face and neck in 3 dimensions.
It is technically the most comprehensive and effective procedure for treating the signs of aging, maintaining its reputation as the queen of plastic surgery procedures and the treatment of choice for facial rejuvenation, anatomically restoring sagging soft tissues to their natural position.
None of the available non-invasive methods can replace the ability of a facelift to restore the deeper tissues of the face to their former position, regaining the lost youthfulness of the face.
Facelift or wrinkle removal is an ideal choice for healthy people with realistic expectations, men and women over the age of 40, with premature or severe skin sagging and sagging of the soft tissues of the face and neck where the triangular youthful oval takes on a square shape.
A successful facelift is one that naturally restores a more youthful look, turning back the clock and boosting self-confidence, highlighting rather than changing the features of each face.
In recent years, many variations of the basic facelift techniques have been developed, the main difference of which lies in the differentiation of facial anatomy in relation to aging mechanisms.
The success of a Facelift is more a matter of pre-operative individualized analysis of the face, skill on the part of the plastic surgeon, and adaptation of each technique to the aesthetic needs of each person.
Facelift is performed depending on the extent of the operation, either with local anesthesia, or in combination with sedation, or with general anesthesia. The skin does not have a supporting role but a role of covering the tissues, so the main purpose is to treat the cause of the relaxation of the deeper tissues of the face and not only to treat wrinkles on the face.
This is achieved by mobilizing and lifting the superficial SMAS (superficial muscular aponeurotic system) fascia, which extends from the neck to the scalp.
There are different lifting techniques that yield excellent results, but what is very important is the personalized pre-operative evaluation and the perfectly executed technique, not the technique itself.
After a complete preoperative and laboratory examination, the operation, depending on the type of anesthesia and the technique applied, lasts from 2 to 5 hours. From an incision in front of the ear, preserving the normal anatomical structures and extending posteriorly and in some cases to the scalp, it is possible to suspend the deep tissues and remove excess skin.
The patient’s stay in the hospital is usually one night. The patient is discharged wearing a special elastic facial corset. It is common to place a small drain under the skin to remove unwanted collection, which is removed on the 1st postoperative day.
To achieve the best aesthetic results, facelift can be combined with procedures such as blepharoplasty, autologous fat transfer, platelet rich plasma stem cell mesotherapy, RF Microneedling, peeling, which, in addition to sagging and drooping, also restore the quality of the skin of the face and neck, as well as any atrophy of fat.
Recovery from a facelift typically takes around 1 to 2 weeks, after which you can gradually resume your daily activities. During the first 4–5 days, rest is essential, along with strictly following all postoperative instructions. Swelling and bruising will gradually subside, and sutures are usually removed between the 7th and 10th postoperative day.
After 10–14 days, you may begin to increase your activity levels and return to work. However, intense physical exercise should be avoided for at least four weeks. Follow-up appointments will be scheduled at 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, and 1 year to ensure proper healing and optimal results.
The “pulled” look and visible scarring are now a thing of the past. Modern facelift techniques prioritize nearly invisible incisions, gentle tissue handling, and a minimally traumatic approach — offering natural, long-lasting results with safety, faster recovery, and a smooth return to your daily life.
As with any surgical procedure, a facelift carries certain risks and potential complications, which every patient must be fully informed about and understand prior to surgery.
The most significant possible complications include hematoma formation, postoperative swelling, bruising, inflammation or infection at the incision site, and partial skin loss — particularly in smokers with poor wound healing. Temporary numbness in the treated area may also occur, typically resolving within two months. Though rare, facial nerve branch injury or temporary weakness, minor hair loss or displacement, respiratory infections, and deep vein thrombosis are also potential risks.
However, many of these risks can be minimized through careful planning and proper medical preparation. Controlling high blood pressure reduces the risk of hematoma, discontinuing aspirin or anticoagulant medication decreases the chance of bleeding, and avoiding excessive skin tension during the procedure lowers the likelihood of skin loss. Quitting smoking a few weeks before and after surgery significantly improves healing and reduces the risk of hematoma and poor scar formation.
Over time, due to the influence of gravity, hereditary predisposition and environmental factors, all facial tissues undergo changes, which manifest as “aging”.
Part of the bone mass is lost from the facial skeleton (eye socket, upper and lower jaw) creating facial changes, such as the appearance of a “tear trough deformity” on the inner surface of the lower eyelid in the midface.
The most dramatic changes occur in the subcutaneous tissue. The fat is divided into individual compartments with various ligaments. With age, the ligaments loosen, the face is subject to the law of gravity and a reduction and fall of fat is observed, resulting in the appearance of wrinkles, the loss of the oval shape and the change in the shape of the face to a more square or almost flattened shape, due to the minimal difference between the convexity of the cheekbones and the concaveness of the midface.
In the skin, factors such as the sun, smoking and weight changes aggravate the above changes. The rate of cell renewal slows down significantly and there is a gradual loss of collagen and elastin, a decrease in the thickness of the dermis and the development of folds and wrinkles. The face takes on a more drooping shape, thus appearing nasolabial and nasolabial grooves, bags in the lower eyelids, excess skin in the upper eyelids, drooping of the eyebrow angle, “sagging” cheeks, a double chin and horizontal wrinkles in the neck.
During your visit to the office with Dr. Maltzaris, the existing options that are in line with your wishes, the details of the procedure and the cost will be thoroughly analyzed
