Facelift Surgery in Seattle Washington – Face Lift Surgery

Candidates for a Facelift

The most common age for a facelift or neck lift candidate is late 40s, 50s and 60s. The surgery can also be performed in their 70s and 80s, however a limiting factor can be skin tone – if loose, a face / neck lift results may not last as long. The facelift will correct the appearance of sagging of the cheek and midface area. The procedure tightens muscle tone in the neck and facial area including the jowls, and it will tighten loose skin in the face and neck area, as well as also removing fatty deposits underneath the neck with liposuction. Liposuction is not performed in the face, only the neck area. The appearance of a double chin is also reduced. Call us today to see if you are a candidate for a facelift in Seattle WA.

The aging process encompasses the effects of gravity, sun exposure and the stresses of daily life begin to show on a persons face as they age. Creases form between the nose and the mouth, jowls begin to form, and neck muscles loosen becoming prominent and form what are called “bands”. Fatty deposits can also appear in the neck which also becomes more prominent as the aging process progresses.

The Consultation

A consultation with one of our doctors is the first step in making a decision about proceeding with facial surgery. One of our Seattle facial plastic surgeons will take a thorough medical history and a physical examination of your face; evaluating the skin and neck elasticity, bone structure and facial wrinkles. Before photos are taken and computer imaging can also be performed at the time of consultation if needed for further communication of a patient’s desired outcome. After surgery photos are taken about three months after surgery and a complete set of before and after photos are given to our patient at that time.

The office manager will discuss fees and scheduling at the time of consultation. Once a surgery date is decided in Seattle, a pre operative appointment is scheduled (about three weeks prior to surgery) with one of our registered nurses. At that point, preparations are made for surgery; review of medications, prescriptions given, and postoperative care instructions given. Certain blood thinners will need to be stopped, such as aspirin, ibuprofen, herbal supplements and vitamin E, and smoking stopped, for two weeks prior to surgery.

• Patient’s medical history
• Patient’s physical exam
• Patients will express concerns and what they would like to change about their face and neck
• Realistic expectations will be reviewed.
• The technique of facelift, mini lift, and neck lift will be explained.
• General anesthesia.
• The Seattle Facelift Center.
• Pre- and postoperative care instructions.
• Common risks, alternatives, and relative expectations.
• Followup visits, costs, and scheduling.
• All previous operative notes, records, and any past medical history that is pertinent from an anesthesia standpoint.
• Any recent or past injuries to the face or congenital deformities.
• Allergies to any medications.
• Prescription medications and herbal supplements.

The surgery itself will take place in our Medicare-certified ambulatory surgery center known as The Seattle Facial Plastic Surgery Center. A board-certified physician anesthesiologist from Swedish Medical Center will perform the general anesthetic. The face / neck lift surgery will take approximately three hours and then the patient will go into the recovery area for an additional two hours or so before being discharged to home. The facelift operation is an outpatient procedure, and patients are discharged to home with their caregiver. A mini face lift or a neck lift takes approximately an hour and a half to perform. The facelift usually involves re-sculpting and reshaping the face, neck and jaw lines to return them to their youthful state. The goal is to remove the excess skin in the face, which is done after tightening the jowls and removing the fat in the neck.

There is no fat removed from the face, only in the neck. The goal for the neck lift is to clean up the neck and jaw line only. The goal for the mini lift is simply to tighten the facial muscles and jowls. The facelift is performing both. The incision for a facelift is located in front and behind the ears and into the hairline. Once healed, it is very difficult to see the incision. Care is taken to not make the face and neck lift too tight. Patients will not look like they came out of a wind tunnel. The skin is only pulled very conservatively so that patients look very natural and do not look like they are pulled too tight. The sutures in front and behind the ears are a combination of dissolvable stitches and also some stitches that have to be removed. There are drains that are used with a facelift and a neck lift which stay in for 48 hours after the surgery. There are no facial wraps that are used in the postoperative phase, only drains. The mini lift by itself does not require drains.

Face and Neck Lifts Can Restore Years To an Aging Face

During the facelift procedure in Seattle WA, incisions are made in such a fashion so as to not raise the hairline; incisions are placed both in front and behind the ear in an inconspicuous fashion to be minimally detectable after all of the healing has occurred. The deeper facial muscles are tightened along the cheekbone and in the front and back portion of the neck. Fat is removed with liposuction from the neck. The skin is then re-draped, a small amount of skin removed, and then sutures placed. There are no dressings applied, however, there are two #10 Jackson-Pratt drains placed underneath the skin. These drains are left in place for two days to remove any fluid accumulation  and removed two days after surgery. Patients are seen two days post op to remove the drains and 4 days post op to remove sutures. It is important for patients to abstain from strenuous activity raising their heart rate or blood pressure for two weeks after surgery. At two weeks, patients are able to return to their normal activities and social calendar and workout routine. Most of the incisions are going to take six to eight weeks before they turn into a fine and inconspicuous skin tone lines. Patients are usually very happy and excited about their new facelift performed in the experienced care of our Seattle doctors.

Rhytidectomy (facelift surgery) will not stop the aging process; however, it can tighten loose facial and neck muscle structure, remove fat in the neck and tighten loose facial and neck skin; which in turn create a more youthful appearance.

Our Seattle facial plastic surgeons can perform a facelift by itself or in conjunction with other facial procedures, such as Blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery) or Rhinoplasty (nose) surgery. An excellent candidate is an adult in good health who has facial & neck laxity, and/or jowls have begun to show signs of aging.

For a facelift in Seattle Washington contact your local board certified facial plastic surgeon at 206-624-6200.