Face-Lift: Before Your Surgery

What is a face-lift?

A face-lift is surgery to firm and tighten the skin of the face and neck. It can make you look younger. It may reduce the appearance of wrinkles, but it does not change the texture of your skin.

You will get medicine before surgery to make you sleep or feel relaxed. The doctor will make a cut along your jawline or in the temple area, near your ear. This cut is called an incision. The doctor will then tighten the skin and the tissue under it. Any excess skin will be removed. The doctor may make another incision under your chin to reposition the skin on your neck.

Sometimes more or fewer incisions are needed. How many you need will depend on your age and other factors. The incisions will be closed and will leave thin scars that will fade with time.

The surgery takes about 3 to 5 hours. After surgery, you may have a drain near the incisions to remove excess fluid. The drain will be taken out in 1 or 2 days. You will probably be able to go home 1 to 2 hours after surgery. But you may have to stay overnight in the hospital or surgery center.

How do you prepare for surgery?

Surgery can be stressful. This information will help you understand what you can expect. And it will help you safely prepare for surgery.

Preparing for surgery

• Be sure you have someone to take you home. Anesthesia and pain medicine will make it unsafe for you to drive or get home on your own.
• Understand exactly what surgery is planned, along with the risks, benefits, and other options.
• If you take a medicine that prevents blood clots, your doctor may tell you to stop taking it before your surgery. Or your doctor may tell you to keep taking it. (These medicines include aspirin and other blood thinners.) Make sure that you understand exactly what your doctor wants you to do.
• Tell your doctor ALL the medicines, vitamins, supplements, and herbal remedies you take. Some may increase the risk of problems during your surgery. Your doctor will tell you if you should stop taking any of them before the surgery and how soon to do it.
• Don't smoke. Smoking can delay recovery. Stop smoking for at least a month before surgery. If you need help quitting, talk to your doctor about stop-smoking programs and medicines. These can increase your chances of quitting for good.
• Make sure your doctor and the hospital have a copy of your advance directive. If you don’t have one, you may want to prepare one. It lets others know your health care wishes. It’s a good thing to have before any type of surgery or procedure.

What happens on the day of surgery?

• Follow the instructions exactly about when to stop eating and drinking. If you don't, your surgery may be canceled. If your doctor told you to take your medicines on the day of surgery, take them with only a sip of water.
• Take a bath or shower before you come in for your surgery. Do not apply lotions, perfumes, deodorants, or nail polish.
• Do not shave the surgical site yourself.
• Take off all jewelry and piercings. And take out contact lenses, if you wear them.

At the hospital or surgery center

• Bring a picture ID.
• The area for surgery is often marked to make sure there are no errors.
• You will be kept comfortable and safe by your anesthesia provider. The anesthesia may make you sleep. Or it may just numb the area being worked on.
• The surgery will take about 3 to 5 hours.

When should you call your doctor?

• Tiene preguntas o inquietudes.
• No entiende cómo debe prepararse para la cirugía.
• Se enferma antes de la cirugía (como fiebre, gripe o un resfriado).
• Necesita cambiar la fecha o ha cambiado de opinión sobre la cirugía.