FACELIFT

FACELIFT
What is facelift?
A facelift is a surgery that aims to tighten the mid-lower face and neck regions. If you have some other surgeries in combination with a facelift, like a brow lift, blepharoplasty, or lip lift, then the whole surgery is called a “full facelift.”
A facelift, in general, consists of a number of surgeries that should be chosen and done individually. Every individual needs different types of interventions and different amounts of lift.

The extent of the surgery required to achieve the optimal rejuvenation effect on your face depends on the severity of the aging of your face. If you have minor aging with small symptoms, then you can benefit from a limited surgery with a small incision.
If you have moderate aging, the surgery will change into a midface and neck lift with a medium extent, and if you have severe aging, then you need a larger lift with probable procedures in combination.

Facelift surgery is like a store where you can choose between the surgical options according to your wishes and expectations. At the same time, you should consider taking advice from your surgeon, who will guide you to get the best result from your surgery.

With aging, some anatomical changes occur in the face. If we count these:

• Aging and bone destruction in bone tissue
• Sagging caused by volume reduction and loss of tension in the fat tissue
• Thinning occurs in the subcutaneous layer; skin tension decreases
• Sagging and loosening of the SMAS tissue that connects the muscle and fat tissues on the face

These changes in the anatomical structure manifest themselves as externally visible signs of aging on the face. These are:

• Wrinkles and lines form on the forehead and between the eyebrows
• Thinning and hollowing in the temple area
• Drooping of the eyebrows, especially in the tail parts, and downward displacement of the upper eyelid skin
• Wrinkles and crow’s feet formation on the lower eyelid skin
• Herniation of fatty tissue due to loosening of the orbital septum structure and the formation of bags under the eyes
• Deepening of the nasolabial groove that separates the nose and cheek (smile line)
• Decrease in lip volume and loss of teeth, as well as the formation of wrinkles around the lips
• Cheek sagging and distortion of the jawline similar to that of a bulldog
• Neck sagging and transverse lines on the neck due to thinning of the skin in the neck area
• Vertical neck bands originating from the platysma muscle

As can be seen, aging in the facial area creates negative visual changes that start from the forehead hairline and forehead skin at the top and go down to the collarbone level where the neck ends and the body begins. In order to reverse these changes and create a similar appearance as in youth, a group of surgical and non-surgical procedures are performed under the title of FACE REJUVENATION. We will discuss surgeries here.

FACE REJUVENATION SURGERY TARGETS 3 REGIONS:

UPPER FACE: HAIRLINE, FOREHEAD, EYEBROWS, EYES, TEMPLES
MIDDLE FACE: CHEEKS, MOUTH AND SURROUNDINGS, CHIN AND SIDE JAW BORDERS, EARS AND BEHIND THE EAR
LOWER FACE AND NECK: AREA BETWEEN THE MENTUM AND THE CLAVICLES

WHAT ARE FACIAL COSMETIC PROCEDURES?

UPPER FACE: EYEBROW LIFT, FOREHEAD REDUCTION, LOWER AND UPPER EYELID BLEPHAROPLASTIES
MID FACE: MIDFACE LIFT, CHEEK IMPLANT, CHEEK FILLER, RHINOPLASTY, BUCCAL FAT PAD REMOVAL, LIP LIFT
LOWER FACE: FACE AND NECK LIFT, DEEP NECK LIFT, NECK LIPOSUCTION, CHIN IMPLANTS,

COMPLEMENTARY PROCEDURES:
MICRO AND NANO FAT INJECTIONS
LASER APPLICATIONS

FACE LIFT SURGERY IS USUALLY RECOMMENDED FOR INDIVIDUALS OVER THE AGE OF 40. This procedure is performed for wrinkles and sagging that occur when the skin of people over the age of 40 loses its elasticity.

How is Face Lift Done?
Modern facelift surgery is not just a skin-only procedure. Skin-only surgery consists of stretching the facial skin and removing the excess. Some problems have been experienced in facelift procedures performed in this way in the past.

Some of those:
With skin-only facelift procedures, the entire tensile force rests on the skin; skin lines, color changes, deformations, and nutritional disorders are more common, as well as exaggerated scarring formation in front of and behind the ear.
Larger skin flaps are needed to intervene in the midface and cheek areas, and these larger flaps pose a greater risk of complications.
The reason is that the cheek area and midface cannot be intervened sufficiently; the nasolabial grooves are not opened sufficiently, and the final result does not satisfy the patients aesthetically.

Due to such situations, the lifting effect created in facelift surgery should include not only the skin but also the subcutaneous soft tissues. When the skin passively moves and advances with the underlying tissues, the result is closest to nature.
In classical facelift surgery, two incisions made in front of and behind the ear are combined; the skin is lifted and the subcutaneous tissue is advanced. In this way, the stretching effect is maximum and the result is natural. Since the skin incision remains largely in the invisible part behind the ear, the scar is minimal.

DEEP PLANE FACELIFT TECHNIQUE
FIRST LET’S TALK ABOUT SMAS:

WHEN WE EXAMINE THE ANATOMICAL LAYERS THAT FORM OUR FACE, UNDERNEATH THE SKIN AND SUBCUTANEOUS FAT TISSUE LAYERS, THE DEEP OF THE MICROSMUS MUSCLES, THE SUPERFICIAL OF THE VESSELS, NERVES, AND FAT PACKAGES ARE LIKELY ATTACHED TO THE MIMETIC MUSCLES, WHICH CARRY THESE STRUCTURES OF THE FACE. A NETWORK OF MUSCLE AND FIBROUS CONNECTIVE TISSUE THAT DETERMINES THEIR POSITION AND FUNCTION LAYER IS AVAILABLE. THIS STRUCTURE IS CALLED SUPERFICIAL MUSCULOAPONEUROTIC SYSTEM (SMAS). THIS TISSUE RESEMBLES A COVER THAT ADDITIONS TO THE FACIAL MUSCLES AND WRAPS IT AROUND THE FACE AND NECK. A DECREASE IN TENSION OR SAGGING OF THIS NETWORK SYSTEM WILL CAUSE SAGGING ON THE FACE.

SINCE THE SMAS LAYER CARRIES THE SOFT TISSUE LAYERS ON OUR FACE AND DETERMINES THEIR POSITION, INTERVENTIONS TO THIS SMAS LAYER DIRECTLY AFFECT THE SUCCESS OF FACE LIFT SURGERY.
FACE LIFT SURGERY VARIES DEPENDING ON HOW THE SMAS TISSUE IS INTERVENED.

WHERE A PART OF THE SMAS TISSUE IS REMOVED IN THE FORM OF A STRIP AND THE REMAINING STRUCTURE IS SUTURED TOGETHER TO BE TIGHTENED (SMASECTOMY)
SMAS TISSUE IS FOLDED OVER ABOVE AND SUTURED (SMAS PLICATION)
DEEP PLANE FACE LIFT (SMAS TISSUE IS COMPLETELY DISSECTED OFF THE FACE AND ADVANCED OVER THE MIMIC MUSCLES AND NERVES)

ADVANTAGES OF DEEP PLANE FACE LIFT SURGERY:

WHEN DEEP PLANE FACE LIFT IS PERFORMED BY A QUALIFIED SURGEON:
• THE RESULT IS MORE PERMANENT AND NATURAL
• CREATES A BETTER REJUVENATION EFFECT
• A MORE SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT OCCURS IN THE NASOLABIAL GROOVES AS THE DEEP TISSUES OF THE CHEEK AND MOUTH CORNERS ARE INTERVENED,
COMPARED TO TRADITIONAL SMAS LIFTS:

WITH DEEP PLANE FACE LIFT:
Deep plane face lift corrects sagging skin, chin, and wrinkles on the face and neck, and generally helps clarify the face and jawline.
WHAT IS THE OPTIMUM AGE FOR A FACELIFT?
MANY AUTHORS SUGGEST THAT THE OPTIMUM AGE RANGE FOR SURGICAL FACELIFT IS BETWEEN 40-60, BUT THERE ARE EXCEPTIONS. Nowadays, people don’t want to wait until they look old to get the intervention done. They want to keep looking young. So, if one is uncomfortable about any signs of aging in their face, we have options for treatment. WE CAN SAY THAT THERE IS NO SPECIFIC AGE FOR FACELIFT SURGERY.
WHAT TO DO BEFORE FACELIFT SURGERY?
You should go to your doctor. If you have hypertension and diabetes, the blood pressure and blood sugar must be carefully followed and regulated.
You should quit smoking at least 2 months before the surgery. Smokers are not candidates for facelift surgery since the nicotine and toxins reduce the blood supply to the peripheral tissues. This might have catastrophic consequences.

WHAT IS NECK LIFT?

Correcting the deformation that occurs in the neck with aging is called neck lift surgery. There are two main techniques in general neck lift surgery.
Cervicoplasty: Tightening the neck skin and removing the excess
Platysmaplasty: tightening and correction of sagging of subcutaneous muscles and deep neck organs

Why is neck lift surgery performed?
With aging, some changes occur in the neck area.

THERE ARE:
Loosening and sagging of neck skin
Sagging of the platysma muscle in the neck
Sagging of the muscles that form the floor of the mouth
Prolapse of salivary glands

Sometimes, the cause of neck and jowl sagging is not aging but structural reasons. To give an example:

The sublingual bone (hyoid bone) is located lower than normal.
Excessive fat in the neck area.

The cause of sagging and fullness in the neck area, which we encounter especially in young patients, is mostly structural. Some people experience more fat than normal in the neck area, which creates a sagging and full neck appearance.
In addition to the situations we have mentioned, with aging, the skin and soft tissues on the cheeks shift towards the lower part of the jawline. In this image, they create a saggy cheek appearance similar to a bulldog.
In addition to filling the area under the chin, transverse lines appear on the neck due to the aging of the skin.

Whatever the reason is, these changes seen in the neck area make the person look old and tired. Surgical correction of this condition is possible with neck lift surgery.

Face lift and neck lift surgeries are not actually two separate surgeries and should not be thought of as such. When the neck lift procedure is performed together with face lift surgery, its effect becomes more evident and striking. The result is longer-lasting, and the lifting effect of the chin and cheek parts is more evident.

WHAT SHOULD I DO AFTER FACELIFT SURGERY:
Apply ice to your face to reduce the swelling and bruising.
The recovery from facelift surgery may range from a few days to a few weeks, so you should be prepared for a prolonged healing time when making plans about your work and social life.
Keep an eye on your water intake because facelift surgery can alter your body fluids significantly, which might cause dehydration.
Keep your head and neck above the rest of your body in order to reduce the blood flow to the surgical field. This will help avoid some of the unwanted complications and maintain a more comfortable recovery period as well.
Avoid smoking.
Avoid direct sunlight for long hours, especially in the early post-op period.
Avoid taking aspirin or blood-thinning medicine, as well as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

Frequently Asked Questions About Facelift Surgery

Facelift surgery, also known as rhytidectomy, is one of the most popular cosmetic procedures for reversing signs of facial aging. Patients often have many questions about recovery, results, risks, and costs before deciding if a facelift is right for them. Below, we answer the most frequently asked questions about facelift surgery to help you make an informed decision.

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1. What is a facelift?

A facelift is a surgical procedure that improves visible signs of aging in the face and neck. During the surgery, loose skin is lifted, underlying tissues are repositioned, and excess skin is removed. This results in a smoother, firmer, and more youthful appearance. Unlike non-surgical treatments, a facelift provides long-lasting facial rejuvenation.

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2. Who is the best candidate for facelift surgery?

The best candidates are men and women who:

Notice sagging skin, jowls, or deep wrinkles

Have good overall health and no serious medical conditions

Do not smoke (or are willing to quit before and after surgery)

Have realistic expectations about results

Most patients are between the ages of 40 and 70, but facelifts can also benefit younger or older patients depending on their needs.

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3. What areas does a facelift improve?

Facelift surgery targets multiple areas, including:

Sagging cheeks and midface

Jowls along the jawline

Loose skin and fat under the chin (double chin)

Deep nasolabial folds and marionette lines

Neck laxity

4. How long does a facelift last?

One of the most common questions is: “How long do facelift results last?”

On average, facelift results last 8 to 12 years.

Genetics, lifestyle, and skincare habits influence longevity.

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle and protecting your skin from sun damage can extend results.

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5. What is the recovery time after facelift surgery?

Facelift recovery is a gradual process:

First week: Swelling and bruising are most noticeable.

10–14 days: Most patients return to work and social activities.

4–6 weeks: Patients resume exercise and normal routines.

3 months: Final results become more visible as tissues fully settle.

Most people ask, “When will I look normal after a facelift?” Typically, you will feel presentable within 2–3 weeks, although subtle swelling can last longer.

6. Will a facelift leave scars?

Facelift incisions are carefully placed along the hairline and around the ears to remain discreet. With proper healing, scars fade significantly and are usually barely noticeable.

7. What type of anesthesia is used for facelift surgery?

Facelift surgery is performed under either:

General anesthesia (you are asleep), or

Local anesthesia with sedation (you are relaxed and comfortable).

The choice depends on your procedure plan and overall health.

8. What are the risks of facelift surgery?

All surgeries carry some risks. Possible (but uncommon) facelift complications include:

Bleeding or infection

Temporary numbness or tightness

Delayed wound healing

Uneven results or asymmetry

Choosing a board-certified plastic surgeon significantly reduces these risks.

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9. Can a facelift be combined with other procedures?

Yes. Many patients choose to enhance their results with:

Eyelid surgery (blepharoplasty)

Brow lift

Neck lift

Fat grafting or fillers

Laser skin resurfacing

Combining procedures allows for a more comprehensive facial rejuvenation.

10. Will a facelift make me look unnatural?

This is one of the biggest concerns patients have. Modern facelift techniques focus on repositioning deeper tissues rather than pulling the skin tightly. This ensures a natural, refreshed look — not the “overdone” or “wind-swept” appearance often associated with outdated methods.

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11. What is the difference between a facelift and a mini facelift?

Traditional facelift: Addresses advanced aging in the face and neck, with longer-lasting results.

Mini facelift: Uses shorter incisions, best for mild to moderate sagging. Recovery is quicker but results may not last as long.

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12. How much does a facelift cost?

The cost of facelift surgery varies depending on:

The surgeon’s experience and location

Type of facelift (full facelift vs mini facelift)

Additional procedures performed

During consultation, you will receive a personalized treatment plan and cost estimate.

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Final Thoughts

Facelift surgery remains the gold standard for facial rejuvenation because it provides long-lasting and natural results that nonsurgical treatments cannot match.