Endoscopic facelift

A facelift (lifting) is an operation to correct age-related changes in the face and neck caused by sagging soft tissues. Can be performed in combination with blepharoplasty.

The huge advantage of facelift surgery is the duration of the effect (7 or more years) and the degree of rejuvenation (patients look 10-15 years younger after the procedure)! The result of cosmetic methods (mesothreads, fillers, laser rejuvenation) lasts for a maximum of 2 years, requires constant correction, which ultimately approaches the cost of plastic surgery, or even exceeds it.

FACE LIFT - AT WHAT AGE TO DO IT

The first signs of fading begin to appear after thirty: the outer edges of the eyebrows droop, small wrinkles form in the corners of the eyes - “crow’s feet”, and the nasolabial fold is clearly contoured. These small defects are easily eliminated using modern cosmetology. What changes in appearance occur in older age:

• Closer to forty, the skin of the eyelids becomes heavier, the infraorbital areas deepen, folds form between the eyebrows and on the forehead.
• At the age of fifty, the skin on the neck begins to wrinkle and sag, and typical “jowls” appear at the bottom of the cheeks.
• At the age of sixty, the skin on the face and the subcutaneous fat layer become significantly thinner, it is covered with a network of wrinkles on the cheeks, upper lip, and at the corners of the mouth, and the soft tissues of the entire face sag even more.

The optimal age for a facelift is no later than 50 years. The skin is still quite elastic, the bone structures of the face have not undergone gross age-related changes. The patient receives the most natural result (without the effect of tension), the regeneration processes proceed faster and the risks of possible complications are minimized than in older patients.

INDICATIONS

A facelift is usually performed on patients over 40 years of age.
In some cases, it is performed on young people in order to correct cosmetic defects and stop early aging. Both women and men can undergo facial plastic surgery. Facelift is recommended for:

• drooping eyelids and outer corners of the eyes;
• the presence of deep nasolabial folds;
• wrinkles and folds on the forehead;
• facial wrinkles;
• double chin – a neck lift is performed;
• the presence of vertical wrinkles in the cheek area;
• ptosis of the soft tissues of the cheeks.

Contraindications to the procedure are:

• serious systemic diseases - endocrine pathologies, inflammatory processes;
• cardiovascular diseases;
• blood clotting disorder;
• inflammatory and infectious skin lesions;
• oncological diseases.

Before the operation, the patient undergoes a thorough examination - blood and urine tests, an electrocardiogram, fluorography, and is examined for infections.

CONSULTATION WITH A PLASTIC SURGEON

Before deciding to have a facelift operation, you should consult with a plastic surgeon who will determine the indications for it, since in some cases it is possible to limit yourself to less radical procedures.

It is important that the patient's expectations from the operation are realistic. A facelift cannot stop the aging process. It simply “moves the clock back”, eliminating the most visible signs of aging by moving the soft tissues of the face to an elevated, aesthetically more advantageous position, redistributing and removing excess skin of the face and neck.

Kinds

Despite the fact that facelift is a simple operation, it does not fit into one procedure. There are such types of facelift as:

• Face lift massage. This is a special procedure, the main purpose of which is to influence certain points that accelerate regeneration. The main advantage of massage is that rejuvenation occurs without surgical intervention.
• Face lift with threads. This method is one of the most advanced. Its essence lies in the fact that mesothreads are introduced under the skin, which remove excess volume and stimulate the production of your own collagen. Despite its high efficiency, this is not a traumatic method. Often, it is this that is an alternative to classical surgery.
• Circular facelift. The procedure is a radical solution that provides comprehensive rejuvenation. With this procedure you can remove a double chin and make your skin more toned and attractive.
• Endoscopic lift . Allows you to correct the shape of your face and get rid of wrinkles with a minimum of surgical interventions. The operation is carried out by making several small incisions at the level of hair growth. Through them, the plastic surgeon works with tissues;

PREPARATION FOR OPERATION

No later than 14 days before surgery, the following tests must be taken:

• Complete blood count (erythrocytes, hemoglobin, leukocytes, platelets, ESR)
• Biochemical blood test (AST, ALT, total and direct bilirubin, creatinine, urea, total protein, glucose, electrolytes)
• Coagulogram (aPTT, INR, thrombin time)
• Blood group, Rh factor
• Blood for HIV, HBS, HCV, RW (valid for 3 months)
• General urine analysis
• Electrocardiogram
• Ultrasound of the mammary glands (for mammoplasty) (valid for 2 months)

You can find out more about how to prepare for surgery in the recommendations section.

PREPARATION

A consultation with a plastic surgeon is carried out in advance (it can be remote if you do not live in Belarus). Usually the doctor asks to send medical documents and the results of recent examinations by email to make sure there are no contraindications. The doctor recommends certain measures that will help you effectively prepare for surgery and easily endure it. General recommendations are to stop taking medications (if this does not threaten your health, these issues are discussed individually with your doctor), alcohol and smoking, and reduce the amount of food consumed.

Leave a request +375 29 936-03-03

HOW IS THE FACIAL SKIN TIGHTENING SURGERY PERFORMED?

The operation lasts on average 3-4 hours and is performed under general anesthesia. The length of the skin incisions is individual and depends on the severity of facial changes. Depending on the objectives, the following facelift options are distinguished:

• Upper face lift – this type of lift involves lifting the temporal region, forehead and eyebrow line, access is made through incisions in the scalp.
• SMAS lifting – involves deep tightening of facial tissues, working with both the skin and the muscular aponeurotic frame of the face, thanks to which you can achieve impressive results in its rejuvenation. The incision is made in the temporal region of the scalp, then continues in front of the auricle, under the earlobe and goes into the postauricular region of the scalp. This allows for a wide skin detachment and a deep facelift.
• Mid-face lifting - this technique allows you to achieve a rejuvenating effect by changing and redistributing the volume of the middle part of the face: from the area of ​​the cheekbones and cheeks to the nasolabial fold. The access for this operation is through the edge of the lower eyelid, similar to lower blepharoplasty.
• Lifting the lower area of ​​the face - allows you to solve the problem of the unaesthetic appearance of the contour of the lower jaw, the appearance of “jowls”, flabby, sagging skin of the neck, double chin. Access is made through an incision behind the ear.

The operation can be performed using a conventional set of surgical instruments, as well as endoscopic techniques. The latter option is very popular, since the size of the cuts made in this case is much smaller. After the operation, the patient remains in the hospital hospital for 1-2 days.

Age changes your face in several ways at once.

• The system that regulates skin hydration becomes less active, so the skin's ability to straighten expression lines decreases and over time they become deeper.
• The production of elastin and collagen by skin cells is reduced, which worsens skin tone and leads to sagging.
• The tone of the facial muscles also becomes weaker every year, and this further aggravates the problems that have arisen: wrinkles become deeper, and the face “sags,” forming folds and creases in the most noticeable places: on the bridge of the nose, in the nasolabial triangle, in the paraorbital and peri-labial zones.
• Due to the redistribution of subcutaneous fat, the face may acquire an “old” appearance after 40 years. His “bulldog cheeks” and “frog chin” are especially detrimental.

As a result, a generally young woman, who has barely turned 45, looks much older than her years, which affects her pride, self-esteem, and, as a consequence, her overall mental and physical well-being.

REHABILITATION AFTER FACELIFT

The recovery period lasts 2-3 weeks. What you need to know:

1. The sutures are removed in stages: in front of the ear after 5-6 days, the rest - after 10 days. After surgery, patients usually have few bruises and they disappear within 2-3 weeks.
2. Pain after the operation is not very pronounced.
3. Patients may experience discomfort associated with the compression bandage. The next day after surgery, the drains will be removed and the bandage will be replaced.
4. There may be unpleasant sensations (numbness, tingling) in the area of ​​the suture line. This is due to skin tension. In 3-4 days everything will pass.
5. If healing progresses normally, bruising and swelling will disappear within 2-3 weeks.
6. During the month, the following are prohibited: hair coloring, visiting the sauna, solarium, swimming pool, physical activity, sunbathing.
7. After a month, to improve recovery processes, you can resort to lymphatic drainage massage.

Rehabilitation

For each type of operation, rehabilitation requirements are different. For example, after a facelift with threads, the patient can immediately go home.

But in the case of a circular facelift, you will have to stay in the hospital for at least three days. After this operation, the following unpleasant symptoms may appear:

• Bruising and swelling;
• Feeling of facial skin immobility.

To get rid of them, special ointments are used. In addition to them, painkillers are mandatory medications during the rehabilitation period. Since postoperative pain will haunt the patient for 2-3 days, ketonal or analgin are prescribed.

After leaving the hospital, it is not recommended to engage in heavy physical work and visit baths and saunas. All this can cause unwanted complications. During the rehabilitation period, wearing a compression bandage is mandatory.

CONTRAINDICATIONS

1. Acute chronic diseases in the acute stage
2. Malignant tumors
3. Dermatological diseases
4. Diabetes mellitus in the stage of decompensation

PRICES FOR FACE LIFT

Vladimir Aleksandrovich Kosinets conducts consultations in Minsk and Vitebsk. You can make an appointment by phone +375 25 902 19 44.

WHAT RESULTS TO EXPECT

Rehabilitation involves strict adherence to the doctor’s recommendations. In addition to dressings (if necessary), you need to carefully care for your skin and follow nutritional recommendations. It is necessary to exclude smoking and alcohol, excess sweet and salty foods to prevent rashes and swelling. The final results will appear after six months. The effect of the procedure lasts 10-15 or more years - depending on individual characteristics, a person looks 5-15 years younger than he would have looked without the operation.

Performing an endoscopic lift

Endoscopic facelift is performed under general anesthesia. A dotted marking is applied to the patient’s face indicating the locations of future micro-incisions. It is through these incisions that an endoscope is inserted into the skin and lowered under the periosteum. Through similar miniature incisions, all the instruments necessary for manipulation are inserted under the surface of the skin.

If the operation is performed on the forehead, the tight ligaments (attached to the edge of the eye sockets) and the muscles above the bridge of the nose are separated. It is these ligaments with muscles that form vertical wrinkles on the patient’s face. Weakened tissues are easier to move in the desired direction.

The operation, performed on the middle facial part, involves the redistribution of fat packets. The goal is to correct the oval of the face, increase the area of ​​the cheekbones, smooth out deep folds in the nasolabial area. Endoscopic facelift is sometimes combined with blepharoplasty or other plastic surgery.

After performing internal actions, the result of plastic surgery must be consolidated. The tightened tissues are fixed with microscopic screws. If plastic surgery is performed on the frontal part, then the screws are screwed into the frontal bone. Manipulations on the middle third of the facial zone are accompanied by attachment to the temporal fascia. After completing these steps, a special drainage is installed, which is removed after 24-30 hours.

To close skin incisions I use cosmetic sutures or titanium staples. A thick medical bandage is applied to the surface of the operated face.

Indications and contraindications for endoscopic plastic surgery

The final decision on the advisability of a facelift is made jointly by the patient and the plastic surgeon after a comprehensive examination of the former. Indications for plastic surgery using an endoscope are the following defects in appearance:

• eyebrows hanging over the eyes;
• a constantly gloomy expression on the face;
• wrinkles lying deep between the eyebrows;
• wrinkles cutting the forehead horizontally;
• the need for a secondary lift of the middle and upper parts of the face;
• congenital facial defects.

Endoscopic lifting also has its contraindications:

1. the presence of severe somatic illnesses;
2. acute phase of chronic diseases;
3. inflammation on the face;
4. menstruation (in relation to the weaker sex);
5. poor blood clotting.

Smoking is a cause of postoperative thrombosis, so it is better to give up tobacco in advance - a couple of weeks before the intervention. Some medications may cause undesirable effects - bleeding, for example.