Face Lift for Men

Surgical/Procedure name:
Rhytidectomy

Common name:
Face Lift, Mid Face Lift

Introduction

Face lift procedures designed for men can be an effective way to minimize unwanted effects produced by age, stress, and exposure to the sun. Although the results achieved with male face lift surgery are similar to those enjoyed by women, there are differences in approach that potential patients should be aware of.

Candidates for Male Face Lift Surgery

Generally, men who are healthy but would like to enhance their appearance make good candidates for a male face lift. The procedure is specifically designed to minimize the effects of time commonly faced by men. These include sagging in the cheeks and around the neck and jawline, which contributes to a heavy, congested look most men find undesirable. However, it is important to have a realistic notion of what to expect from a face lift. Men wishing to control such problems should therefore speak to one of the male face lift specialists in their area before deciding on surgery.

The Male Face Lift Approach

The goals of a male face lift are generally the same as those of a conventional face lift for women. In both, a younger and more energetic appearance is sought by the patient. The overall strategy for achieving these results is also similar, involving the removal of facial fat and excess skin, along with the careful remodeling of distorted muscles and tissue below the facial surface. However, a face lift for men does involve the use of certain techniques to optimize the aesthetic outcome for male patients.

Perhaps the key difference concerns the incisions made during surgery. Because men tend to wear their hair shorter than women, hiding potential scars after a male face lift can be more difficult. This often allows for less flexibility in terms of where incisions can be made. However, they are always placed as inconspicuously as possible, often along the natural crease where the ear meets the side of the face, around the earlobe, and into the lower scalp area under the hair.

Benefits and Risks of Face Lift Surgery for Men

The results of a successful face lift can make men feel younger and more handsome than they have in years. Naturally, looking and feeling better often leads to increased confidence and a positive change in attitude others will notice. However, like all surgery, male face lift procedures do involve an element of risk. Although rare, risks include visible scarring, nerve damage, and limited facial paralysis. Because men possess more blood cells in their face than women, there is also a greater possibility that they will experience blood clotting after surgery.

Questions and Answers

What are some of the most common benefits of facelift surgery?

While this procedure cannot stop the aging process, it can often make a person appear to be a decade younger than his/her actual age. Facelifts are one of the most commonly performed plastic surgery procedures.

What will happen at the initial consultation?

During the consultation, you and your surgeon will discuss the changes that you would like to make in your appearance. He/she will explain the different options available to you, the procedure itself, and its risks and limitations. He/she will also explain the kind of anesthesia required, surgical facility, and costs associated with the procedure. Your surgeon will begin with a complete medical history and examination.

How is a face lift performed?

The incision for your facelift usually begins in the hairline near the temple and continues in front of the ear, around the ear lobe, behind the ear and into the hair. The muscles and sagging tissue are tightened, excess skin is removed, and the remaining skin is repositioned to create a more youthful look. The surgeon will close the incision with stitches, or with metal clips on the scalp. If the neck needs lifting, a small incision may be made under the chin. However, because no two patients are alike, every procedure is personalized to meet his/her needs.

How long does the surgery take?

A facelift takes an average of two to three hours and can be performed using general anesthetic.

Will I need to stay in a hospital?

Yes. You will need to spend at least 1 night under the care of the hospital that performs the surgery.

How much pain will I experience?

Minimal facelifts can be performed quickly and with little risk, but the degree of correction achieved by these lifts is also less. More extensive techniques can give better correction of the aging changes in the face, but in exchange for greater operating time, more risk, longer swelling, slower recovery, and greater cost. Make sure that you discuss your goals, budget, and risk tolerance with your surgeon to decide on the plan that is best for you.

What is the recovery period like?

Patients usually feel and look okay surprisingly quickly after a facelift. Despite the fact that it is a large operation, there is usually very little pain. Swelling disappears within a few days, and bruises are usually gone by two weeks. Patients generally feel a sense of tightness and numbness that should gradually subside within several weeks. It is important to follow a careful plan on return to strenuous activity in order to avoid tension on the wound (which could lead to worse scarring). The scars will remain pink for a few months before maturing to less visible white scars, which can be hidden with makeup. Furthermore, the scars are often hidden within your hair and in the normal creases of your skin.

What is the long-term outcome like for most people?

After recovery, patients can expect a more rested and often youthful appearance. Although a face lift can last for many years, patients continue to age. Therefore, it is impossible to predict how long it might be before an individual would consider a second lift. Some believe that a facelift also helps prevent the skin from sagging again by holding it tighter to the face.

The results of a facelift are different for each person. The people who look best after a facelift are those who looked the best before the procedure. Some people have one facelift in a lifetime, while others have a second surgery 7 to 15 years later.

Am I a suitable candidate for Face Lift Surgery?

In general, the best candidates for facelift are:

People with good facial skin elasticity

In good physical health

Psychologically stable

Non-smokers

Wanting to improve the appearance of their face and neck

Well informed in regard to the procedure's outcome

Having realistic expectations

What are the Risks and limitations?

A facelift is a surgical procedure, subject to all of the usual problems that accompany surgery. Bleeding from the cut tissues, leading to bruising and possible accumulations of blood under the skin, are unavoidable in any surgery. It is a tribute to the great skill of today's surgeons that these problems are usually kept to a minimum. Infection can also occur any time the skin is cut, but again this is uncommon.

In order to minimize these risks, it is important that you follow all of your surgeon's instructions, both before and after surgery.

Keep in mind that a facelift may improve but not eliminate the wrinkles and lines on your face. Your surgeon may recommend chemical or laser resurfacing to help smooth the laugh lines between your nose and the corners of your mouth, the small vertical wrinkles around your lips, or fine wrinkles over your entire face. Your surgeon may also recommend injections of collagen or Botox for deep creases in your forehead or frown lines between your eyebrows. Signs of aging around the eyes, such as excess folds of eyelid skin, pockets of fat below the eyes and fine wrinkling of the eyelid skin can be improved with upper eyelid blepharoplasty or lower eyelid blepharoplasty (eyelid surgeries) which can be performed at the same time as the facelift.