Monday, August 11, 2008

Rhytidectomy: is Face Lift for me?


Artificial Beauty.
That is the new term for those individuals whose "beauty" was achieved under the operating table. With so many people trying to regain the beauty of their youth, Face Lifts became as popular as ever. But, is it worth the risk? is it really for you?


Please note that the following are just information gathered about Face Lift or Rhytidectomy.
Do not rely solely on this article if you plan to have a face lift done. Every individual is unique, hence the effect of this procedure on you may vary. It is always best to consult your Physician personally before doing any medical decisions.


Why Face Lift?
Face-lifts attempts to eliminate wrinkles and tightens sagging skin to make an older face look younger.

What is a Rhytidectomy?
Rhytidectomy is the medical term which is commonly called a Face Lift. This procedure is said to be the most extensive means of achieving a younger looking skin by reducing the appearance of wrinkles and the most hated sagging facial skin.
Literally speaking, the skin is lifted off the face in order to tighten and reposition the facial skin smoothly.

No Pains, No Gains?
I have not undergone a rhytidectomy, so i cannot personally say how much pain you will experience. However, during Rhytidectomy, you will be given either a sedative or a general anesthesia, and a local anesthesia. The surgeon will then make an incision from your temple and around the ear. Your skin will be raised, muscle and tissue is tightened. Then it will be redraped and sutured.

Surgery Scars?
the incision made by the surgeon is usually on the hairline or in a place that tends to naturally crease so it won't be obvious that you have had your surgery.

Will I be confined in the hospital?
The surgery usually takes several hours. You may be able to go home that day, but people sometimes spend one night in the hospital.

After Surgery: What Now?
You will have a bandaged face which you will have to bear for a couple of days (more or less). The stitches will be removed in a week or so. You may experience pain after surgery, so you may expect that your doctor will prescribe pain killers (analgesics) for you.
You may experince some swelling and bruising of your facial area, in which case a cold compress may be helpful. Do not apply cold compresses directly on your skin for a prolonged time! (rebound phenomenon may occur). Keep your head elevated and avoid too much activities which involves head movements. Your face will feel and appear a bit strange to you, which is normal, and you should be prepared for this in the first place.

What to Avoid Post-Operatively
Do not smoke! Do not expose yourself to tobacco smoke after surgery up to a month or so. Otherwise, there is an increased risk for skin tissue death, hence a delay in the healing process and the scarring would be worse. Most people can return to their normal activities 2 to 3 weeks after a face-lift.

Is it Really Effective?
It cannot remove all facial wrinkles around the eyes, below the nose, and around the lips.
The effectiveness and safety of your face-lift surgery depends heavily upon the skill of your surgeon. So make sure you pick a good and qualified surgeon for the job. you have just one face, so better take care of it.

The Risks
Like in any other surgical procedure, make sure that you know fully well all the risks involved before subjecting yourself to any procedure. Problems that may be caused by having a face-lift include:

Reactions to the anesthesia.
Bleeding under the skin.
Infection.
Damage to the nerves that supply the muscles of the face. This can cause paralysis or spasm in the face, but the effects are usually temporary.
Hair loss
Tissue loss.
Scarring.
Blood clots in large veins traveling up to the heart and lungs. However,this is not common.
As with all cosmetic procedures, there is also the risk that the results will not be what you expected.

Have a comprehensive talk with your physician first before signing any consents for surgery. Also, make sure your surgeon is well-skilled and well- qualified. Otherwise, you are doomed.

1 comment:

sharp mind said...

Some hard and true facts about scars. Scars occur when the thick layer of our skin (the dermis layer) is damaged. However, scars need not be permanent. Research has confirmed that the MOST EFFECTIVE way to reduce scar is actually applying CONCENTRATED Vitamin E to the skin to increase collagen and nourish the skin.

Using other methods eg. Chemicals, surgery and others do not work. Those may seem faster BUT short term solutions with lots of side effects!!! Try and GET hold of some serum with very very high concentrated Vitamin E. Doesn't matter which brand as long as it contains natural Vitamin E. Most products will not have high Vitamin E because the ingredient is expensive.

If you need a suggestion, one product I tried recently that works is Natur E which you can find at www.scarremovaltreatment.net. Let me know if it does work for you.

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