Facelift Surgery UK

Facelift Surgery – Rhytidectomy in London United Kingdom by Mr Mark Gittos Plastic Surgeon

What is a Facelift?

A Facelift, medically known as Rhytidectomy, is a facial rejuvenation surgical procedure that helps to correct the signs of ageing of the face and neck. A Face lift can help improve loose or sagging skin, lines, wrinkles, folds and jowls that often appear around the lower face.

The Facial Surgery procedure helps to lift and firm sagging facial tissues to restore a more naturally youthful facial appearance. It is often said that having a facelift works to ‘turn back the clock’, helping you to look more like a younger version of yourself.

Watch Mr Gittos explain Facelift Surgery

Why have a Facelift?

With age, the skin loses its elasticity and muscles tend to slacken. Wrinkles begin to develop, particularly around the eyes and mouth and sag develops around the mouth, neck, jawline eyelids and eyebrows. Smoking, genetics, lifestyle, exposure to the sun and weight loss can all contribute.

The facelift is a tried and tested way to rejuvenate your facial appearance and usually works best on the lower face and upper neck. You can choose to combine a facelift with other procedures – concentrating on the eyelids or brow for example – and also on non-surgical treatments such as reducing fine wrinkles.

Am I a Good Candidate for a Facelift?

• Are you tired of looking in the mirror and being confronted by how much you’ve aged?
• Do you now have sagging jowls or an aged appearance to your jawline, lower face and neck?
• Do you wish you could turn back the clock a little to regain a firmer, younger facial appearance?
• Are you mistaken for being much older than you really are?
• Do you feel less visible in society as your face has started to show its age?
• Have you declined social invitations or become self-conscious when going out?

Some of the reasons you may be exploring your facial rejuvenation surgical options are:

• You have unwanted loose, sagging, or excess skin on the mid and lower face as well as the upper neck.
• You have a constant tired or worried look, even though you’re well-rested, and would like to rejuvenate your appearance to better express how you feel inside.
• You have jowls around the lower areas of your face that can often make you look heavier than you actually are.
• You would like to reduce deep lines and/or wrinkled skin around your mouth, chin or jawline that cause your face to look severely aged.
• You have sagging lower jowls or loose skin around the sides of your chin and your jawline that causes your jawline to blend into your neck.

What are the Benefits of having a Facelift?

To help reverse the obvious signs of ageing, a facelift procedure can help to:

• Reduce excess, sagging skin along the jaw and jowls
• Restore a more defined jawline
• Tighten up the face for a firmer facial appearance
• Decrease the lines around your lower jowls, chin and lips
• Lift and tighten the deep facial muscles to refresh your facial appearance

About the Facelift Surgery Procedure

There are so many different types of facelift – it’s a complex area, with new developments emerging all the time. In essence the skin and deeper muscle layer-the SMAS layer- is elevated and redraped to reverse the appearance of aging.

In younger and less advanced cases the Mini Face Lift may give a highly favourable result via a very short incision. We’ll be able to advise and guide you towards an individual solution.

The exact technique used during a facelift depends on a number of factors, including your facial anatomy, the extent of the facelift, and whether or not another procedure is being performed at the same time. Depending on the particular surgical approach for a facelift, a local anaesthetic or a general anaesthetic will be administered for your comfort during your surgical procedure.

Most people stay in hospital for one or two days afterwards. The time taken to complete your procedure will depend on the surgical approach used your Specialist Plastic Surgeon. Typically, Facelift Surgery will take between 2-4 hours.

Download Mr Mark Gittos’ Guide to Facial Rejuvenation Surgery – Surgical and Non Surgical Anti-Ageing

Facelift Before and After Photos

Visit the London clinic to see actual patient before and after photos of Facelift surgery performed at our London Clinic by Mr Mark Gittos our Specialist Plastic Surgeon.

Complication and Risks of Facial Rejuvenation Surgery

It is important to remember, this surgery cannot perform miracles. And it is a serious surgery so there are certainly risks to consider. That noted, it can help provide an improved quality of life in those areas of life that were compromised by your concerns about excess or sagging skin, and deep line and wrinkles on your face.

Facelift surgery incurs risks and complications like all invasive surgery. Your Surgeon will make you aware of potential complications during your consultation. Like general anaesthesia, bleeding (Haematoma), infection, wound healing, deep vein thrombosis, scarring and numbness. Always stay informed and healthy, do not smoke before or after your procedure and read and understand your risks.

Recovery After Facelift Surgery

Your face is a sensitive area and this is quite an intricate operation, so recovery will take a while as you would expect. Swelling and a mild ache are natural and can easily be relieved with prescribed painkillers. You may also experience some numbness in the cheeks and around the ears but this tends to disappear in a few weeks.

You should be OK to get on with your work and social life after a couple of weeks, but you should avoid strenuous activity and sudden head movement for at least six weeks. We would also recommend that you don’t have any massage treatment or saunas during this period.

The length of your recovery period will depend on your specific procedure and other health & lifestyle factors. Recovery times can vary significantly from person to person. The general rule, however, is that you should allow 2-4 weeks for initial recovery following your surgery. Scar maturation can take up to a year.

You will need to work with your Surgeon to allow for adequate and proper healing time. It is important to consult with your Surgeon before returning to daily activities such as driving, lifting and exercise.

It is also important to wear the post-operative compression garments throughout your recovery period for the designated time frames. Your surgeon will provide advice on support garments and how to wear them.

Good results depend on a collaborative approach and a healthy lifestyle. You will need to be willing to follow the specific instructions given to you by your Surgeon and attend all post-operative appointments.

Maintaining Your Facelift Results

Please keep in mind that your results from Facelift surgery or Non-Surgical Facial Rejuvenation may be impacted by fluctuations in your skin health or weight, as well as the effects of gravity and the natural process of ageing as well as climate and environment.

Although a Facelift will help to rejuvenate and refresh your facial appearance, it does not stop the process of ageing. To maximise the longevity of your Facelift surgery results, it is important to maintain a healthy diet and lifestyle. We also recommend following a regular, high-quality, anti-ageing skincare regime.

How much does a Facelift cost in London?

Average Facelift surgery prices in London, United Kingdom vary depending on who you choose and what approach they believe will suit you best. A Specialist Plastic Surgeon may start from $20,000 for a comparatively minor procedure to $40,000+ for a fuller facial rejuvenation approach. So it depends on what procedure you’re having and if you’re combining surgery (such as an Eyelid lift and facelift, or a lower facelift with a chin augmentation).

The qualifications and expertise of the Surgeon performing your operation also count. Your selected Facelift Surgery Surgeon can offer you a price range for your surgery depending on the type of procedure, hospital and how long you are in hospital.

After your consultation in the London clinic you will be given a detailed quote for your chosen procedure. This will include a Surgeon’s fee, Anaesthetist fee, Surgical Assistant fee and the hospital fees.