While non-surgical procedures such as injectables and lasers can certainly revitalize the face, no procedure will turn back the clock like a facelift. It allows the surgeon to take a fully comprehensive approach to your facial aging. A facelift is hands down the “gold standard” for facial rejuvenation.
Dr. Helen Allison performs both traditional and short-scar facelifts using the SMAS (submuscular aponeurotic system) technique. In the past, the downside of facelift surgery was that it could make a patient looked pulled or “done.” The SMAS – a thin layer of connective tissue or fascia located beneath the skin and fat but above the muscle – interconnects the face, mid-face, and neck muscles.
By working at this deep level, there is no pulling on the skin. Instead, the skin is re-draped over your newly tightened muscles. When this technique is used by a very experienced surgeon such as Dr. Allison, it can deliver a truly natural-looking result for both men and women.
A facelift is performed under general anesthesia at an accredited surgery center.
Some patients may desire to stay overnight under a nurse’s supervision, while others may choose to go home with a caregiver such as a family member. You will need some help for the first few days. Dr. Helen Allison advises his patients to be extremely careful about lifting or exercise that will significantly elevate the heart rate or blood pressure during their first few weeks post-op.
You will be examined the morning following surgery, and we will assess your skin and soft tissues and remove any drains. You will come back in seven to ten days to have stitches removed.
It is normal to experience some bruising and swelling in the first stages of recovery. The swelling tends to reach its peak about three or four days following surgery, so be patient and kind to yourself as your body heals. Depending on how many procedures you had done, you may be swollen anywhere from one to four weeks. While your final results may take up to six months, you should notice excellent improvements in about two weeks
For most facelift patients, the incisions will be placed in the hairline and around the ear. However, with a short scar facelift, there are no incisions behind the ear. The advantage of this is that it, as the name implies, produces a shorter scar. While this sounds ideal, it does not necessarily mean a less visible scar. The disadvantage is that it only works for certain patients who can not address the neck.
Dr. Helen Allison is sensitive that no patient wants a visible scar; this is where her experience and years of training really come into play. She is meticulous in the making and closing of his incisions, creating well-hidden facelift scars.