Rhytidectomy, also known as rhytidoplasty or more commonly as a facelift, is the surgical procedure to reduce sagging and wrinkling face and neck skin. Facelifts are performed by removing excess fat, redraping the skin of the face and neck, and/or tightening the underlying muscles. To further resolve the effects of aging, facelift surgery is often performed in conjunction with other procedures, such as a forehead lift, rhinoplasty, or eyelid surgery.

While procedures and techniques will vary from patient to patient and among surgeons, you can generally expect the following:Facelift surgery generally takes between two and four hours, though it may take longer when combined with other procedures and more extensive procedures may require two separate sessions. Facelift surgery can be performed in an office, surgical center, or hospital. The procedure is most typically done on an outpatient basis while the patient is under some combination of local anesthesia, mild sedative, and/or mild intravenous anesthesia, though some surgeons may choose to hospitalize patients for a night or more, particularly when using general anesthesia or performing the procedure on patients with conditions requiring additional post-operative care.

Incisions are typically situated within the hairline and passing in front of and behind the ears. Sagging muscles may be tightened and fatty deposits removed before the skin is lifted up, the excess removed, and then sutured into place. A dressing is usually applied following surgery to protect the entire area where the incisions have been made. This usually includes a loose wrapping around the head which can minimize swelling and bruising. In order to drain any blood that can form and collect, a small tube may be temporarily placed beneath the skin behind the ear.

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