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. Facelifts can be performed in conjunction with other procedures to further resolve the effects of aging, including forehead lifts, rhinoplasty, or eyelid surgery.

Depending upon each patient and each surgeon, procedures and techniques will vary greatly, but on the whole you can expect the following:facelift procedures typically take between two and four hours, though more extensive or multiple procedures may take longer or even require two separate sessions. The surgery can take place in a surgical center, hospital or office. 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 most typically placed within in 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 may include wrapping the head loosely in bandages, which helps to minimize bruising and swelling. 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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