When you look in the mirror, you want to see a face that reflects how you feel and see yourself. Aging, genetics, lifestyle, and environmental factors can interfere with the real you shine through. Facelift surgery, performed by your trusted Cincinnati plastic surgeon, Dr. Donna Krummen, can bring your inner beauty to the forefront.
What Is A Facelift?
Facelift, or rhytidectomy, surgically rejuvenates the face by repositioning mid-facial tissue over bony structures. This procedure addresses many of the common complaints that men and women face due to aging, including:
- Jowls, or sagging along the jawline.
- An overall appearance of sagging from the cheeks to the neck.
- Deep lines and creases around the nose and mouth.
- Loose skin beneath the chin, resulting in a double-chin appearance.
A facelift is a restorative procedure for facial rejuvenation. You still look like you; there are no changes to the fundamental appearance of your face.
What Are The Benefits Of A Facelift?
No one likes to see the signs of aging on their face. But it’s inevitable, especially considering our facial skin is always exposed to the elements, the hot and cold of Cincinnati’s seasons, and the ever-present sun. That explains why the facelift was one of the original plastic surgery procedures, first performed was back in 1916.
Much of this is unavoidable due to the decline in collagen that is a part of normal aging. Our bodies produce one additional percentage point less collagen every year after our 20th birthday. Since collagen is the protein in the body that provides the structural framework that supports our skin and keeps it firm, this allows the skin to sag and form lines and creases. Gravity and heredity play a role.
The result is the formation of deep creases beside the mouth, hanging jowls, sunken cheeks, loose skin and fat deposits on the neck, and an overall loose, saggy look.
A facelift with Dr. Krummen can reverse much of these changes in our aging faces. These procedures firm the skin, remove creases, elevate sagging muscles, and generally take a decade or so off of your facial age. Facelifts can boost your self-confidence that has been tagging along with your sagging facial countenance.
Candidates For Facelift Surgery
One of the most significant factors in successful cosmetic surgery is having realistic expectations. Facelift surgery is the gold standard of facial rejuvenation due to the degree of lift that we can achieve with this technique versus non-surgical treatments. In addition to having a positive outlook on general appearance prior to surgery, ideal candidates are non-smokers who are in good health.
What Concerns Can A Facelift Fix?
A facelift, contrary to popular belief, does not rejuvenate the entire face. A facelift actually improves the appearance of the lower half of the face, including the lower and middle areas of the face, as well as the neck. Facelifts are most effective for treating:
- Mid-face sagging
- Jowls
- Sagging facial fat
- Loose skin and fat around the chin and jaw
- Deep eye crease
- Nasolabial folds
If you are experiencing any of these signs of aging and are unhappy with your appearance, contact Dr. Krummen for a consultation today.
How To Prepare For Your Facelift Surgery
As with any surgery, you’ll stop taking anti-inflammatory medications, aspirin, blood thinners, and most herbal supplements for at least one week before your surgery with Dr. Krummen. We’ll instruct you on eating and drinking timeframes depending upon your surgery time.
Preparation should be for your recovery. While this surgery doesn’t impact your full body, facelift recovery isn’t a cakewalk. The first few days, in particular, are difficult. Because of that, you want to prepare a recovery nest that is comfortable, cozy, and enables you to restfully. Fill your pain medication prescription before your surgery and take care of any other errands you need to do beforehand. You’ll want to elicit help with anything around the house you need to do for at least a week, preferably two.
The Facelift Procedure
These procedures have been around for over a century, but over the last 20 years, they have really changed. Today, Dr. Krummen looks to elevate the support musculature and tissues to achieve natural-looking results. This is a welcome departure from the former focus on stretching and excising skin. The goal with these procedures is for the patient to have completely natural-looking, rejuvenated results, not the drawn artificial look of failed surgeries. She uses different incision lengths and locations, depending on the patient’s individual needs. These are some descriptions of basic options, although Dr. Krummen adjusts each procedure to the patient.
- Traditional facelift — This is the “full” facelift for rejuvenating the face, jowls, and neck. A full facelift involves lifting and repositioning the muscles and deeper tissues and removing certain attachments. Fat is sculpted (Dr. Krummen avoids removing too much fat to avoid creating a “hollow” look). Excess skin is trimmed and then re-draped. The incisions with a traditional lift start at the temples, run downward in front of the ear, wrap around the earlobe, and terminate in the hairline of the lower scalp. If the patient has particular issues in the neck area, a second incision is made under the chin to lift, tighten, and trim excess skin on the upper neck.
- Limited-incision facelift — The goals of this facelift aren’t as widespread, instead of providing limited rejuvenation around the eyes and mouth, including nasolabial folds and other deep creases. Shorter incisions are made at the temples, around the ears, and if needed, in the lower eyelids and/or under the upper lip.
- Mid-face lift — As the name implies, this lift focuses on the mid-face, lifting the cheeks and removing lines. Mid-face lifts (also called mini facelifts) have become the most performed option for facelift surgeries today. Mid-face lifts can reduce puffiness under the eyes, correct nasolabial folds, and improve the cheeks. Incisions are small, usually in the lower eyelids or mouth.
- Neck lift — While not technically a “facelift,” neck lifts are often part of these procedures. After all, who wants a renewed face, only to have a sagging neck full of neck banding? The neck lift concentrates on jowls and fat under the chin. The incision is made around the earlobe and behind the ear to the lower scalp. An incision can also be made under the chin.
These procedures have been around for over a century, but over the last 20 years, they have really changed. Today, Dr. Krummen looks to elevate the support musculature and tissues to achieve natural-looking results. This is a welcome departure from the former focus on stretching and excising skin. The goal with these procedures is for the patient to have completely natural-looking, rejuvenated results, not the drawn artificial look of failed surgeries. She uses different incision lengths and locations, depending on the patient’s individual needs. These are some descriptions of basic options, although Dr. Krummen adjusts each procedure to the patient.
How Long Does Facelift Surgery Take?
Dr. Krummen uses a variety of different techniques for her facelift surgeries. Some are much more involved than others. Because of that, these surgeries can take anywhere from two to four hours.
Results Of Facelift Surgery
All things considered, scarring is a normal byproduct of surgical incisions. Facelift incisions are in discrete areas within the hairline in order to minimize the chances of visible scars. If Dr. Krummen also performs a neck lift, she may make incisions around the ears, which could result in minor scarring.
How Long Will My Results From A Facelift Last?
The changes made by Dr. Krummen are permanent. She will remove excess drooping skin, she’ll anchor muscles to bring the tissues back up and eliminate sagging, and she’ll remove or reposition fat. These changes will last forever. Of course, that doesn’t mean the aging process won’t continue. But any future signs of aging will begin from a much younger starting point. To keep up with aging, many of Dr. Krummen’s patients come back in for a minor touch-up procedure in five to 10 years just to update their results.
What Our Patients Have To Say
"I was so scared to take this step in my life, I mean it was major surgery. From the first consultation appointment to my appointments now for follow-ups, Dr. Krummen has shown me nothing but compassion. She truly cares and listens to you about any concerns and gives you nothing but honesty. She truly is an angel. I’m so grateful I chose her to help me and I would recommend her with 100% certainty she would be loved by them as well. Lori and Tina are amazing too. This has been an incredible journey and grateful for everything Dr. Krummen has done for me!"
Facelift Recovery
Patients who undergo outpatient facelift surgery are monitored in the surgical center for a short time as the anesthesia wears off. The remainder of the recovery takes place in the comfort of home. Patients can expect swelling and bruising to diminish gradually over a 14-day period. However, swelling typically subsides continually over several months.
As this occurs, the sensation of tightness that is noticeable after facelift surgery decreases, and the texture of the skin returns to a more normal state.
Soreness is a common sensation during the first week or two after facelift surgery. Most patients do not complain of substantial pain. However, Dr. Krummen may prescribe pain medication to the patient prior to surgery to ensure a comfortable recovery.
Can Other Procedures Be Combined With A Facelift?
Facelift surgery targets tissue from the midface to the jawline. By re-draping mid-facial muscle and connective tissue higher and tauter across the cheekbones, a facelift can reduce or eliminate the appearance of jowls. Excessive sagging and wrinkling of the neck may be corrected by adding a neck lift to the facelift procedure. The following procedures may also be performed simultaneously with facelift surgery:
- Eyelid lift
- Brow lift
- Forehead lift
What Is A Neck Lift?
When the neck area doesn’t match the upper facial appearance, a neck lift may be a good solution. Excess wrinkling of the neck skin causes a “turkey neck” or double chin, and jowl lines to become more prominent. A lower rhytidectomy, or neck lift, is a surgical procedure to remove the excess skin and fat-causing relaxation in the lower face as well as the loose skin in the neck. Don’t let your neck be the giveaway of your age, or even add years to your appearance. At your consultation, Dr. Krummen will address your personal goals, your health history, as well as everything you can expect during surgery and recovery afterward.
Dermal Fillers Vs. Facelift
The advantage of surgical lifting versus dermal fillers and other non-surgical treatments is longevity. Dermal fillers reduce the appearance of wrinkles and can add volume to the mid-face, for 6 months to two years. Results are dependent on genetics, lifestyle, and the product that we use to rejuvenate the face.
How Soon You Can Resume Normal Activities After Your Rhytidectomy
Many normal activities, such as showering and casual walking, can be resumed within 2 to 3 days following facelift surgery. Due to swelling and bruising, a patient may not wish to present him or herself at work or in public for a few weeks. As social and professional engagement return, sun protection is a vital aspect of supporting optimal recovery. As a matter of fact, patients can resume exercise and lift gradually after several weeks, with more strenuous physical activity returning very slowly.
Are The Results Of Facelift Surgery Permanent?
While a facelift is successful in reducing and even removing signs of aging, these signs will gradually reappear over time. Some patients choose to undergo a secondary facelift five to ten years after their initial procedure. However, some would say that the effects are permanent indeed. The face continues to look better and more youthful years after the facelift than it would have had the surgery not been performed.
Are Facelifts Painful?
Facelift recovery isn’t usually described as acute pain; it is more soreness due to the tissue repositioning made by Dr. Krummen. The incisions she makes are not overly long. While not painful, facelift recovery does demand patience, as bruising can be extensive initially, and swelling can come and go, in some patients, for up to six months.
Are Facelifts Safe? What Are The Risks Involved?
As mentioned above, facelift surgery has been performed for over a century, a testament to its results…and its inherent safety. Still, this is major surgery, so it includes all the risks inherent: excessive bleeding, infection, poor wound healing, and the like. But there are some specific potential side effects with these particular procedures:
- Injury to the nerves that control facial muscles (usually temporary)
- Numbness or tingling around the incision areas (temporary)
- Hair loss at the incision sites
- Skin discoloration (rare but can continue for several months)
- Skin healing issues (more common with smokers)
Dr. Krummen is a board-certified plastic surgeon who has been in private practice for over two decades. Her training, experience, and expertise ensure you’ll achieve the best results with your facelift.
How Much Does A Facelift Cost?
Dr. Krummen treats each facelift procedure as completely unique to the patient. From a mini facelift to a mid-facelift to a full facelift, there is great variation in the methods she employs. This also makes a variation in the cost of your procedure.
During your consultation, once Dr. Krummen hears from you what you’d like to address and after she examines your facial aging, she will be able to explain the procedure she feels will fit your needs. This will include an estimate of the cost.
Consult With Dr. Krummen For Your Facelift!
If you would like to learn more about the facelift procedure, please be sure to schedule a personalized consultation with Dr. Donna Krummen. Contact our Cincinnati office by calling 513.985.0850 or by clicking here to send us an Appointment Request Form. Our practice serves Cincinnati and the surrounding areas of Ohio, and we look forward to meeting you!
