Facelift surgery or Rhytidectomy is mainly performed on sagging skin of aged persons. In young age, facial skin remains tight and glowing due to plenty of water and collagen in skin. As age progresses ,water and collagen contents are diminished , moreover skin laxes due to loss of facial fat and relaxation of ligaments which are responsible for lifting facial soft tissue in position and drooping of malar pad of fat.
As a consequence the shape of face changes from heart shape to square shape. Lot of wrinkles appear and folds become deepened. Initially wrinkles get corrected by injection of botox and skin is tightened by collagen and other with fillers. But in advanced case face is rejuvenated by facelift surgery or rhytidectomy may be alongwith fat injection.
Facelift surgery is targeted towards facial and neck skin where incision is made in front , around and behind the ear where excess skin is excised out .Proper dissection is made with special precaution to facial nerve injury either above or underneath SMAS .
Complications varies from minor to devastating like haematoma, ecchymosis, edema, skin loss, slough, facial nerve injury and so on. Treatment of complications are mostly conservative except facial nerve injury when identified during operation should be repaired immediately.
Rhytidectomy gives a new look to the patient and patient feels better with youthful face. Surgery is done under general anaesthesia with one or two days nursing home stay with any uneventful recovery. Drain is removed immediately after next day of operation and stitches are out after 5 days. Scar remains inconspicuous with hidden by hair line. Edema subsides within 2 weeks and haemorrhage fades away within 3 wks.Patient can join social gatherings just after one month with confident and cheerful look.
Check the video of this Facelift Surgery in Kolkata here, performed by Dr. Jayanta Kumar Saha, a renowned plastic surgeon in Kolkata.