Facelift: Cosmetic Surgery in Cincinnati, Ohio
Facelift surgery can improve many signs of aging in the lower third of the face and neck including loose or sagging excess skin, jawline, neckbands, and lines and wrinkles.
During the facelift procedure, Dr. Donath will remove excess fat, tighten underlying facial muscles, and re-draped excess skin to give your eyes a more youthful and refreshed appearance.
The result is a more youthful and rejuvenated appearance.
Do I Need a Facelift?
Individuals who are looking for cosmetic procedures to improve the appearance of loose skin, jowls, and lines and wrinkles along the lower third of the face and neck may be good candidates for a facelift.
As with all types of surgery, it’s important that patients be in good health and realistic in their expectations of the outcome. Patients should also understand the limitations of surgery. Face lift plastic surgery cannot stop the aging process or turn back the clock, but it can improve the overall facial skin appearance and help you to look your best.
During your consultation, Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon Dr. Donath will help you to decide if a facelift plastic surgery procedure is right for you.
He will consider factors such as skin type, ethnicity, individual healing, bone structure, and skin elasticity when determining if you are an appropriate candidate. If necessary, he may recommend additional procedures to help you achieve your desired look.
For instance, many patients will also receive facial liposuction in conjunction with the traditional facelift procedure. Others include neck lifts, eyelid surgery, or a mini facelift to improve multiple facial tissues of the skin at once.
Facial Rejuvenation Surgery — Procedure Summary
Individuals who are looking to improve the appearance of loose skin, jowls, lines, and wrinkles along the lower third of the face and neck may be good candidates for a facelift. As with all types of surgery, it’s important that patients be in good health and realistic in their expectations of the outcome.
| What is the pain level after surgery | Mild to moderate |
| Anesthesia Type (if applicable) | Twilight (IV Sedation) |
| Duration of Surgery | Approximately 2-4 hours |
| Where will scarring for this procedure be | Very well hidden around the ears and under the chin |
| Timeframe to begin showing final natural looking results | Typically 2-3 weeks |
| When is the patient able to return to regular activities | 1 week for most activites |
| When is the patient able to resume exercise | 2 weeks |
Before Your Facelift Surgery
The face-lift procedure is performed with a combination of mild sedatives, local anesthesia, and mild intravenous anesthesia. In some cases, general anesthesia may be used instead.
Prior to surgery, patients should arrange for family or friends to assist them during their recovery times.
During Your Facelift Surgery
Dr. Donath will begin the surgery by making the incision, which typically begins above the hairline at the temples, runs in front of and behind the ear, and ends behind the earlobe in the lower scalp.
If the neck requires work, an additional small incision may be made beneath the chin and there’s even a more neck-focused procedure known as a Neck Lift. For male patients, the incision will be located in such a way as to accommodate the natural beard lines.
Working through the incisions, the underlying muscle and connective tissue will be repositioned and tightened, some fat may be removed, and the excess skin will be trimmed.
The incisions will then be closed with fine sutures or metal clips and a dressing may be applied. While surgical times will vary, the facelift surgery may take anywhere from two to four hours to complete.
Facelift Before and After
*Each patient is unique and individual results may vary.
After Your Facelift Surgery
Dressings applied after surgery are usually removed within one to two days along with the drainage tubes, if used. Pain is generally minimal after the traditional facelift, but medication will likely be prescribed. The patients can expect some swelling and bruising and may also experience some numbness of the skin.
Stitches and staples are typically removed within five to ten days after the facelift. The resulting scars are usually well-concealed within the hairline and natural skin creases and they will continue to fade with time. Most patients can expect to be returning to work within two weeks after their traditional facelift procedure, though rigorous activities and sun exposure will be prohibited for several weeks.
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Facelift FAQs
A face-lift, also known as rhytidectomy, is a plastic surgery procedure designed to improve the appearance of the lower third of the face and neck in order to restore a more youthful and rejuvenated look. The face-lift can treat sagging skin, jowls, neck bands, and lines and wrinkles by removing excess fat, tightening underlying muscles, and re-draping the skin.
The face-lift is designed to treat the lower third of the face and neck and will not affect the appearance of the eyelids or the forehead and brow position.
If you are looking to improve sagging skin and wrinkles of the lower face, along with jowls and neck bands, and are physically healthy and realistic in your expectations, then a face-lift may be right for you.
Dr. Donath is happy to meet with you for a consultation to help you decide if the face-lift can best address your needs.
What happens at the consultation for a facelift?
During the consultation for a face-lift, Dr. Donath will meet with you to examine your face, discuss your goals, and take a thorough medical history. He will weigh other factors like skin type, ethnicity, individual healing, bone structure, and skin elasticity to help determine if a facelift is right for you.
Dr. Donath will explain the technique, the anesthesia, the surgical facility, the risks, and the costs, and he will address any questions or concerns that you may have. He may recommend additional procedures, such as facial liposuction or skin resurfacing.
The facelift may be performed with a combination of anesthetics which may include mild sedatives, local anesthesia, and mild intravenous anesthesia. General anesthesia is sometimes used instead.
If you live in the states of Ohio or Kentucky, Cincinnati Facial Plastic Surgery offers facelift surgery among its services. For a full list of services, please visit our Locations page.
Dr. Donath begins the face-lift surgery by making incisions that begin at the temples in the hairline and run in front of and behind each ear, ending in the lower scalp in the back of the ear.
An additional small incision may be made beneath the chin if the neck needs work.
Once the incisions are made, underlying muscle and connective tissue are repositioned and tightened, excess fat may be removed, and excess skin is trimmed. Fine sutures or metal clips are then used to close the incisions.
The facelift may take an average of two to four hours to perform.
The incisions for the facelift typically begin in the hairline at the temples and extend to the front of and behind the ear, ending in the lower scalp.
For patients requiring work on the neck, a small incision may also be made under the chin. The incision is usually adjusted in male patients to accommodate the natural beard lines.
The incisions made for the facelift are typically located in such a way that the resulting scars are well-concealed within the natural skin creases and the hairline.
There is typically minimal pain after the face-lift, though medication can be prescribed to help with any discomfort that you may experience.
Patients can expect some amount of swelling and bruising after the facelift, and some numbness of the skin may occur as well.
Dressings and drainage tubes, if used, are typically removed within one to two days after surgery. Prior to surgery, patients should arrange for a friend or family member to assist them during the recovery period.
Work and most other normal activities can usually be resumed within about two weeks after the cosmetic surgery procedures.
Stitches and staples are usually removed after about five to ten days.
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Why choose Dr. Donath — Board Certified Plastic Surgeon
- Graduated summa cum laude from Ohio University where he was a scholarship recipient and was inducted into the prestigious Phi Beta Kappa national honor society.
- He then completed medical school at the University of Cincinnati, widely recognized as one of the top medical centers in the country, where he was President of the school’s American Medical Student Association.
- Completing a rigorous five-year residency training program in all aspects of Head and Neck Surgery at St. Louis University.
- He additionally spent time studying at Harvard Medical School with the Director of Facial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, Dr. Mack Cheney.
- Has been nominated as a Top Doctor in Cincinnati Magazine and by Castle Connolly for many consecutive years.
- Is a national trainer of other physicians for both Galderma and Allergan, and is a frequent guest on multiple media outlets to present the public with the most recent facial aesthetic techniques.
Related procedures: Otoplasty, Blepharoplasty, Brow lift, Mini Face-lift, Rhinoplasty, Revision Rhinoplasty
