Me, a facelift?

Growing older is a special gift. After age 50, you are full of great and not-so-great life experiences, but your face no longer reflects how you feel inside. Maybe it's the wrinkles, maybe it's sagging skin. If you are considering a facelift, this is a personal choice. A choice that only you and your doctor can make together. Is it necessary? Isn't it too early? Am I not going to look very different? When will I be presentable again? These questions are a small sample of the initial facelift consultation.

A facelift is a treatment performed when the skin of your face is sagging due to age. During the procedure, the skin and underlying connective tissue layer is tightened and lifted. This gives your face, neck and jawline a youthful contour. During the initial consultation with me, everything about the treatment is discussed. I discuss which method suits you best, what results you can expect, what possible risks there are and how the aftercare works. You always get clear and honest advice. Even if the prolapse is minimal, I advise you to postpone the procedure or even not to do it at all.

If you google the word facelift, you will be inundated with terms that are new. There are different types of lift and it seems like every surgeon does it just differently. To clarify a bit more, below are different types of lift explained in more detail:

• S-LIFT , is also known as the mini lift. This involves making a small incision in front of your ear. Only the skin of the cheek is lifted. The underlying supporting tissue (SMAS layer) is not lifted in this procedure.
• MACS lift: MACS lift (Minimal Access Cranial Suspension lift) here, not only the skin of the cheek but also the underlying supporting tissue (SMAS layer) is included and lifted. The jawline is not included
• Facelift: In a facelift, an incision is made in front of your ear with an extended incision behind it. Then the skin of the cheek, the underlying support tissue (SMAS layer) and the jawline is lifted.
• Neck lift: In a neck lift, an incision is made behind the ear and extended to the hairline. On indication, an incision is also made under the chin. The neck muscles are sutured together and the skin is tightened. Sometimes liposuction is also used to remove fat from the double chin.

During the treatment, you will be given an "intoxication". This means you are asleep and you feel no pain. The incision is made in front of your ear and along your hairline. The skin is then detached from the subcutaneous connective tissue layer (SMAS). This SMAS layer is tightened and sutured in place with a special suture. Finally, the excess skin is cut away and sutured. The procedure itself takes about 150 minutes. It takes about 1-2 weeks for the swelling and bruising to subside.

Before undergoing a facelift, it is important to be aware of the procedure and its possible complications. The first step starts with yourself. Think carefully about why you want a facelift, get informed by your doctor and discuss your alternatives. You may take your time. It is your face!

Doctor Thanya Tha-In is a certified surgeon (MSRC) trained at the Erasmus Medical Centre and European College of Aesthetics Medicine (ECAMS). She specialises in cosmetic facial surgery and has now performed more than 1,500 facial procedures. She is attached to the Skin Surgery Clinics in The Hague and Rotterdam.

www.skin-surgery.nl

written by Dr Thanya Tha-In