Department of Surgery

Strong Health's Specialists in Plastic Surgery

Cosmetic Surgery

Facelift Surgery: What to Expect

Though it can take several hours, a facelift is often an outpatient procedure. More complicated cases can take longer and/or require a short hospital stay.

Depending on the surgical plan, you’ll be given local or general anesthesia. Types of anesthesia you may receive include:

Local anesthesia - means you’ll be sedated and the area around the surgery will be numbed. You’re awake during the surgery, but relaxed and feeling no pain.

General anesthesia - means you’ll be asleep during the operation.

What Happens During Surgery

The surgery begins with incisions within the temple area, in front of and behind the ear, and on the scalp within the hairline. After the incisions, the facial skin is separated from the fat and muscle below.

The surgeon will then suction or trim away excess fat from around the neck and chin, tighten the underlying muscle and membrane, pull the skin back, and remove excess skin. The surgeon may also make a small incision under the chin to work on the neck.

At the end of the operation, the surgeon may temporarily put a small, thin drainage tube under the skin behind each ear to drain blood that collects there. Finally, the surgeon closes the incisions with small stitches and puts dressings on the area to protect it.

Risks

All surgery includes some risk and uncertainty. Serious complications or side effects of this surgery are rare, but they include: