The Full Facelift

A full facelift and a mini facelift usually begin with a similar type of incision around the ear to access the deeper tissues of the face. The main difference is then what happens to the deeper tissues after the skin has been opened. In a deep plane facelift, the deeper tissues are elevated, the retaining ligaments are released, and the face is properly repositioned in a way that is very effective and very natural. In a mini lift, the deeper tissues are just simply pulled a little tighter around the sides of the face with some stitches. Although the mini lift is less invasive, because it relies on tension, it can often look a bit less natural, particularly with advancing years as the tension lines become more obvious with age. We made the decision as a practice to stop offering mini lifts several years ago because the results of the deep plane technique are so far superior.

The results from the facelift become noticeable gradually as swelling and bruising subside. Most patients see initial improvements within two to four weeks, and most patients should feel confident attending social events after this sort of time. The results continue to improve as the months go by, and I tell my patients that they will be camera-ready in about six months. Full final settling results can take up to a year, but the changes that occur after the first couple of months are much more subtle. To make recovery, you should always follow your surgeon’s aftercare instructions, including avoiding strenuous activities for at least four to six weeks and attending follow-up appointments. Gentle lymphatic drainage massage may help reduce some of the swelling. While early results can be seen within a month, patience is the key.

A deep plane face and neck lift typically takes between 6 or 7 hours. This includes lifting the cheek, the jawline, the jowls, and performing a deep neck lift for the best possible results. If you would like to undergo blepharoplasty surgery to improve the upper or lower eyelids, then this would typically add another hour or two, depending on the exact extent of your procedure. The surgery is usually done under local anaesthetic with sedation, meaning that you sleep throughout of the procedure but recover much faster than you would with a general anaesthetic.

While face shifts are generally safe when performed by experienced surgeons, like any surgery, they come with potential risks. The complication that every surgeon fears the most is nerve injury, which results in weakness in part of one side of the face. It’s a little bit less uncommon to get swelling around the nerves, which can cause a temporary weakness during the recovery period. Thankfully, in experienced hands, a permanent nerve injury is rare. Another possible complication is a collection of blood or serious fluid under the skin. This is normally quite easy to treat by draining the fluid, and it does not usually cause any long-term issues. Finally, infections can occur. We reduce the risk of this by giving all our facelift patients prophylactic oral antibiotics to take for about a week after surgery and an antibiotic ointment to be applied to the scars. A thorough consultation, skill technique, and proper aftercare all contribute to safe, natural, and long-lasting results.

It’s never too late to get a facelift if you’re in good health and have realistic expectations. Age is less important than skin quality, overall health, aesthetic goals when determining whether or not you’re a good candidate for a facelift. Facelifts are typically recommended for people experiencing significant skin laxity, deep wrinkles, sagging in the lower face and neck that can no longer be addressed with non-surgical treatments. While many patients opt for a facelift in their 50s or 60s, older patients in their 70s or beyond can still achieve excellent results if they’re medically fit for surgery and have

Recovery after a facelift follows a gradual process, with most patients resuming normal activities within a few weeks. Immediately after the surgery, you can expect some swelling, some bruising, mild discomfort, which can be managed with simple paracetamol. Bruising and swelling typically peak within the first few days, gradually getting worse until about day three or four before starting to gradually subside. Most patients feel comfortable returning to light daily activities after two or three weeks, though strenuous activities should be avoided. At this stage, most patients will be happy to be seen in public with the help of their hair down and some makeup to conceal any signs of surgery. As the weeks pass by, the residual swelling continues to dissipate, scars fade. Most patients could then expect to be camera-ready for big events within six months.

After a facelift, proper aftercare is essential for optimal healing. So here are three key things to avoid. Number one, strenuous activities and exercise. You should avoid heavy lifting, intense workouts, and bending over for one to two weeks, as these can increase your blood pressure, which will, in turn, increase swelling and slow down recovery. Number two, critical, smoking and vaping. Nicotine restricts blood flow and can impair healing, increasing the risk of complications. So you must not resume smoking or vaping for at least two months after surgery and only when cleared by your surgeon. Number three, direct sun exposure. The sun’s UV rays can worsen scarring and cause skin damage. Wear a wide-brimmed hat, apply Factor 30 sunscreen if you’re going out in the sun, particularly in the first six weeks. Following these guidelines will help you ensure a smooth recovery with long-lasting results.

I’m Jennifer, and I’m 55. I had a deep plain lower face and neck lift, and I later had upper eyelid surgery and Halo and BBL laser skin resurfacing. I really hated my sagging neck. I lost a significant amount of weight a number of years ago, and the elasticity of my skin around my lower face and particularly my neck never really recovered from it. I’m a beauty therapist, and I’ve always looked after my skin. I felt that even after all the care I had taken, the laxity of my skin was letting me down. Over the years, I felt that my eyelids had started to look really heavy. With age, my brows had dropped, and I felt that my eyes looked really tired. Applying eye makeup was a little bit more challenging, and my eyes didn’t look as awake as before. I had areas of pigmentation on my face, large open pores, and quite a number of thread veins, and I wanted to achieve a fresher appearance. How I feel about how I look has always been really important to me, and I wanted to feel happier in my skin. My appearance was getting me down. I have always felt pretty comfortable in my skin. But my neck and my lower face was beginning to really upset me. I wore scarfs around my neck all the time, even in the summer, and avoided wearing certain styles of neckline. I love makeup, but applying eye makeup in particular was beginning to be a bit more of a challenge, and I didn’t like how my makeup looked, especially on my eyes. I have always preferred to wear a tinted face moisturiser rather than a foundation. But due to my skin irregularities, I started to wear heavier foundation. I felt that heavier makeup was ageing me more, and I didn’t feel comfortable wearing foundation. I honestly wasn’t worried in the slightest. I did a ton of research over years, learning about plastic surgeons from all over the world. I kept going back to Dr Darren and Dr Russell’s website and social media content. I read all the testimonials, watched lots of videos, and I knew surgery with Russell was the right thing for me. I was really excited, to be honest. The minute I stepped into the clinic, I was made to feel immediately at ease and at home. Russell and the team are so professional, friendly, and efficient while being laid back and calm, which is quite a skill. Russell fully explained what to expect and what was achievable, and an honest and easy way to understand. He also laughed at my jokes, so bonus points for that. As I had done so much research, I was fully aware of any risks. Everything was fully explained from Russell and Darren. What the procedures were like and what recovery would be like. What could be achieved, and equally what couldn’t be achieved. I was left knowing that they would both do everything they could to give me the best result. All my procedures went tremendously well. I was fully awake for all my procedures and was chatting throughout. After the facelift and upper eyelid surgery, I had bruising, swelling, and stitches. My face was quite red after the laser treatment. I didn’t feel any pain at all during the procedures. I was aware of the numbing injections as they were given for the surgical procedures, but they were over pretty quickly. During my laser treatment, my skin felt pretty warm, but that was helped with numbing cream before the treatment and cold air treatment during the procedure. I felt hungry. I felt really good after all my procedures and walked back to my hotel an hour after my facelift. My face felt tight but not sore. Any discomfort was quickly relieved by taking paracetamols. After the eye lift, I felt a little swollen and tender, but no pain. I looked pretty red after the laser treatment, but that started to calm down within a couple of hours. There was a little swelling for a day or so, but it all calmed down within two days. I started to see real progress after the facelift and eyelift after about two weeks. The swelling improved every day, and any bruising actually disappeared quite quickly. It was really interesting to see an improvement every day. After the laser treatment, I noticed an improvement within two days of the redness calming down. The level of care and aftercare has been incredible. From front of house and the office staff to the clinical team, the whole team work as one, and it is obvious how dedicated they all are. I had a wee bit of a wobble a few days after my procedure. I had received sad news about a friend. It was just before Christmas, and I felt really overwhelmed. Every single one of the team checked in with me regularly to make sure I was doing okay. Their level of genuine care is invaluable. The best. I feel so much more comfortable in my own skin now. I now feel that my appearance reflects how I feel inside, and I feel absolutely fantastic. I can’t stop showing people my before-and-after photos. I’ve even shown shop assistants.Before my surgery, I really hated candid photos of myself, and I admit I would filter them quite a bit. I don’t filter photos at all now. I have always been really honest about my surgery, and those I told were very kind and said that I didn’t need to change anything. However, once they see my before and after photos together, they understand why I chose surgery. The main comment is that it looks so natural. They now say I’ve got a spring of my step and my mojo back. I’m amazed how good they look. They are so minimal and hardly noticeable even to me, and I scrutinise my face quite a lot. My only regret is that I didn’t do it years ago. I would go through it all again in a heartbeat. Thankfully, I won’t have to, as my results have been beyond my expectations. Think carefully about what you want done and why you want it. Do your research, and don’t rush your decision. I would obviously highly recommend Dr Russell and Dr Darren, as I am beyond happy with my treatment and results. Take your time to heal and follow all the pre- and aftercare advice. Be kind to yourself and trust the process. The entire team is incredible. Nothing is too much trouble, and I felt in very, very safe hands. The environment is calm, warm, relaxed while being very professional and efficient. The level of kindness and care is amazing. You really do feel like you matter.