The "Weekend" Face Lift
By Dr. Lee F. Allen
The weekend facelift is an ideal procedure for patients in their early to mid forties who have mild to moderate facial skin sagging. Because of the minimal downtime after the procedure,usually just 3-4 days, the popularity of the “weekend” facelift and less invasive facial rejuvenation procedures have increased exponentially over the past few years.
The best candidates have minimal sun damage and early signs of facial aging. Changes that occur due to aging are secondary to chronic exposure to the environment, like sun, chemicals, smoking and pollution, and to the gravitational forces on our skin. Early manifestations include fine lines and wrinkles, jowl formation, the sagging of skin at the jaw line, deepening of the nasolabial folds often called marionette lines and neck skin laxity.
As aging continues, there is deepening of wrinkles secondary to changes not only to the skin but also to the deeper tissues below the skin. Several factors play a part in determining the rate at which an individual will have changes of facial aging. Genetics, sun exposure, smoking, alcohol consumption, stress, and diet can all play a role. Other changes, such as recent weight loss, can lead to sagging of the skin, especially in the neck region. The best candidates for the “weekend” facelift are those with mild to moderate skin sagging who are looking to regain a more youthful appearance with minimal downtime.
The procedure is performed under sedation and usually takes around two hours to complete. Bandages are worn overnight and removed the next day. Bruising and swelling is minimal, and in female patients can be covered with makeup after 24 hours. Regular activities can usually be resumed 3- 4 days after the procedure, including exercise routines.
Adjunctive procedures such as forehead lift, or correction of sagging eyelid skin and “baggy” eyes can be performed at the same time as the weekend facelift but will increase the downtime the patient will need for recovery. Medium depth chemical peels are often performed at the same time as the weekend facelift to help to improve texture of the skin, as well as tightness. This also helps treat uneven pigmentation and age spots.
For patients with more fullness in the neck region, liposuction and/or platysmaplasty, which is neck muscle tightening, can also be performed. This does not usually increase recovery time, but the patient is encouraged to wear an elastic neck strap at night while sleeping for one week.
The weekend facelift is a good option for patients with early to moderate facial aging who are on the go and have minimal downtime for surgical recovery. Adjunctive procedures can also be utilized to help the patient achieve a more youthful appearance.
Dr. Lee F. Allen, DMD, MD, FAACS., is a Board Certified Oral and Maxillofacial surgeon in private practice in Teays Valley. For more information, call 304- 757-0272.
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