When it comes to rejuvenating your face and making you look years younger, there’s no replacement for a traditional facelift from our Nashville-based surgeons. A rhytidectomy (as the surgery is technically known) is the only way of removing excess skin and fat while repositioning facial tissues to reduce jowls and pronounced skin folds that result from aging.
One of the aspects of having a facelift that patients are most concerned about is scarring. Many people worry about having large scars that will be visible after their procedure. Truth be told, the incisions used in facelift procedures do create scars—just like incisions used in any form of surgery. When the skin is damaged for any reason, scarring is always a possibility, even with the most skilled surgeons.
At Nashville Plastic Surgery Institute, however, our surgeons use special techniques to reduce scarring as much as possible while still creating balanced, beautiful results. There are also steps that patients can take after their procedure to minimize or hide their signs of surgery. If you’re worried about scarring, our surgeons would be happy to discuss our methods in detail with you during your consultation.
Put simply, our plastic surgeons use minimally invasive techniques for traditional facelifts, mini lifts, and neck lifts. We use the “short scar” technique, which involves making a smaller incision that is still large enough to allow access for repositioning the facial tissues. Additionally, the scars from these lifts are made in areas where they aren’t easily spotted, such as around the hairline and in the natural creases in and around the face and ears.
With that in mind, there are several factors that have an influence on how much you scar from a facelift or other types of plastic surgery, including age, ethnicity, genetics, the size of the incision, and how quickly your skin typically heals after injury.
To stop your scars from becoming more pronounced, follow all aftercare instructions from your surgeon. It’s important to continue protecting your skin from sun damage by wearing broad-spectrum sunscreen and taking other measures to shield it, as the sun’s rays can cause scars to darken. Avoid smoking or drinking alcohol when your wound is healing, use proper wound care as recommended by your surgeon, try not to place stress or tension on the incisions, and get plenty of rest after your facelift. Furthermore, post-scar care—including silicone gel, scar massage, and non-invasive scar treatments (i.e. lasers)—are commonly employed to minimize the appearance of scars.
Discuss your plans with our team at Nashville Plastic Surgery Institute if you’re considering having a facelift. For more information on our minimal scar surgical techniques, or to learn about other surgical procedures, call us at 615-932-7700 or fill out a contact form.