Incisions are made behind the ears and in front of the ear along the hairline to conceal surgery and create a well-hidden scar.
During facelift surgery, I lift up the skin and locate the SMAS. The SMAS is elevated from the deeper layers of the face, lifted up, and pulled back to a more youthful position (the position it was in, in years past!).
Dissolvable stitches are used to suspend the SMAS. Once these stitches have dissolved (usually in a matter of 4-6 months) the tissue will have healed and will take over the responsibility of supporting the face.
Excess skin and fat may also be removed during a facelift to eliminate wrinkles and bulges, but only enough to create normal tension and contour. The last step in a Facelift procedure is to properly align the skin back together and suture the incision. During the healing process, the skin naturally tightens and redistributes itself over the new contours of the face resulting in a soft, rejuvenated appearance.
