Why have a facelift?

A facelift is a specific procedure developed to target the areas around the nasal region, jaw line and cheeks. It's favored by patients who are living with drooping skin, jowls, facial creases and sagging facial features.

By making an incision along the temple line, a facelift seeks to pull back the facial skin, cut out excess skin and make the patient look younger. Typically, the number of wrinkles are reduced along with the aging appearance of non-elasticized skin.

How much does a facelift cost?

In Manhattan, facelift or rhytidectomy operations will cost a patient an average of $7000 to $15000. Those fees include surgeon fees, taxes, hospital fees and anesthesia. Patients are advised to look for a practitioner who is experienced and skilled, rather than inexpensive.

How do I prepare for a facelift?

Anywhere a rhytidectomy is done, not just in Manhattan, facelift patients are advised to quit smoking at least 30 days before their surgery. Because cigarette smoke can actually inhibit the flow of oxygen to the skin, it can be a detriment to the healing process and actually cause a condition known as "skin death," which is irreparable.

Once your facelift is done, you should continue to avoid cigarettes, second-hand smoke and other pollutants for at least another 30 days. That said, after 60 days of not smoking, most patients are advised to simply quit.

How long is the recovery period after a facelift?

Facelift patients can typically resume their day-to-day activities in as little as 5 to 10 days after their actual surgery. However, since the swelling and bruising that occurs after such an extensive surgery doesn't recede for about 21 to 56 days, most patients are somewhat reclusive until at least the 28-day mark.

If a facelift only affects my cheeks, jaw and nasal area, what about the rest of my face?

A standard facelift will only affect your cheeks, jaw line and nasal region. Areas that are typically untouched include the brow, neck and eyelid area. Instead of opting for more surgical procedures, like a brow lift, many patients use injectable fillers like Botox, Artefill or Collagen to compliment their rhytidectomy.

Will a rhytidectomy, or facelift, last forever?

A facelift won't last forever, thanks to the ongoing aging process. According to most patients in Manhattan, facelift longevities hover around the ten-year mark. At that point, patients either choose to undergo a secondary procedure or simply move to non-surgical anti-aging methods like Radiesse or Restylane.

How do I find a Manhattan facelift surgeon?

To find a certified and qualified Manhattan facelift surgeon, get a recommendation from the American Board of Plastic Surgery (http://www.abplsurg.org) or the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (http://www.plasticsurgery.org), where you can search through their member database right on the website.

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