Facelift Complications: What Every Patient Should Know

Contents

• A Leading Choice for Azerbaijani Patients Dr. Mubariz Mammadli, Facial Plastic Surgeon
• Deep Plane Facelift: Natural Transformation Results
• Rhinoplasty and Lower Blepharoplasty: A Patient Case
• Endoscopic Brow Lift and Bella Eyes: 15-Month Result
• Endoscopic Brow Lift and Bella Eyes: 15-Month Result
• Upper Blepharoplasty Results 7 Months Later
• Deep plane facelift results at 1 month
• Brow Lift and Blepharoplasty Results: 2-Year Case Study
• Blepharoplasty Results: One Month After Surgery

Facelift surgery and the complications it may cause

About facelift surgery

Facelift (facial rejuvenation) is a surgical procedure that corrects some age-related changes in the face and neck. This guide explains the facelift complications and risks that any patient should know before going ahead. As you age, the skin and muscles of the face loosen and lose elasticity.

These procedures do not stop ageing, but they restore and tighten the skin and deeper tissues, giving the face a more youthful appearance. A facelift can be done alone or together with a brow lift, vacuum liposuction, eyelid surgery, or rhinoplasty. The ideal candidates have facial and neck laxity that is just beginning, while skin elasticity and bone structure remain good.

Each facelift procedure is planned in detail after an individual assessment. The best candidates are patients with face and neck laxity but good skin elasticity and bone structure. Tell your surgeon about any significant past illness and any medicines you take regularly.

Alternative treatments

Alternative treatments:

Alternative treatments are procedures performed without a facelift to address face and neck laxity. Skin laxity, wrinkles, and excess fat can be treated with surgical or non-surgical methods such as chemical peels and liposuction.

Facelift complications you should know about

Risks of facelift surgery:

Every surgical procedure carries some degree of risk. It is important to understand the risks of facelift surgery. Your decision to have surgery should weigh the risks against the expected change. Although most patients do not experience the complications listed below, please discuss them with your plastic surgeon. It is essential to fully understand the risks, potential complications, and outcomes.

Bleeding:

Although uncommon, bleeding may occur during or after surgery. If post-operative bleeding occurs, urgent drainage or a blood transfusion may be needed. Aspirin and anti-inflammatory drugs should be stopped beforehand, as they increase the risk of bleeding for ten days after surgery. Uncontrolled blood pressure during or after surgery may cause bleeding. Bleeding under the skin can delay healing or cause poor scarring.

Infection:

Infection is not usually expected after this procedure. In rare cases where an infection develops, additional antibiotic treatment or surgery may be required.

Poor scarring:

Although good wound healing is expected after surgery, abnormal scars may still form in the skin and deeper tissues. These scars can differ from the surrounding skin and may not look pleasant. Sutures may leave visible marks. Additional treatment may be needed.

Damage to deeper tissues:

After surgery, deeper structures such as blood vessels, muscles, and nerves may be injured. The likelihood depends on the type of facelift. These injuries can be temporary or permanent.

Asymmetry:

A normal human face is asymmetric. A facelift may produce differences between the two sides.

Surgical anesthesia:

Both local and general anesthesia carry risk. Any form of surgical anesthesia or sedation carries a risk of complications, injury, and even death.

Nerve damage:

Motor and sensory nerves may be injured during a facelift. Weakness or loss of facial movement can occur after surgery. Nerve damage can cause temporary or permanent loss of facial movement and sensation.

This type of injury can improve over time. Damage to sensory nerves in the face, neck, and ear may cause temporary or permanent numbness. Painful nerve injury is very rare.

Chronic pain:

Chronic pain after facelift surgery is a very rare complication.

Skin irregularities, skin cancer:

Facelift surgery pulls the skin and deeper structures. Skin disorders and skin cancer can still develop, independently of the facelift.

Unsatisfactory results:

There is a chance that a facelift will not give a good result. This carries risks such as unacceptable visible deformities, loss of facial movement, wound breakdown (cracking, splitting), and loss of sensitivity. The outcome may disappoint you. In rare cases, further surgery may be needed to obtain a better result.

Allergic reactions:

Local allergy to tape, suture material, or topical drugs has been reported in very rare cases. More serious systemic reactions can occur with drugs used during or after surgery. Allergic reactions may require additional treatment.

Hair loss:

Hair loss may occur where the skin is lifted during surgery. Whether this happens cannot be predicted in advance.

Delayed healing:

Wound separation or delayed healing is possible. Some facial areas may not heal normally, or healing may be slow. Necrosis can occur in some skin areas.

Smokers face a higher risk of complications such as skin sloughing or delayed wound healing.

Long-term effects:

Future changes in the face may occur due to ageing, weight gain or loss, sun exposure, and other conditions. A facelift does not stop ageing and does not permanently tighten the face and neck. Further surgery or treatment may be needed later to preserve the result.

For this reason, be sure to ask your surgeon these questions before the operation.