As you grow older, you’ll notice various changes in your body, including your face. With time, people lose muscle tone and skin elasticity, and this results in fine lines, wrinkles, and deep creases. The changes can also be seen in other parts of the body, but they’re more evident on the face.
Although the changes take place naturally, they’re not welcome for many people. The good news is, you don’t have to sit back and allow the aging process to take over your face. You can go for a facelift. The medical procedure has numerous benefits. But, who is the ideal candidate for facelift surgery? Read on to learn more.
Table of Contents
The Physical Health Matters
Just like other types of plastic surgery, you should consider your overall health before you decide whether or not to go for a facelift. If you have any pre-existing medical complications, you should inform your surgeon well in advance.
Your medical history will help medical professionals to make informed decisions on whether to perform a facelift or other less invasive, non-surgical alternatives. A facelift is an invasive procedure, and it’ll take a significant amount of time for you to recover fully. Therefore, the better your physical health, the better the potential results of the surgical process and the shorter the recovery period.
What’s the Condition of Your Skin?
For the best results, the ideal skin should have some flexibility and elasticity. It should be supple and be able to “bounce back” when pinched. If you’re a smoker or you may have suffered a lot of sun damage, this may affect the final outcome of the surgical procedure. A professional surgeon will also offer some insights into how your lifestyle may affect the entire process.
How is the Underlying Facial Bone Structure?
When it comes to your facial appearance, the underlying bone structure matters. For you to get optimal results after a facelift, the bone structure should be aesthetically-balanced. If a surgeon considers your chin to be “weak,” then they may recommend you to undergo chin surgery before you go ahead with a facelift.
In some cases, some patients may not be satisfied with the shape of your nose, and medical professionals may recommend rhinoplasty before a facelift is performed.
One Should Have Realistic Expectations
The best candidates are ones that understand the capability of the medical procedure to make them look and feel younger once again. Although a facelift may mean reducing up to 10 years off your appearance, it’s advisable not to be under illusions of the outcomes.
Ideally, the procedure should enable individuals to look younger but still look like themselves. You don’t want to look like somebody else, do you?
How about the Age?
The question about the ideal age for getting a facelift is common among many people. However, there’s no particular age that’s perfect for it. The aging process is different for everyone. Therefore, there may be no specific answer to the question.
Patients also have different personal preferences, lifestyles, and goals for undergoing a facelift. For some surgeons, a facelift when you’re in your 30s and 40s makes sense. One of the benefits of having the procedure at younger ages is that the results are much more subtle.
At younger ages, the procedure doesn’t involve dramatic lifting and repositioning of the muscles and tissues, which may be necessary when you get older. Most people don’t like having dramatic changes in their appearance. Therefore, you should consider undergoing the surgical procedure while young and having routine touch-ups later when necessary.
Another reason why a facelift at a young age is better is that skin cells regenerate more rapidly, and this speeds up the healing process. The scars from the procedure will also be less noticeable after a short period.
As you get older, the underlying skin sags and tends to lose its elasticity. As a result, more invasive procedures may be necessary during a facelift. Younger people are also ideal candidates as their face is still producing ample amounts of collagen and elastin.
The outcomes of people who go for a facelift in their 30s and 40s tend to last longer, and they don’t need touch-ups more frequently than their older counterparts. If you have plans or have already gone for a facelift, you would want to recover as soon as possible. Here are some insights to help in speeding up your recovery process:
Follow Your Surgeon’s Instructions
The medical practitioners will offer a list of instructions to follow before and after the surgical procedure. Adhere to them to the letter. For example, they may offer guidelines concerning medications, diets, and lifestyle habits.
You Need a Conducive Environment
How you spend your first few days after surgery will affect your healing process. Ensure that you rest in a safe and comfortable space. The area should also be quiet and peaceful. Consider staying away from young children and pets. You can hire someone to take care of your pets and kids for a couple of days.
Seek Help
You may not be able to perform some routine tasks after a facelift. Therefore, if you don’t intend to hire a babysitter or someone to take care of your pets as you recover, contact a loved one and ask for help. They can also help you run a few errands or do various chores for you.
Finally, ensure that you visit a health facility that specializes in facelift surgery to get the best results.
