Facelift Scars
As the skin ages, its elasticity naturally diminishes. This, combined with the effects of environmental elements, leaves many people dissatisfied with the appearance of their facial skin. Common complaints include deep folds and creases, sunken facial features, and a saggy jawline.
To reverse signs of aging along the lower two-thirds of the face, Dr. Suzanne Yee offers facelift surgery. A facelift eliminates excess skin, repairs facial muscles, and lifts and tightens remaining skin to smooth out wrinkles and define facial contours.
Many people who are considering facelift surgery at our Little Rock, AR, practice have questions about facelift scars. Here, we prepare individuals for the degree of scarring that can be expected after facelift surgery, and offer tips to encourage incision healing.
Where Are Facelift Incisions Made?
To make the changes that are necessary for facelift surgery to be a success, Dr. Yee creates incisions that grant her access to underlying facial muscles and tissues. Any time that an incision is made, a scar is likely to form as the tissues heal. To make it easy for her Little Rock patients to conceal resulting facelift scars, Dr. Yee is strategic about where facelift incisions are made.
For our female patients, incisions start in the temple area behind the hairline, just above and in front of the ear, and continue behind the ear lobe. Incisions for a male facelift are similar. However, when working with her male patients, Dr. Yee is careful to accommodate their natural beard line. In either case, resulting facelift scars should be easily hidden behind the hairline and within the natural creases of the skin.
What Will Resulting Scars Look Like?
Even though facelift scars should not be easily visible, because of their location, many of our patients are naturally concerned about what resulting scars will look like. The appearance of facelift scars is dependent on a number of different factors, including:
- Skill of the surgeon
- Wound care
- Skin tone and texture
- Sun exposure
In general, facelift scars look more obvious when they first start to heal. Scars will likely appear bright pink or red in color and may be slightly raised. As the skin continues to heal the scar should lighten up significantly and flatten out, so that it blends in with surrounding skin.
Tips to Promote Incision Healing
Wound care and post-surgical practices have a big impact on the ultimate appearance of facelift scars. To promote healing so that scars are nearly invisible, our Little Rock patients should consider these tips:
- Keep incision sites clean, carefully following provided post-surgical care instructions
- Avoid sun exposure during facelift recovery and wear sunscreen whenever outdoors
- Gently massage the incision site, starting around two weeks after surgery
- Consider the use of a topical scar cream or tape
- After incisions have closed, apply vitamin E or lotion regularly to keep the skin hydrated
Contact Dr. Suzanne Yee
If you are considering facelift surgery, you should consult with Dr. Suzanne Yee to find out if you are an ideal candidate for the procedure. To begin the process, contact us online at your earliest convenience, or call (501) 224-1044.