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A facelift refers to a technique carried out to improve the aesthetic appeal of somebody’s face. In medical terms, a facelift is a procedure carried out to make an individual appear younger, usually done on the face and neck. A facelift is performed because, with age, skin and associated tissues tend to lose their elasticity, a process that results in either wrinkly or saggy skin. An individual may choose to have the skin around the face either tightened or elevated, resulting in a younger look.
In medical terms, the surgical procedure that achieves a facelift is known as a rhytidectomy. This procedure is usually done on the inferior two-thirds of the face and the neck but may not incorporate practices on the eyes and brows. The objective of this procedure is more cosmetic than necessary for younger individuals.
Results of a Facelift.
The expected outcome of a rhytidectomy is a younger appearance in addition to appearing more relaxed or rested. This youthful appearance is, however, not permanent. With time, the skin loses more of its elasticity; hence, the procedure’s effects should last a couple of years to a decade at best. The facelift in NYC results can last longer if proper care and maintenance is done after the surgery.
1. Regular Doctor Visits.
A facelift does not end after a visit to the doctor. It does not matter how perfect you appear, because most of the time, achieving the ideal look is the objective. It is only logical that the face will eventually go back to the state before the surgery. Maintaining doctor visits even after the surgery is essential as long as one learns to keep their expectations about how they will appear.
In a significant ratio of cases, corrective facelift surgery may be necessary to correct the initial surgery. These visits are required because a little fine-tuning is not always harmful. This way, it becomes easy to monitor recovery and eventual changes. Consequently, helping reverse and correct remissions if they occur.
The surgeon or physician may recommend skincare routines or medications that help the strength regain its strength. In either case, ignoring the skin after surgery only hastens the aging process, which the patients are trying to evade in the first place.
2. The Sun Is Not Your Friend.
Relative to surrounding areas, a city may be more humid than surrounding regions. Ultraviolet rays from the sun are a common cause of skin aging. The objective of cosmetic surgery on the face is an endeavor to cheat the aging process. It is only logical that one avoids one of the most significant triggers of the very process they want to slow down because that is as much as this surgery can achieve. There are many variations of protecting the skin from UV damage, most of them well documented.
For instance, a sunblock is perhaps the most common commercially available remedy. A Sun Protection Factor (SPF) of 30 is often the ideal amount because it blocks up to 97% of UV radiation, which is adequate for a place like NYC. Other less expensive alternatives include simply avoiding staying in direct sunlight, especially in the humid summers.
Even though most physicians recommend taking in as much of the sun as possible, a facelift makes this alternative less viable. The better the skin is protected from UV, the longer the facelift results last. A noteworthy mention is that skin color does not exempt one from following a healthy skin protection process. Loose skin and wrinkles are not the reserves of a particular race because UV rays do not choose who to hit; as long as you are in the sun, you are susceptible.
3. It is Time to Drop That Smoking Habit.
Similar to UV radiation, smoking does not do justice to the aging process of the skin. If anything, the habit serves to accelerate it. It is in one’s best interest to stay smoke-free before and after facelift surgery. Most surgeons who perform the procedure will often recommend quitting smoking to help the procedure last longer.
Nicotine, the drug found in most smoking supplements, reduces blood flow to the body’s peripheral parts from a pharmacological perspective. These parts include the skin, hands, and feet. If the habit continues, the reduced blood supply makes it easier for the skin to age while giving it a pallid, unnatural appearance. This look is not objective because it is contrary to almost every objective of a facelift.
4. Watch What You Eat.
Nearly every surgeon or physician you visit will recommend a change in diet and maintenance of a healthy lifestyle after any major procedure. This advice is not misplaced because the effects of various dietary supplements or dropping particular food from your diet has time and time again, been shown to improve the quality of life insignificant as well as subtle ways.
In countering the skin aging process, fruits, vegetables in their fresh state, whole grains, and hydration are some of the board-certified approaches. Dropping processed sugar from the diet is recommended because sugar intensifies the aging process through various metabolic pathways.
One such pathway is glycation, which damages the beneficial proteins and lipids in the body, leading to a reduction in skin elasticity, and consequently sagging and wrinkles. Additionally, staying hydrated proves valuable in the long run; it helps the healing process, and the sooner this happens, the sooner one can enjoy one newfound youthful look.
In a city like NYC, keeping up with the culture and lifestyle is essential. A facelift is a great way to appear or stay at the high end of the curve. Suppose one ever considers the possibility of a facelift. In that case, NYC is a big city, and it cannot be much of a challenge finding a verified plastic surgeon, a factor that is important if one plans on getting their targeted look.
It is essential to maintain expectations to the effect that a facelift is not permanent, but it is not worth passing over. The suggestions herein are not exhaustive, but they provide a good analysis of what to expect and how to maintain the results of a facelift procedure best.