PLASTIC SURGERY
Facelift

Facelift | Eyelid Surgery | Nose Surgery (Rhinoplasty) | Ear Surgery | Tummy tuck (abdominoplasty) | Liposuction | Breast Augmentation | Breast Reduction | Gynecomastia | Botulinum Toxin (Dysport®) Injections | Treatment of Excessive Focal Sweating | Injections of Hyaluronic Acid-Based Fillers (Restylane®, Teosyal®) | Labioplasty |

Facelift

Facial ageing is a natural process in the nature that results in sagging skin, drooping eyebrows and accumulation of fat deposits under the eyes. Deep creases develop around the corners of the nose. The chin area loses its attractive appearance when wrinkles develop around the jaw line and on the neck. The nose looks elongated, and multiply fine wrinkles appear on the face. They are well-defined if a woman’s skin is thin or she loves excessive sunbathing.

Facelift is one of the most complicated plastic surgery procedures. During this procedure, sagging lower half of the face can be lifted up or wrinkles on the forehead can be smoothed out. A facelift can tighten up the facial skin, change the shape of eyebrows eliminating ‘angry’ appearance of the face, restore beauty of the neck if there is excess fatty tissue. A facelift cannot stop the ageing process, but it can rejuvenate facial contours.
The best candidates for this surgery are women or men whose face and neck show visible signs of ageing, but whose skin still retains some elasticity, and facial bone structure is well-defined. Individuals aged 40-60 years generally undergo this surgery. Facelift surgery will help you to restore a more youthful and rested appearance and feel more confident about yourself.

Surgery

Operative incisions vary depending on the gender of a patient, haircut, hairline, age, scars following previous surgeries, etc. The incisions are made within the hairline and in natural lines around the ears to minimize visible scarring. One more incision is typically placed in natural skin crease beneath the chin to remove excess fat.
The surgery is performed under general anaesthesia, and depending on the extent of the procedure, it takes 4–6 hours. Depending on surgery technique, the surgeon can perform so-call skin-only facelift or two-layer facelift. The latter involves tightening and re-draping of underlying connective tissue. Facial tissues are tightened by placing stitches. The skin is pulled up and back, repositioned, and the skin excess is removed. The incisions are closed with stitches. After surgery, the head and face are specifically bandaged. At least 1 day after surgery should be spent in a hospital.

Following the surgery, face swelling and bruising are characteristic. During the first two days the face swells, therefore, it is very important to apply cold compresses to the face. At the third-fourth day, the swelling will start to subside. The face swelling and bruising will remain up to 3–4 weeks. Stitches are removed at the fifth-seventh day after surgery. After 4 weeks, when swelling subsides and bruising disappears, patients return to their casual life. Within 4–6 months following surgery, your face will form completely. This will be the final result of the surgery.

Complications

1.General complications: as during any surgical intervention, infection, pain, prolonged wound healing, haematoma and bleeding may occur.
2.Bleeding: People using aspirin or other blood clotting-reducing drugs are at higher risk. Do not use aspirin or aspirin-containing medications 2 weeks before and 2 weeks after surgery.
3.Skin necrosis: after the surgery, sometimes the skin can be deprived of its nutrition. In rare cases, skin grafting is needed for wound healing. Smokers are at higher risk of this complication; therefore, it is strongly advised to quit up smoking at least 4 weeks before and after surgery.
4.Infection: infection in facelift surgery is quite rare. Antibiotic therapy is administered at risk of infection.
5. Facial nerve injury: a complete facial nerve injury occurs rarely. Face numbness can be expected after surgery; it usually disappears within several weeks.
6.Skin discolouration: sometimes skin remains discoloured for many months after surgery. It is related to the absorption of blood pigments during the healing process. Permanent skin discolouration is rare.
7.Asymmetry: mild asymmetry may remain after surgery. Certain changes of earlobe shape may occur due to skin tension and scars.
8.Scars: during plastic face surgery, the incisions are placed so that they would conceal in natural skin creases and would be less visible.
9.Pain: facelift surgeries are not particularly painful procedures, but pain sensation is very individual. Sometimes a patient experiences tightness and discomfort in the face. Scars can remain sensitive for many months. These complications are more the exception than the rule, but sometimes they occur.
Nose Surgery (Rhinoplasty)

The nose is the central and the most prominent part of the human face; therefore, facial expression especially depends on its shape. Cosmetic nose surgery can change the shape and size of the nose. The surgeon can to reduce the whole nose, to reduce or remove the hump of the nose, to reshape the nasal tip (to make it thinner, reduce, raise, etc.), to change the shape of the nostrils.

The operation lasts 2–4 hours in average. It is done through the incisions inside the nostrils. In more complicated cases, the incision across the columella is additionally performed. Rhinoplasty can be done to correct a structural deformity (a bump or hook), the nasal tip, deviated septum as well. The surgery is performed under general anaesthesia. After surgery, nasal packing and splints are left inside the nose, which are removed on the second day following surgery. One day should be spent in a hospital after procedure. Sutures are not removed after surgery; they dissolve by themselves. There are no visible scars after this surgery, because incisions are made inside the nose. Exclusively, applying other type of surgery, a 3-mm scar may remain, hidden in the columella between the nostrils. Bruising occurring after surgery may remain up to 3 weeks. Following a complete nose surgery, a special splint of the nose is worn for 10 days. You will be able to return to work after 3–4 weeks. The final result will be seen following complete healing of nasal bones after 6 months.