Facelift Sydney (Rhytidectomy)
To address loose skin and signs of ageing on the face, a facelift, or rhytidectomy, can be performed using techniques that suit the needs of each patient. A patient may experience changes in their facial features over time due to a variety of factors, such as loss of skin elasticity, bone loss, and loss of facial soft tissue structure. Lifestyle factors such as weight fluctuations, smoking, and sun damage can also impact facial skin.
A facelift is often combined with other procedures, such as a neck lift (platysmaplasty) or brow lift (browplasty), for a comprehensive approach.
During a consultation, Specialist Plastic Surgeon Dr Jeremy Hunt can determine the most appropriate techniques to address your personal concerns. Dr Hunt can use a variety of techniques during your procedure, with a deep understanding of complex facial structure.
Before & After Facelift
The outcomes shown are only relevant for this patient and do not necessarily reflect the results other patients may experience, as results may vary due to many factors, including the individual’s genetics, diet and exercise. Some images may have the patient’s tattoos, jewellery or other identifiable items blurred to protect patient identities.
Your consultation at Aesthetic Edge in Sydney
If you are a suitable facelift candidate.
Suitable facelift candidates are interested in addressing loose or sagging skin and/or fine lines and wrinkles on the face. The goal of a facelift is to create a lift, addressing sagging skin that can occur over time due to various factors, including gravity and the natural ageing process. Dr Hunt will discuss your health and lifestyle factors that may interfere with your suitability for surgery, such as if you are a smoker, if you are at a healthy weight, and if you are currently pregnant or breastfeeding. Ideally, suitable candidates will also have realistic expectations for the results of the procedure and be able to follow preparation and recovery instructions (such as potentially stopping certain medications, particularly blood thinning medications).Your procedure plan.
A facelift is performed with techniques that suit your personal needs. The condition of your skin, your personal goals and lifestyle factors that may need to be considered will be discussed in detail to help create your procedure plan. Some patients may choose to combine their facelift procedure with a neck lift (platysmaplasty) or brow lift (browplasty) to address skin laxity on the neck or focus on sagging brows. This option can be discussed during your consultation.Preparation information.
You will have to ensure that you sufficiently prepare for your procedure in order to prevent complications and make sure you’re organised for the recovery process. Your personalised preparation advice can include having pre-operative tests to ensure you are in good health, stopping medications that can lead to complications (such as blood thinning medications), and quitting smoking. You may also be advised to fill prescriptions ahead of time for medication that you may need during recovery, schedule sufficient time off work and organise for someone to pick you up from the hospital after the procedure.Recovery information.
Dr Hunt will provide you with recovery instructions and an overview of what you can expect after your procedure. You can discuss what you can expect to experience as you heal, when you can resume activities and when you may be able to see your final results. Your instructions will include avoiding strenuous exercise, caring for your incision sites, avoiding excessive heat exposure, quitting smoking, avoiding alcohol and more.
The Facelift (Rhytidectomy) Procedure
The techniques that Dr Jeremy Hunt will use during your facelift procedure will be explained during your consultation at Aesthetic Edge in Sydney.
With techniques such as deep plane facelift, Dr Hunt aims to prevent any unnecessary facial skin tightening that can occur in other methods.
Mini facelift
Using limited incisions, a mini facelift can be suitable for those who want to address minimal to moderate skin laxity and facial ageing. In a mini facelift, the fat pads in the face can be lifted and the facial muscles in the lower midface can be tightened. A mini facelift can also address the jawline.Full facelift
In a full facelift, incisions are placed to allow for a more comprehensive lift, to address facial volume and restore support for the deep tissues of the face. Addressing the skin around the eyes, cheeks, frown lines and around the mouth, a full facelift can remove excess skin and address signs of facial ageing. Often, a full facelift is combined with a neck lift, brow lift or another procedure to focus on an additional or specific area.General procedure steps
A facelift is performed under general anaesthesia. To begin your procedure, Dr Hunt will make multiple small incisions in the locations, depths and sizes discussed during your consultation.
Typically, incisions are made starting from the hairline around the temples and continuing behind your ear, and further to underneath your chin if your procedure will be combined with a neck lift. You will discuss the location and size of your incision sites during your consultation so that you can expect where the scarring will be.
Dr Hunt performs deep plane facelifts. He will assess the underlying musculature of the face, known as the SMAS (superficial muscular aponeurotic system), to access deep muscle and fat pads. Tightening the deeper layers of the skin helps to prevent over-tightening.
Depending on your personal concerns, your procedure steps can then include to focus on the jawline, jowls, wrinkles and lines around the mouth, nasolabial folds and more. The procedure typically involves lifting the fat pads in the cheeks to elevate them on the cheekbone. Once the lifting is complete, excess skin can be removed.
The incisions are then sutured closed to complete the procedure. Dr Hunt usually advises that You may need to stay in the hospital overnight to be monitored before returning home to complete your recovery. You will have a bandage placed over the incision sites, and you may require a drain to be placed to prevent fluid build-up and excess pressure on the incision sites, which will need to be removed at some stage during recovery (usually the next day).
Combining a facelift with other procedures
Your procedure will involve additional steps if it will be combined with a neck lift (platysmaplasty) or another procedure. A neck lift will typically require an additional incision to allow access to the deep tissues of the neck. During a neck lift, skin laxity and loose muscles can be addressed and tightened. A neck lift performed with a facelift will aim to create comprehensive results.Recovery Information and Advice
What to expect
After your procedure, you will have bandages placed over the incision sites and may have a drain inserted to prevent fluid build-up. You’ll be provided with information as to when the drain can be removed and how to manage wound care. It’s normal to experience pain and discomfort after surgery, and patients often experience this at its worst around 48 hours after the procedure. Pain medication can be prescribed to help you manage this.
You will also experience some swelling and bruising, which will subside throughout recovery. Applying cold compress can help to minimise swelling, as well as sleeping and resting with your head elevated on an extra pillow. Swelling can peak at days 3-5 post-op.
During the first week, you will have your first follow-up appointment, where our practice nurse may remove sutures. They will assess the progress of your healing and can answer any questions you may have.
Within the first two weeks you will be instructed to avoid strenuous exercise and heavy lifting. You will need to take some time away from work or your normal daily routine and may need someone to stay with you to help with household tasks.
By weeks three to four, you may notice that swelling has begun to subside but may still experience some tightness and numbness. You should be able to slowly resume regular activities and cover any remaining bruising with makeup.
Generally, a full recovery will take about six to 12 weeks. Throughout recovery, Dr Hunt will advise you when you can resume activities, such as work, strenuous exercise and heavy lifting. Since each patient can heal at different speeds, it’s important to closely follow your personalised instructions.
General recovery instructions
You will receive a personalised list of instructions to help you manage your recovery. Often, recovery instructions to follow after a facelift include to:- Take time off work or your normal daily routine
- Follow wound care instructions
- Wear a compression garment
- Avoid strenuous exercise
- Avoid heavy lifting
- Avoid excessive heat exposure
- Sleep with your head elevated
- Take pain medication
- Take other medication, such as antibiotics, to prevent infection
- Apply cold compress to reduce swelling
- Quit smoking
- Avoid alcohol
- Follow a healthy diet
- Stay hydrated
- Attend follow-up appointments
- Slowly resume normal activities
Costs of a Facelift in Sydney
The costs of your facelift at Aesthetic Edge in Sydney will need to be discussed during a consultation. Since the steps of each procedure are personalised, costs will vary from patient to patient.
Costs can depend on your personalised steps, your goals, the total procedure time and if you have combined your procedure with other procedures. During a consultation, Dr Hunt will assess the condition of your facial skin, discuss your health history and any present medical conditions, and discuss your procedure goals to design your procedure.
- The surgeon’s fee
- The anaesthetist’s fee
- Hospital fees
- Fees required during recovery
Surgeon’s and anaesthetist’s fees are based on experience level. Hospital fees will include the use of the theatre, equipment and recovery room and can be influenced by your procedure time. Fees required during recovery can include the costs of items, such as a compression garment, and follow-up appointments.
You will be able to discuss the costs in detail and understand the reasoning for each fee during your consultation. Your consultation will cost $400.
Medicare
Since a facelift and its often accompanied procedures, such as a neck lift, are commonly only performed for aesthetic purposes, patients are generally not eligible for a Medicare rebate. Patients undergoing plastic surgery will only be eligible for Medicare coverage if the procedure is deemed medically necessary. For more information, you can discuss your procedure costs during your consultation.Risks and complications
The risks and complications of a facelift can include:
Your recovery instructions will need to consider the details of your procedure, your personal needs and any lifestyle factors that can affect your body’s healing process. Dr Hunt will provide you with personalised instructions that will be essential to follow to minimise procedure risks.- Pain and discomfort
- Swelling
- Bruising
- Numbness
- Infection
- Seroma (fluid accumulation)
- Hematoma (A collection of blood)
- Temporary or permanent nerve damage
- Temporary or permanent changes in skin sensation
- Skin necrosis
- Hair loss around incision sites
- Scarring
- Asymmetrical results
- Anaesthesia complications
- The need for revision surgery