Key Takeaways
- A facelift tightens and lifts skin but does not restore the youthful glow that laser skin resurfacing provides.
- Laser resurfacing removes outer dermis layers and boosts collagen production for a more youthful, radiant appearance.
- Combining both procedures reduces total recovery time by consolidating bruising and swelling into a single healing period.
- Laser resurfacing results become visible within a few weeks, while full facelift results take up to three months.
- Having both procedures together produces longer-lasting results than either procedure performed on its own.
In 2013, Americans spent more than $12 billion on plastic surgery and other cosmetic procedures. For thousands of people, the idea of receiving a facelift is an exciting adventure, but many fail to take the opportunity to have multiple cosmetic procedures performed at the same time. People choosing to have a facelift, termed a Rhytidectomy in medicine, are demonstrating an increasing desire to also have laser skin resurfacing performed at the same time. Let’s take a look at both of these procedures and how they benefit patients when completed simultaneously.
Facelift
The facelift gives people a boost in confidence and self-esteem. When your surgeon begins the procedure, he will use either general or local anesthesia. The majority of people choose to undergo the procedure will be able to relax and not have any adverse effects when given general anesthesia or oral sedation. Depending on the quantity of incisions needed and types of work performed during the procedure, the physician may choose to make incisions around the creases and folds of the ears and hairline behind the ears. If eyelid procedures are performed, small access points are created in the creases near the eyelashes. . This procedure will allow the physician to remove excess wrinkles and folds in your skin of the face and neck; however, it will not affect the youthful and stereotypical glow wanted in younger skin, which is why many choose to take the next step: laser skin resurfacing.*****
Laser Skin Resurfacing
Laser skin resurfacing removes the outermost layers of your dermis and stimulates the production and proliferation of collagen in your tissues, which is what gives your skin a more youthful appearance. In addition, collagen growth will help to keep your face looking younger for a longer time.
If you choose to have laser skin resurfacing at the same time as your facelift, the results will last longer and your recovery time will be reduced. If you have these procedures completed separately, you will face weeks of bruising and swelling at different times.
Following your facelift, do not expect to experience immediate results as you will experience significant swelling the first 3-days and bruising over the first 2-weeks. It may take up to one-month for the bruising to subside and up to 3-months to notice permanent results in your face’s appearance.. However, you will notice the results of the laser skin resurfacing within a few weeks. The laser skin resurfacing can also reduce any negative appearance of scar tissue.
As society moves in the direction of improving self-confidence, the statistics of plastic surgery will continue to rise. In order to save time in your physician’s office and in recovery, you should consider having multiple procedures completed at the same time. Besides, you will look even more radiant once your wrinkles are removed and your skin glows with youth.
