COSMETIC SURGERY: FACE LIFTS
Face Lifts and other Cosmetic Surgery for the Face
The human face is the most visual and expressive part of the body. It is the first thing you look at or notice when you meet new people and it can say a lot about you.Concern about a part of your face can cause low self-esteem or anxiety that can adversely affect all aspects of your life.
Facial cosmetic surgery allows you to make subtle and natural changes to the structure, texture and appearance of your face, helping you to look younger and more attractive. Alternatively, it can make adjustments to individual features, which can give you a more natural and balanced appearance.
Rhinoplasty (Nose) Surgery
For patients who are unhappy with the shape of their nose there is the option of rhinoplasty surgery. Rhinoplasty aims to change the shape and size of the nose to make it appear more harmonious with the rest of the face. This may involve altering the width, length or profile of the nose and the position or shape of the nostrils.
Rhinoplasty involves a surgical procedure usually lasting about two hours. Your cosmetic practitioner will remove small amounts of bone or cartilage to give the nose a more suitable and symmetrical appearance. Rhinoplasty surgery can also be used to correct functional or breathing problems caused by a deviated septum.
After surgery most patients are desperate to see their new nose, after all they have probably been waiting their whole life to see it, but patience is the key when it comes to rhinoplasty. The nose will need to be thoroughly bandaged and supported for at least a week after surgery, and in some cases swelling may last a month. However, most patients are able to return to work between a week and ten days following the surgery.
The most suitable candidates for rhinoplasty surgery are those who don’t expect a completely new nose. Cosmetic practitioners aim to make small changes to the nose to make it appear more naturally suited to the face. They will usually advise patients against a complete change of shape or style.
An average rhinoplasty surgery in the UK costs between £3,000 and £7,000.
Facelifts and Facial Surgery
The aim of a facelift is to improve the appearance of the face and make the patient look younger. There are many types of facial surgery available to meet any facial improvement goals you may have.
The different types of facelift are distinguished by the type of incision used, the area of the face and the degree of invasiveness required during surgery. Facelifts are often used in combination with other facial surgeries such as cheek implants or eyelid surgery.
In the past, a generic facelift surgery consisted of the cosmetic surgeon making an incision in the face and pulling the skin into a higher position. However, there was rarely ample support for this new skin position and it would inevitably fall back down. Surgeons realised that they were not going deep enough and a number of new facelift techniques were developed as a result. Surgeries such as SMAS and Deep Plane lift the deeper tissues of the face and neck as well as the upper layers of skin. This offers a much greater degree of longevity and balance to the surgery.
Other surgeries such as the Mid-Facelift and Short Scar Facelift are more suited to patients with less severe skin sagging. The cost of facelift surgery depends on the type of treatment you require. Deeper tissue facelifts such as the SMAS cost between £5,000 and £8,000, with less invasive procedures costing on average £4,000.
Facelift surgery can dramatically improve the appearance of facial tissue making you look younger and healthier. Technological improvements have made surgery safer and far more successful. A good facelift will create a natural looking appearance but it is important to remember you may need to have further cosmetic treatments to improve the appearance of your nose, eyes and neck.
Brow lift
A brow lift is an increasingly popular cosmetic treatment used to reduce creases that appear with age on the forehead and to lift the brow if it is drooping over the eyes to make them look heavy or tired. A brow lift is ideally suited for patients who have noticed the signs of aging, such as unwanted furrows on the brow or drooping eyebrows.
Brow lifts are often used in combination with other treatments such as facelifts or hair transplants to achieve a more complete cosmetic transformation.
The simpler procedure usually only requires a local anaesthetic and is performed on an outpatient basis. Surgery takes between one to two hours on average and you will be free to return home the same day.
A conventional brow lift will involve a much larger incision and a need for more stable support for the lifted tissue. Recovery time is slower and there is more need for stitches and bandaging. Alternatively, an endoscopic lift involves making a small incision into the brow and using internal apparatus to lift and hold tissue.
Brow surgery usually costs between £2,000 and £3,000 but is often performed as part of a larger cosmetic makeover treatment such as a facelift.
Cheek Implants
If you are concerned about the hollow or sunken appearance of your cheeks you can give them a firmer and fresher appearance using cheek implants. Often used in conjunction with other facial surgeries such as a facelift or brow lift, cheek implants are small silicone implants inserted via either the lower eyelash line or through the mouth.
Cheek implants give you a firmer, more fresh faced look, helping to revitalise and rejuvenate the appearance of tired-looking or sagging facial tissue. Cheek implants cost about £4,000 but maybe cheaper if combined with another facial cosmetic procedure.
Dermal fillers such as Restylane Sub Q and volumisers such as Sculptra are also used to enhance the cheek, but these implants are not permanent. You can read more details of these treatments and watch videos in this site.
Ear Surgery
The irony about ears is that we hardly ever notice them unless there is something unusual about them, and then they are hard to miss. Ears that stick out, are too large or deformed in some way can be the source of worry, especially if you are teased about them.
Ear surgery is a relatively straightforward corrective procedure with few risks and is therefore one of the only cosmetic procedures regularly performed on children. Most patients who have ear surgery, or otoplasty, are between the ages of four and fourteen.
Surgery takes place under a general anaesthetic for younger patients and local anaesthetic for older patients. The procedure involves either the removal or repositioning of cartilage to form the ear into the desired shape and position. Surgery rarely involves an overnight stay with most patients being allowed to return home the same day.
Post-procedural care is important, especially if dealing with young children. Your practitioner will be able to offer you further advice. You can expect to pay between £1,000 and £2,500 depending on the nature of surgery.
Eye bag surgery (blapharoplasty)
However young you may feel at heart, bags under your eyes or drooping and sagging skin on the eyelids can add years to your appearance. However, eye bag surgery can remove sagging tissue, giving your eyes a lift and helping to restore that youthful glow to your face.
Eye bag removal surgery involves the removal of excess skin from around the eyes and tightening the remaining tissue. Drooping or sagging skin either above or below the eye, on the upper and lower lids, is a common sign of aging and could be making you look years older than you actually are.
Eye bag removal surgery could help you to look younger and less tired, helping to give you more alert and younger looking eyes, which could help to increase your confidence.
Eye bag surgery can cost £1,500 -£2,000 for upper lids, £2,000-£3,000 for lower lids and £3,000-£4,000 for full surgery on upper and lower lids.