Orange County Facelift & Newport Beach Face Lift Surgery

Although no one can stop the aging process, Dr Kapoor provides several options for rejuvenation of the aging face. He is one of the few cosmetic surgeons in Southern California proficient in the SMAS-platysma bidirectional face list which gives a more natural, longer-lasting result than the standard skin only facelift. He can make you look younger and feel more confident about your appearance, by performing a facelift (also known as a rhytidectomy) to rejuvenate your face and neck. This popular procedure removes excess fat, tightens the muscles just below your skin, and reshapes the skin of your face and neck so it no longer sags.

A facelift can be done by itself or in conjunction with eyelid (blepharoplasty) and eyebrow surgery (brow lift or forehead lift).

Candidates for a facelift include men and women who are looking to improve the appearance of sagging skin in the face and neck. The best candidates for this surgery have a strong, well-defined bone structure and skin that, though sagging, is still somewhat elastic. A consultation with Dr. Kapoor in Orange County will help to determine if the facelift is right for you.
Dr. Kapoor performs the facelift onsite at the Wellness Surgery Center, a state-of-the-art AAAHC-certified facility. Surgical times will vary for each individual patient, but the average surgical time for the facelift is three to five hours. Local anesthesia along with a sedative is often used, though general anesthesia is also an option.

The incision for the facelift typically starts above or at the hairline at the temples. The incision then extends in a natural line in front of the ear or just inside of the ear cartilage, then continues behind the earlobe and ends in the lower scalp. An additional small incision will be made just under the chin if the chin is being worked on as well. Working through the incisions, Dr. Kapoor will carefully separate the skin from the underlying muscle and fat. He may then trim or suction fat from the chin and neck area and tighten the underlying muscle and deeper tissues (SMAS, Platysma). The doctor will then re-drape the skin and trim any excess. Stitches will be used to secure the layers of tissue, while either stitches or metal clips may be used on the scalp incision.

After the surgery is complete, a bandage may be loosely applied to the head and a drainage tube may be placed under the skin behind the ear. The drainage tube will be removed within one to two days after surgery, and the bandage within one to five days. The face is likely to appear pale, bruised and puffy at first, and the skin may feel tender and numb. The numbness should fade within several weeks to months, while the bruising should subside within about two to three weeks. Keeping the head elevated as much as possible during the first few days after surgery will help to alleviate the swelling. Patients may experience minor discomfort which can be controlled with prescribed pain medication. Patients should plan on taking it easy for the first week.

The stitches will be removed within about seven to ten days. Patients are often able to return to work after about ten to fourteen days. Some bruising may still be present at this but makeup can be used to camouflage it. Strenuous activities, sex, heavy housework, steam baths, saunas and alcohol should be avoided for at least two to three weeks.

Facelift Questions

Q. Who are the best candidates?
They are the men and women whose skin is still somewhat elastic and who have a strong, well-defined bone structure, but their face and neck have started to sag. Most people who opt for a facelift are between 40 and 60 years of age, although many older men and women have facelifts, too. That's because it can make you look younger and more alive. It can uplift your spirits as well as your face. And it can cause you to smile instead of hide when a friend or relative wants to take your picture.

Q. What are the risks?
Complications are few and far between when a facelift is performed by a highly qualified cosmetic surgeon like Dr. Kapoor. However, they might occur due to the patient's physical condition, healing ability (e.g., smoking is detrimental to healing), uncontrolled high blood pressure, blood clotting problems, or other factors. Despite the utmost care during surgery, it's sometimes possible to temporarily injure the motor nerves controlling facial muscles. Infections are rare. The patient may react poorly to the anesthesia. Hematoma which is bleeding under the facial skin, is the most common complication, and occurs 3-5% of the time. Although millions of people have had successful facelifts, results cannot be guaranteed.

Q. What's the first step?
A consultation at Dr. Kapoor's office. You'll be asked what you'd like a facelift to accomplish, what parts of your face or neck you'd like improved, whether you're a smoker, and what medications, vitamins or recreational drugs you're taking (if any). During your visit, the doctor will evaluate your face and neck, including the skin and bone structure. If you've ever had any surgery or medical problems, or bad reactions to drugs or anesthesia, he'll want to know about it. Then he'll explain what can and can't be accomplished with a facelift, and what is realistic.