Facelift Risks and Alternatives

The Risks
Facelifts have relatively few serious health risks associated with the actual procedure. The person will have to undergo general anesthesia, and face all the risks associated with that. Infections and scarring are the other risks, which are common to all surgeries.

The largest risk lies in the possibility that the facelift won't bring the desired results. A facelift can't completely get rid of deep wrinkles or change the structure of a person's face. Skin changes in texture and it will thin over time. Lifts won't change that. Successful facelifts instead can correct sagging that might lead to additional wrinkles, and the procedure will tighten a person's face. During a facelift, the skin on the face is cut free from the face, the underlying muscle of a person's face is tightened, fat is removed, and the skin is re-draped. As one can imagine, the greatest side effect of facelifts is the pain that follows the procedure. Most patients experience swelling and bruising for two to three weeks after surgery and some patients will also experience numbness and tightness in their face and neck.

Alternatives
There are now many alternatives to facelifts that are much less drastic. Wrinkle diminishment, age spot removal, and some decrease in sagging (tightening) can be effected through various forms of laser treatments. Botox, or botulism toxin (yes, the stuff of food poisoning) can be injected in the facial muscles that wrinkle the skin to diminish wrinkling in the forehead and outer eye area.

Issues to Keep in Mind
Changing your appearance through cosmetic surgery should be carefully considered as these procedures can bring results you weren't expecting or fail to bring the ones you wished for. It is also important to keep in mind that many of the results are temporary. A facelift's results will last for 5-10 years depending on how old you are at the time (the older you are the shorter the results last). It costs about $4000-$6000. By protecting your skin from the sun, using moisturizers, exercising, avoiding smoking, and staying hydrated, you can counteract some of the effects aging has on your skin, without surgery.

REFERENCES
a listing of scientific articles and texts used.