Facelift surgery, as the name implies, is designed to lift the sagging tissues of the face and neck and to reduce the wrinkling of the skin. It is important to not only remove skin, but also to tighten the underlying muscles of the face to provide the smoother skin a more youthful foundation upon which to rest. Facelift surgery is frequently combined with other procedures, such as eyelid surgery and brow lifting, to rejuvenate the entire face.

Dr. Clark specifically designs the surgery to give a natural, more youthful look-not a "windblown" look.

INCISIONS: Facelift incisions are very well hidden in the natural creases around the ears and behind the hairline. Dr. Clark carefully designs the incisions to avoid the subtle changes that can make the result look unnatural, such as elimination of the pre-auricular hair, earlobe changes, and "step-offs" in the post-auricular scalp.

ANESTHESIA: Facelift surgery is performed either in the operating room under general anesthesia or under local anesthesia, with or without sedation, in the state-of-the-art office-based surgical suite.

RECOVERY: Facelift surgery is performed on an outpatient basis. You will be asked to apply iced saline gauze or frozen bags of peas to your eyes and face for the first 24 hours after surgery to minimize the bruising and swelling that can be expected after surgery. The amount of bruising and swelling varies from person to person, generally being most significant on postoperative day two or three.

You are encouraged to resume light activity with a couple of days after surgery. After a week, you can wear makeup and begin to increase the level of activity. The bruising and swelling resolve significantly within about two weeks after surgery. Final healing may take several weeks.