When the facial skin loses its elasticity during the course of life, is damaged by harmful UV rays from the sun, or experiences reduced collagen production, wrinkles will form.
In order to minimise and reduce the visible appearance of these small indentations in the skin, to regain the youthful definition of your features and create a visibly fresher and younger appearance, a facelift procedure, otherwise known as a rhytidectomy, is recommended to tighten the skin and the subcutaneous connective tissue for a long lasting result.
Medical Term: Rhytidectomy
Type of Anesthesia: General Anesthesia
Surgery time: 3-4.5 hours
Length of hospital stay: 1 overnight stay
Aftercare: Suture removal after 1 week, lymphatic drainage
Back to public: After 2-3 weeks
Back to work: After 1-2 weeks (depending upon physical strain)
Time of recovery: 4-6 weeks
Fees: starting at 27.000 CHF
A Rhytidectomy procedure is performed on an inpatient basis, under sedation or general anaesthesia if preferred. Incision is made in front of and around the ear to enable the surgeon to detach the skin from the underlying tissue avoiding any damage to important structures (nerves and vessels). The exposed fatty and muscular tissue (SMAS) can then be tightened and the excess skin removed without creating any abnormal or unwanted tightness.
Incidents and complications are extremely rare in rhytidectomy procedures. However, as with any invasive procedure, complications can occur, for example in heavy smokers, the wound may become infected or the blood flow and healing process may become impaired. Depending wholly on your skin type and lifestyle options, the results of your facelift will last from between 7 to 15 years, after such time should you wish, another operation is possible.
Any swelling and discolouration of the face will recede and diminish within a few days. In the overwhelming majority of rhytidectomy procedures, any after-effects, swelling or bruising have completely subsided within 14 to 21 days post-op and you are free to again resume work and normal daily activities. In extremely rare cases, where post procedure complications have been experienced, normal closure of the eyelid or the flow of tears may be impaired. In such event, both will return to normal as swelling subsides. It may be that your skin initially feels tight or less sensitive than normal, the symptoms will usually disappear within a few weeks.
As with any cosmetic procedure, rhytidectomy surgery costs can vary widely dependent upon the patient, condition of the skin, degree of surgery as well as any other additional procedures performed. For example, blepharoplasties, dermabrasions, lipofilling and so forth. Also after the operation additional supportive cosmetic treatments performed by our cosmeticians as well as improvement of scar quality using laser treatments done by our dermatologists can be very recommendable. Naturally, all surgical fees are discussed, agreed and paid in advance and include anaesthesia, operating room facilities or other related expenses. In general, most health insurances do not cover facelift and rhytidectomy surgery as the procedure is viewed as aesthetic.
Price for facelift: from 27.000 CHF