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Facelift in Oklahoma City | Bajaj Plastic Surgery

before and after facelift side view female patient

Our faces play a large part in how we present ourselves to the world. Our faces can contribute to how attractive we feel and are a significant means of expression and communication. Unfortunately, over time, gravity, sun exposure, genetics, and years of facial expression can cause our skin to droop, sag, and crease to the point that we no longer feel like ourselves when we look in the mirror. We do everything we can to reverse these effects from expensive creams and trending at-home treatments but with no results. A facelift, clinically known as a rhytidectomy, is a facial surgery designed to correct visible signs of aging that appear on the face over time by removing excess skin, repositioning underlying muscles and tissues, and tightening facial contours for an overall more youthful appearance.

Board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Anureet Bajaj uses her talent and artistry to create natural-looking results that aim to recapture the appearance of your youth rather than changing your features to look artificial. Dr. Bajaj also offers facial fat grafting to enhance facial volume, using the patient’s own tissue for natural-looking results. In addition, Dr. Bajaj and her team provide a welcoming, enjoyable experience for their patients and strive to make each person leave their office feeling confident and beautiful with their new aesthetic.

Ready to take control of how you age with a facelift in Oklahoma City, OK? To schedule a customized consultation with Dr. Bajaj, call us at (405) 724-2977 today and learn more about our Oklahoma City facelift! In addition, we offer our services to surrounding locations, including Edmond, Yukon, Mustang, and Norman.

What Is a Facelift?

Facelift surgery (rhytidectomy) is a cosmetic procedure that involves surgically improving visual signs of aging in the face and neck by repositioning or removing sagging skin and fat, repositioning underlying muscles, and improving the overall contours of the face. Dr. Bajaj offers different types of facelifts depending on your areas of concern. For example, she provides a short-scar facelift for mild to moderate sagging. It’s a less invasive process and is recommended for patients with early signs of facial sagging.

For more advanced signs of aging, she offers a full facelift and necklift procedure that focuses on the entire face and neck, and is recommended for patients with moderate to significant signs of facial aging.

 

Why Choose Dr. Bajaj for Your Facelift?

At Bajaj Plastic Surgery, we strive as a team to cultivate an experience that is welcoming, educational, and enjoyable for every patient who enters our office. Our secret to success is preparation. Dr. Bajaj believes that properly preparing patients for surgery will optimize their recovery and results. To help patients prepare, we curate a proactive pain and nausea management plan that begins a few days before their surgery and continues through their recovery.

Patients across Oklahoma choose Dr. Bajaj for her compassionate approach, professionalism, dedication to patient care, and incredible artistic ability. Her passion for aesthetic service stemmed from a desire to help people make a life-changing choice that will instill self-confidence and improve their quality of life.

 


Listen in as Dr. Bajaj discusses common Facelift questions with eHealth Radio.

Facelift Before and After Results

Facelift female side view case 3

What is a Good Age for a Facelift?

What Are the Benefits of a Facelift?

A facelift offers a variety of benefits that go beyond aesthetic improvements. Those who choose to undergo this surgical procedure with Dr. Bajaj can experience the following benefits:

Tightened and Refined skin

As we age, our skin begins to sag, droop, and wrinkle due to the decline of essential proteins like collagen and elastin. Sometimes, these changes can make people feel like they look years older than they are. A common complaint amongst patients is that their skin looks loose or sagging, especially around the mouth and jaw. Unfortunately, very little can be done to correct or hide this effect. However, a facelift for sagging skin is designed to help smooth and tighten underlying tissues and skin, resulting in more youthful facial contours.

Removal of Jowls

For some patients, the least desired facial features are hanging jowls that hide the curve of their jawline. These can be removed with a facelift, giving you a sleeker, tighter jawline and a slimmer appearance. In addition, Dr. Bajaj will carefully sculpt your jawline back to its natural sharp position without resulting in a pulled or stretched appearance.

inconspicuous Surgical Scars

Incisions made during a facelift are designed to be hidden, which means no visible signs of a procedure. While the size and exact location of the incision will depend on your targeted areas, most incisions are made behind the ears, or along the hairline for easy concealment, so only you’ll know your secret to a more youthful appearance.

Practical Downtime

Many patients hesitate to undergo a facelift due to the misconception about how long the recovery will keep them from work or life. Dr. Bajaj’s advanced skin tightening techniques, patient preparation, and recovery plan will help to make your recovery as fast and seamless as possible. Depending on the extent of the procedure, most patients can return to work within 1-2 weeks and back to normal activities after 2-3 weeks.

Long-Lasting Results

There are countless non-surgical procedures like Botox® and dermal fillers that can help smooth fine lines and wrinkles, restore lost volume, and rejuvenate the skin; however, they offer temporary results and are complementary to surgical treatments, rather than replacements.  Dr. Bajaj believes that to have long-lasting results, we have to continue to take care of our skin, avoid nicotine products and excessive sun exposure, and maintain our health.

Dr. Bajaj also offers facial fat grafting to restore volume lost due to aging or weight loss. This procedure uses the patient’s own tissue, which reduces allergy risks and provides natural-looking, lasting results.

What To Expect from A Facelift

All facial surgeries (facelift, brow lift, eyelid surgery, neck lift, etc.) are performed at our fully accredited, on-site operating rooms. On the day of their procedure, patients will first meet with our nurse, who will prepare them for surgery. Then, Dr. Bajaj and our anesthesiologist will begin their preparations for surgery, including answering any questions or concerns patients might have to help settle any nerves before their procedure. A goodie bag will be provided to the patients to store any of their belongings while in surgery.

Once under general anesthesia, Dr. Bajaj will begin the procedure by making an incision that begins above the ear, extends to the front of the ear, and ends at the back of the ear. Dr. Bajaj will use this incision to remove and reposition the excess skin from your neck and face. The underlying muscle layer will also be adjusted and lifted. Once the results meet your goals, Dr. Bajaj will close the incision with sutures and dressing.

Some of these sutures, along with drains, will need to be removed by Dr. Bajaj a day or two after surgery. Once the procedure is complete, you’ll be taken to your recovery room to be monitored by our medical staff until it’s safe for you to return home.

What To Expect from A Facelift Recovery

Dr. Bajaj and her medical staff will closely monitor you after your surgery. Bandages will be wrapped around your face, and two small drains will collect any accumulated fluids if necessary. The maintenance of these drains will be discussed and explained upon your release.

Due to Dr. Bajaj’s pain management plan, most patients find that they’re in less pain than they expected after facelift procedures. However, pain medication will be prescribed as needed to control any discomfort. To help alleviate swelling, icing and head elevation are required. You should also refrain from strenuous activities for the first few weeks after your procedure.

Drains will be removed one to two days after your surgery, and sutures will be removed within a week. Some patients experience mild swelling and bruising, but with proper icing and head elevation, these symptoms should resolve themselves after the first few weeks. Scars will be strategically hidden within your face’s hairline and natural contours. They will continue to fade over the next few months, and with proper care and sun protection, they will become practically invisible.

Considering a Facelift?

 

 

Who Is the Ideal Candidate for A Facelift Procedure?

Patients considering a facelift must be free of health complications and have realistic expectations surrounding the results of their procedure. All patients must be able to follow a list of instructions before their surgery, including:

  • Refrain from smoking and all nicotine and tobacco-based products for four weeks before the procedure and six weeks after. Smoking can significantly hinder the body’s ability to heal and cause infections.
  • Maintain a healthy diet.
  • Get plenty of rest the night before their surgery.
  • Fill and pick up all prescriptions before their appointment.
  • Someone to drive them to and home from the hospital and who is willing to stay with them for the first night home from surgery.
  • Prior to surgery, it’s recommended that you wash your hair thoroughly to help prevent infection. Also, if you color your hair, do so 5-7 days before your surgery since it will be six weeks after your procedure before you’ll have an opportunity to color it again.

Facelift in Oklahoma FAQs

How soon after facelift surgery can I go out in public? 

Most patients are able to go out in public 2 weeks after surgery. At this point, you will be able to wear make-up, and all of your sutures will have been removed.

How do I prolong my facelift results? 

Facial aging is a multi-factorial process – it occurs from loss of elasticity of the skin (which causes sagging) and volume loss. The best way to maintain your results is to take care of your skin with quality medical grade skin care – this will help with collagen regeneration and fine lines and wrinkles — and to continue with your regular maintenance, such as a neurotoxin to treat dynamic wrinkles. I think of these non-surgical components (fillers, neurotoxins, skincare) as the equivalent of brushing your teeth between visits to your dentist – they are the maintenance that is required to maintain the longevity of your surgical results.

How should I prepare for my facelift consultation? 

When having a consultation with Dr. Bajaj, it may be helpful for you to bring photos of your younger self.  Also, be sure to write down all of your questions!

How should I prepare for my facelift surgery day? 

Prior to surgery, you will have a pre-op appointment with one of our nurses who will also be able to answer your questions. In the one to two weeks prior to surgery, you may want to color your hair (if you do so), because you will not be able to color your hair for six weeks after surgery.

What are the risks of a facelift procedure? 

Short-term risks include bleeding (which can result in a hematoma), infection (which is very rare), nerve injury, and scarring.  The most common type of nerve injury can result in numbness to your earlobe.  Most nerve injuries are temporary and any weakness typically resolves between 3-6 months. Scars after a facelift will typically fade during the six months following surgery.

If I smoke, can I get a facelift? 

Smoking increases the risks of wound healing complications such as poor scarring and skin necrosis. For these reasons, I recommend that you stop smoking for at least 4 weeks before surgery and 6 weeks after surgery.

What is the recovery time for a facelift? 

For the first 24-48 hours of surgery, you will have a head wrap/turban. We will remove this dressing during your first post-operative visit and then give you a garment to help support your face and neck which you will wear for the next few weeks at night and when you are home. During this time period, you will want to avoid any strain on your face and neck. You should be able to drive by about 5-7 days after surgery.

When can I work out after my facelift procedure? 

You will need to wait about 3-4 weeks before resuming strenuous physical activity. You will be able to do some gentle walking for exercise about 2 weeks after surgery.

When can I return to work after a facelift? 

Most people are able to return to work after about 2 weeks assuming that they have a desk job.  It is longer for a job that requires heavy lifting.

What are the potential risks and complications of surgery? 

Complications after facelift surgery include hematoma, seroma, nerve injury, and scarring. Most complications are relatively rare.

What is the typical age for a facelift? 

There are many factors that are related to facial aging – including sun exposure, smoking history, weight fluctuations, and genetics. For this reason, patients may age differently, so some patients may have a facelift while in their 40s while others may wait until their 70s. Typically, the patients that I see who choose to have a facelift are in their 60s and 70s.

Are there non-surgical options for a facelift? 

Non-surgical options, such as laser resurfacing and injectables, are adjuncts to facial rejuvenation – they can help to improve how you look but they will never be able to replace the results that you can get from a surgical facelift.

What is the difference between a liquid facelift and a traditional facelift? 

A traditional facelift is a surgical procedure that addresses your face and neck. One of the components of facial aging is volume loss.  A liquid facelift uses fillers to restore volume to the face. While fillers will help to improve your appearance, it is important to understand that the results will not be the same as a surgical procedure. This may be beneficial if you aren’t ready for surgery yet and just want a subtle improvement in your appearance.

How long will the benefits of a facelift last? 

A facelift will last for about 10-15 years. In general, a facelift does not stop the aging process; however, in 10 years, you will still look better than you would have if you had never had a facelift.

What can I expect from my facelift result? 

As we age, our faces generally assume a square appearance with the development of jowls and the sagging that occurs in the neck and cheeks. With a facelift, our goal is to restore your facial shape to the oval that you likely had when you were younger. A facelift should improve the contour of your neck and jawline. It should also result in the improvement of your jowls and restoration of your cheek volume.

What is a skin-only facelift? 

Many years ago, the early facelifts were performed as skin-only facelifts in which only the skin was elevated and excised. If you recall seeing facelifts in which the skin looked tight – as if the woman had gone through a wind tunnel – then it was likely a skin-only facelift. What we learned is that this type of facelift did not look natural, did not produce long-lasting results, and frequently had unacceptable scars because of the degree of tension on the incision. For these reasons, a skin-only facelift is rarely, if ever, performed today.

What is a SMAS facelift? 

The SMAS is a muscle layer under the skin that envelops the muscles of facial expression. The SMAS is also continuous with the frontalis muscle in your forehead and the platysma muscle in your neck. A SMAS facelift requires some form of treatment to the SMAS – either by elevation, excision, or plication (tightening). This results in a more natural and long-lived result when compared with a skin-only facelift.

What is a deep plane facelift? 

For those of us who are traditionalists, a deep plane facelift in the 80s means a facelift in which the dissection was directly on the bone. However, that technique is rarely used today. Today’s version of a deep plane facelift refers to a Sub-SMAS dissection (meaning below the SMAS). The main difference between today’s deep plane facelift and a SMAS facelift is where the incision is made in the SMAS and how the skin is treated. Regardless, the concept of the deep plane facelift is that the skin and SMAS are elevated as a unit and multiple ligaments are released allowing for the elevation and tightening of the face and skin. This technique results in a more natural appearing result with no tension on the skin incisions which means better-looking scars.

What is the hemostatic net? 

The hemostatic net is a newer technique in which external sutures are placed to stabilize the skin and reduce the risk of hematomas and seromas. The external sutures which create a netting are removed 2-3 days after surgery.

How long does a facelift procedure take? 

The facelift itself will take about 3 hours. However, many patients will also wish to have a blepharoplasty and brow lift at the same time, as well as other facial rejuvenation procedures. If other procedures are added, the length of surgery will also increase accordingly.

What is facial fat grafting, and how can it complement a facelift?

Facial fat grafting involves transferring fat from other areas of the body to enhance facial volume. This procedure uses the patient’s own tissue, which reduces allergy risks and provides natural-looking, lasting results. It can complement a facelift by restoring volume lost due to aging or weight loss, enhancing the overall rejuvenation effect.

Ready To Get Started? Schedule Your Consultation Today!

Schedule your personalized consultation with Dr. Bajaj to learn more about what a facelift can do to help restore your youthful radiance. Call (405) 724-2977 or fill out our email contact form to reach our Oklahoma City office. Dr. Bajaj and our expert team look forward to meeting you soon!

Let’s Get Started!

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