Face Lift Surgery gets a Face Lift

Popular in the US, face lifts are becoming more mainstream in the UK according to consultant plastic surgeon, Mr Naveen Cavale. In his latest online article, Mr Cavale explains how face lift techniques have drastically improved since the nineties, with subtle but incredibly effective results.

Once considered one of the more extreme cosmetic procedures, face lifts have never been a hugely popular surgery carried out in the UK, but all that might be about to change. New techniques, a shift in the transparency from those in the public eye and a reduction in stigma attached to aesthetic procedures is resulting in a new era for face lift surgery.

One surgeon who has seen an increased demand for face lifts is Mr Naveen Cavale, a Consultant Plastic & Reconstructive Surgeon who has a private practice alongside his NHS work. “There has been a noticeable increase in the number of patients booking in to see me for face lift consultations and surgery,” says Mr Cavale. He puts this rise in interest down to a few different reasons. “Firstly, we’ve seen techniques improve dramatically recently, particularly in regards to ‘deep plane’ face lifts, with many leading US surgeons showing exceptional results of these procedures, often on their social media platforms, resulting in high engagement from those who didn't know such subtle but effective results were possible.” The second reason, Mr Cavale puts down to a greater acceptance of aesthetic treatments. “Injectables and non-surgical treatments have become more mainstream. I think face lifts will soon fall into that category in the coming years as more people, especially those in the public eye, reveal it’s the surgery they’ve undergone."

This comes as designer Marc Jacobs recently shared his facelift journey with his Instagram followers. He’s been praised for his openness and his honesty about the work he’s had done. Are we about to enter a new era of honesty around surgery? Mr Cavale certainly seems to think so. “Marc Jacobs was refreshingly honest about what he's had done which was great to see. Those sorts of results simply can’t be achieved without a scalpel. I think we’re starting to see a new era of honesty around surgery.”

For those interested in the new advanced face lift techniques, Mr Cavale has answered the most commonly asked questions he receives in clinic from patients considering this surgery.

What is a deep plane face lift?

A deep plane face lift is a surgical procedure where we aim to lift the mid-face - something that is hard to do with the traditional face lift techniques where it’s often just the skin and outer edge of the face that’s lifted.

I combine it with various other methods in the Real Plastic Surgery Face Lift and the result is a very subtle but incredibly effective lift of the whole face. Patients who undergo this procedure with me will look younger, and more refreshed but will still be recognisable as themselves.

Who is a good candidate for this surgery?

In the past, our typical face lift patient was someone in their sixties. Now we’re seeing people closer to 45+ coming in for the surgery. This is interesting from a surgeon’s perspective as doing it around the 45-50 mark means we're likely to get a better result. The slightly younger tissue holds better and for longer - but that isn’t to say everyone should start at 25. It’s also easier to maintain if we do it at a younger age. It also acts as a preventative measure to tackle the signs early on.

What will the results be like?

Fully recovered patients should look refreshed and rejuvenated. The results from the Real Plastic Surgery Face Lift are subtle yet effective due to the combination of techniques I use. There were some terrible examples of face lifts in the nineties, but nowadays techniques have really advanced and we can get some fantastic results. It’s all about balance and approaching the surgery from a holistic point of view. Essentially people who have this surgery look like a more refreshed version of themselves. 

How does the Real Plastic Surgery Face Lift compare to some of the less invasive procedures i.e. the ‘one-stitch face lift’ or threads?

Personally, I don’t think you’ll achieve great results with a one-stitch face lift. The results also don’t last very long, whereas a proper face lift will have longevity. Threads have issues too as they can often become infected. They’re also a pain to remove and they can cause issues if you decide to have a face lift later down the line.

What does the surgery entail?

The procedure takes around 4-5 hours and is done under general anaesthetic. Any hair on the face is tied back and kept well out of the way so we have a really clear view of the face.

Once the patient is under general anaesthetic we often start by injecting some local anaesthetic and adrenaline (epinephrine) mix to reduce pain and bleeding. The first cut is then made. It starts in the hairline in front of the ear, then comes in front and under the ear, and then into the hairline at the back. The skin is then lifted away from the rest of the face so we’re able to look at the deeper layers of tissue.

 We will then pull certain areas of the face to lift the mid-face, jawline and nasolabial folds. The goal of this is to restore the cheekbone fat by lifting tissue upwards (and not just backwards like older techniques). Once that aspect is done, we move on to the skin. This is effectively ‘re-draped’ over the new contours of the face and pulled tightly and the extra skin cut off.

The scars from this procedure are neatly done in the hairline. There is one small scar that is more ‘exposed’, along the front of the ear but often people wouldn’t notice this unless they looked really close. It’s the type of scarring that can very easily be covered with makeup if required.

Sometimes I might do some micro or nano fat injections to balance things out. I also frequently have patients who combine this procedure with a brow lift, eyelift surgery, rhinoplasty or even neck surgery - again, this can all help to create a harmonised, balanced look.

It can be done as a day case but you need to stay close to your surgeon i.e. no more than an hour away, just in case you encounter issues after surgery.

What are the risks involved?

For 1/100 people, bleeding will be a risk. For that reason, you don’t want to be far from your surgeon in the first few days post-operation.

The other main risk is scarring. If you’re prone to bad scarring, then of course this can be a risk.

What’s the downtime like?

Patients will need to take two to three weeks off work and for the first night they’ll need someone with them to look after them. A compression garment to prevent swelling and bleeding must be worn until you come back a week later for the surgeon to review how well you’re healing. You will then wear it at night time, for a few weeks more.

Parts of the patient's face will feel weak and numb to begin with and there can be bruising. It’s worth noting we use TIVA anaesthetic in all our Real Plastic Surgery operations - there is evidence that it is gentler and pain management is better. It also has the added bonus of being environmentally friendly compared to traditional gas anaesthetics.

Are there any contraindications to having a face lift?

If you’ve had any fillers, these will have ideally worn off or you will need to have them dissolved. We want to operate when your face is in its most natural state so we can see exactly what we’re doing and how the results will settle.

When it comes to the actual skin, any skin conditions such as acne and rosacea would need to have been managed effectively. I often work with consultant dermatologists in a collaborative manner to ensure a patient’s skin condition has been managed effectively before we book them in for surgery.

If you’re a smoker, then having this operation will be an issue as it makes you a much riskier case. Nicotine can reduce blood flow to healing skin and cause necrosis (death of patches of skin, a difficult thing to deal with, both for patient and surgeon).

A final thing to note is that if you’re in the process of losing weight, you’ll want to be over the phase of weight loss. If you were to continue to lose weight post-operation, it can affect the results.

How much does it cost?

Costs start from £20,000 for my Real Plastic Surgery Face Lift. Unfortunately, cheap and cheerful alternatives simply won’t cut it. This is one of the procedures that is really worth saving up for and doing properly with a very experienced and safety-conscious surgeon.

Mr Naveen Cavale is a consultant plastic surgeon based in London. If you would like to book a consultation with Mr Cavale you can do so today via his Top Doctors profile.