The ideal facelift should make enough changes to make us happy, and leave no marks. However, in life, ideal remains a wish and a guidance, that we strive for.
Preparing for a short scar facelift
In preparation for your surgery we invite you to have an initial consultation with Paul to ensure you are an appropriate candidate for this procedure. Your initial consultation may be via Zoom, especially if you live far away, or you may book straight in for a face to face consultation lasting 45 minutes.
In preparation for your consultation, we will ask you about your reasons for seeking aesthetic surgery, what it means to you and how it will impact upon your life. We will also ask you about your past medical history and social history.
You will be examined, in the presence of a chaperone, and pre-operative photographs will be taken with your consent. For certain procedures, 3D pictures are also taken.
We will ensure that you are fully informed about your procedure in ample time, with a cooling off period for you to digest the information given to you, and time to ask as many questions as you like.
It is not unusual for a patient to have two or three consultations prior to their planned procedure.
Further information relating to your procedure is found on this web page.
The hospital where you will have your procedure will also undertake a pre-operative assessment.
Currently, this will also include a COVID test within 5 days of your procedure.
It is important to stop any medications which thin the blood prior to your procedure. You will be guided on this. You must also stop any herbal remedies, vitamins and supplements 2 weeks prior to your operation to reduce the risk of bleeding.
Most procedures are performed under a general anaesthetic, or sedation. You must not eat or drink for 6 hours prior to your procedure. Sips of water may be taken up to 2 hours before.
You will be brought in to hospital 1-2 hours prior to your operation, at which point you will be seen by the nursing staff, anaesthetist and surgeon.
It is common practice to complete the informed consent process prior to your hospital visit, and ensure you have been informed about all of the material facts relevant to your surgery. You will be fully informed of the risks and complications of the surgery, and the financial implications of any revision surgery required.
Patients are often day cases following this procedure.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Short scar facelifts represent a good indication only for a select group of patients.
It is best suited for patients in their late 30s or early 40s, but in instances where there is very little sun damage or the skin has naturally stronger elasticity, it can be a useful procedure even later in life.
Every patient will have undergone a full consultation with Paul so that patients are made fully aware and comfortable before entering into any surgery.
The hospital where your operation is taking place will provide patients with full detailed written instructions on preparing for surgery.
Short scar facelift surgery is performed under general anaesthetic, which means you will not be prohibited to eat or drink 6 hours prior to the operation.
The operation is usually an overnight stay but can be performed as a day case.
Short scar face lifts have the advantage of a quicker recovery with minimal bruising and swelling, and you can expect it to provide a softer and tighter appearance to the lower face and jaw line, and some increased fullness in the cheekbone area.
Patients are advised to treat day1 post-op as a rest day, refraining from exercise for 14 days. Bruising should be expected for around 7 days after the procedure.
Once sutures are removed one week after the procedure, Patients should expect to a lifted appearance with loose skin removed and facial features defined
Application of local anaesthetic at the treatment site ensures total comfort for the duration of the procedure, with enhanced recovery, without the effects of a general anaesthetic.
An incision is then made in front of the ear on each side of the face. Lax, excess skin is removed and deep sutures are placed to tighten facial ligaments
The procedure takes a little over 2 hours to perform, with patients looked after by our highly experienced and caring medical team throughout.
With a surgical face lift, the deeper tissues of the face are lifted and tightened and several centimetres of skin are removed. The different types of facelift will give different results and it is therefore essential to appreciate what each procedure will, and more importantly what it won’t do. Most people seeking surgery request a result that whilst freshening and rejuvenating retains a natural appearance.
As every client’s skin and required goals are unique, a detailed consultation with Consultant Plastic Surgeon Mr Paul Wilson is essential prior to undergoing any surgical procedure. During the consultation, Mr Wilson will discuss any problem areas, desired improvements, options available (including no treatment at all) and expected outcomes.
There are many different types of facelift and careful evaluation of your face and discussion of your needs is essential in selecting the most appropriate technique.
A short scar facelift can be done under local anaesthetic or general anaesthetic.
Should the short scar facelift be agreed upon as the most suitable treatment, the procedure will be carried out by Mr Wilson in an operating theatre at one of the many facilities he operates in. Mr Wilson operates in Bristol, Newport, Devon and Birmingham.
A local anaesthetic is applied to the treatment area to ensure the patient's total comfort for the duration of the procedure. The skin is carefully cleaned and marked. After the skin is numbed in front of the ear, a small cut is made to sit within the nooks and crannies of the ear and hairline so as to help hide the scar in natural lines. The skin in front of the ear is carefully lifted from the deeper tissues and several tightening stitches are then placed to lift the muscles and ligaments. The redundant skin is then lifted in an upward direction with any excess being trimmed accurately away, usually around 2.5 – 3.0cm of skin is removed on each side. The edges of the cuts are very carefully closed to give discrete and often hidden incision lines.
