Facelift in Oslo – Natural rejuvenation with long-lasting results

What is a facelift?

If you study the aging process in the face, you will discover that certain changes occur over time. For some people, these changes happen quickly and suddenly over a few years or during menopause, and some may be concerned about their appearance and suddenly looking older. 

At Nordtrandklinikken, facelift patients are between 40 and 70 years old, with most being women in their 50s. 

What happens during a facelift consultation?

During a facelift consultation, your wishes and needs regarding a facelift with or without a neck lift will be thoroughly assessed with regard to the overall picture and type of facelift.

You can also see before and after photos of patients who have given their consent. An analysis is made based on your anatomy and wishes, and the areas that need attention are identified. Most people experience sagging skin on the cheeks, which leads to increased nasolabial and marionette lines, a less defined jawline, hamster bags, and fat accumulation on the neck. Some people have prominent platysma bands on their neck, and many experience greater volume loss in the temples and midface. Based on the analysis performed during the consultation, an assessment is made as to whether a facelift is appropriate or whether a non-surgical method should be used. An assessment is also made as to whether the face is heavy with a particular need for lifting and techniques to pull it up, or whether there is less volume and a need for lifting and fat addition. In addition, the neck is examined to see if there is fat above or below the platysma and whether there is a need for platysmaplasty (tightening of the neck muscle).

Should I postpone a facelift, and is there anything I can do to slow down the aging process?

Some people develop premature signs of aging, such as excess skin on the face, wrinkles, reduced volume, and a "drawn" and tired appearance. Unfortunately, this process is often accelerated by genetic factors, sun exposure, smoking, alcohol consumption, stress, weight loss, and poor diet. To maintain a good appearance without surgery, you should be careful about your diet, sunscreen, and anti-aging products. We have cosmetic nurses who optimize this before and after surgery. 

Some of these factors, such as smoking, also increase the risk of complications during surgery, so it is important to optimize all conditions before any operation and to ensure good results. We work as a team of plastic surgeons and nurses in relation to both surgical and non-surgical treatments.

How is a facelift performed? 

During a face and neck lift, an incision is made in front of and behind the ear, and excess skin is removed and the layer above the muscles is tightened and held in place. This is called a SMAS facelift, and there are various methods for tightening the SMAS that we at Nordstrandklinikken each individual patient, including SMAS plication, MACS lift, or SMAS patch to tighten and contour the face, along the jawline and on the cheeks to create a more defined jawline and reduce nasolabial folds. It is this and how to tighten this layer under the skin (SMAS) that gives long-lasting and good results. We do not recommend removing skin alone, as the results will not last long. It is important to consider the vectors and the direction in which the SMAS is tightened and the direction in which the skin is tightened in order to achieve a natural and attractive result. Dr. Vigen has extensive experience in facial surgery and visits some of the world's leading facial surgeons. He has mastered many techniques for lifting the face to suit different faces. As a rule, the procedure is combined with fat grafting to certain areas of the face to achieve a better result. Finally, the excess skin is removed and the scars are hidden so that they are as inconspicuous as possible. 

What is a mini lift? 

A mini facelift is suitable for those who are showing early signs of aging with drooping corners of the mouth and excess skin along or below the jawline, where they feel that it would help to pull the skin up a little. The procedure is popular among women in their 40s. 

In this procedure, an incision is made in front of the ear and down and just behind the earlobe, and the skin is loosened down to the cheek. The same techniques are used as in a facelift, where the underlying SMAS is tightened, but over a smaller area than in a full facelift. It involves a greater degree of minor skin removal and less tightening of the underlying tissue than in a full facelift. 

What will the scars look like?

The scars run along the edge of the upper cartilage and are placed on the inside of the ear cartilage at the entrance to the ear, so that they are least visible, and down along the edge of the ear and behind the earlobe. If a neck lift is performed, the scar is extended behind the ear and usually into the hairline. After just a few weeks, the scars usually become very inconspicuous. They are red at first and can be covered with makeup, and they turn white or almost disappear over time. In many patients, we have trouble finding the scars if they heal well, have been diligent about taping, and have applied silicone cream afterwards. Some patients also undergo laser treatment afterwards to remove scars. Most patients are left with a small scar in this area, but it is not noticeable in everyday life. In a few patients who have abnormal scarring, the scar may be more visible, but this is very rare. 

Surgical mini lift or Fotona 4D?

Many people consider whether to have a mini-lift or, for example, a Fotona 4D treatment (skin tightening with laser, non-surgical facelift). These are two completely different things, each with their own advantages and disadvantages. In general, surgery will give you a fresher and better result, and there are more options available. Over time, surgery will often give the best results, but the disadvantage of surgery is longer downtime and scarring, although the scars heal nicely and usually become almost invisible after a while. The advantage of laser treatment is that it also improves skin quality. It is also possible to combine both treatments to get the best of both worlds. For some people, it is then a question of assessing how much skin can be tightened using non-surgical methods compared to what can be achieved with a small mini-lift. We offer both options and can show pictures of patients who have agreed to this.

To achieve optimal results and avoid complications after a face and neck lift, it is recommended that you maintain as normal a weight as possible and follow the guidelines above as closely as possible. If you smoke, you must stop at least 4-6 weeks before the operation and continue not to smoke for 4 weeks afterwards.

Are there any complications associated with a facelift?

There are facelift methods that go deeper, known as deep plane lifts, but most plastic surgeons lift and modify the SMAS in various ways that are well above the facial nerve so that there is no risk of damaging it. 

However, there are areas of the face where the nerve is more superficial. Nerve damage during a facelift is very rare but can occur. In most cases, this is temporary. For example, during chin liposuction, the mandibular nerve may be knocked out for a period of time afterwards. Similarly, with a brow lift and temporal surgery, there is a risk of hitting the nerve that lifts the eyebrow. As long as the surgeon is careful and aware of this, the risk is small. Furthermore, it is very rare, but sometimes bleeding can occur that requires reoperation on the same day. We all have different bleeding tendencies, and some people bleed more easily than others. We usually insert a drain, which is removed the following day to avoid this. Smokers may experience uglier scars and problems with wound healing, so we do not operate on smokers. In this case, you must stop smoking 4 weeks before and 4 weeks after the operation. The most common complications with heavy faces are that the patient feels that the lift is not sufficient. Weight changes up or down after the operation can also alter the result. It is therefore important to discuss realistic goals and expectations for the operation with the plastic surgeon in advance and to look at pictures of what to expect. 

How long does a facelift last?

The aging process will always continue even after surgery, but a simple way to think about this is that you feel like you are taking away about 10 years and that you will then be able to look 10 years younger for the rest of your life. If you experience age-related changes again later, you can have another operation, but it should last for at least 10-15 years. At conferences, pictures have been shown of patients who look 10 years younger 10 years after their surgery compared to before the surgery. However, this will vary slightly from patient to patient and depending on the method chosen for the facelift.