Question 1

How Does a Facelift Work?

Accepted Answer

Dr. Karolak personally modifies each facelift procedure according to the patient’s individual facial volume and bone structure. In many cases, he may choose to enlist a specialized approach that incorporates a cheek lift to address muscle looseness that’s causing an aged appearance. Using his unparalleled experience, skill, and artistry, Dr. Karolak meticulously works to produce dramatic, yet natural-looking results.

The procedure is done under a local anesthetic so there are no initial ‘comedown’ or lingering effects like you’d have with general anesthesia. The relaxing medication that is given and the gentle numbing process with local anesthetic ensures that patients remain comfortable and calm throughout the procedure.

In most cases, a facelift will take about 2 hours to complete. Additional procedures will add more time. You can expect about 7-14 days of recovery after your facelift. Exercise may be resumed after 2 weeks.

Question 2

Am I a Good Candidate For a Facelift?

Accepted Answer

If you’re bothered by visible signs of aging on the mid-to-lower face, you’re likely a suitable candidate for the procedure. While a non-surgical facelift may be a good alternative for patients with facial volume loss, those who have significant muscle looseness should consider a surgical facelift.

Facelift procedures are ideal for patients that have excess skin, sunken fat pads, or sagging muscles on the face or jawline. Patients should be otherwise healthy adults, with realistic expectations about what the procedure can do for them. Non-smokers will tend to have a speedier recovery process.

Question 3

What Results Will I See From Facelift?

Accepted Answer

Most patients are happy with the immediate lift a facelift provides. The majority of post-surgical swelling will have subsided in about 2-weeks leaving you with a more youthful and refreshed appearance. Gradual improvement will continue to occur over the course of several weeks to several months.

Although the natural aging process will continue to occur, surgical facelifts produce a new, more youthful looking “set point” from which aging will continue. This allows you to look younger than you would have without the procedure.

Dr. Karolak’s specialized facelift techniques help improve the elevation of the cheeks, tightness of the jawline, the appearance of the neck, depth of the nasal/marionette folds, and looseness of the skin and muscles in the face and neck.

Question 4

What is the Recovery Life After Facelift?

Accepted Answer

The recovery process is entirely dependent on the extent of your facelift procedure. A mini facelift, for example, may only have 5-10 days of downtime. A mid-to-lower facelift typically has about 2-weeks of recovery. Dr. Karolak customizes recovery plans for each patient based on their individual procedure as well as their lifestyle.

After the procedure, you will wear a head wrap for the first 2-3 days. Healing will vary from patient to patient. Most patients describe a tight sensation that may or may not require prescription pain medication for the first 24-72 hours for comfort.

Dr. Karolak insists on being involved in your recovery through close follow-up and communication. He provides all of his surgical patients with his cell phone number to ensure personalized aftercare.