A surgical facelift is not something you do on a whim – it is something you plan for with high expectations that the results you achieve will be dramatic, natural and beautiful. When that first surgery doesn’t go as planned, it can lead to significant discouragement and disappointment. Other patients are happy initially with their facelift results but find the effects of time, and environmental factors can reverse those positive changes and create an aged appearance once again.
Moving forward with revision surgery can seem overwhelming but working with a surgeon that can make the necessary corrections and enhance your appearance overall is a rewarding experience with long-lasting benefits. Dr. Maas understands you are probably embarking on the revision journey with some trepidation. With extensive experience in all types of plastic surgery, he has the qualifications to ensure your secondary surgery corrects necessary to achieve your original goals and a look that is both natural and beautiful.
A revision or secondary facelift is one that is performed after initial surgery to correct problems left behind or refresh the face after the passage of time has left its mark once again. This procedure may be performed within months after a first facelift, once the patient has fully healed, or years later.
A revision facelift presents challenges not seen with the first procedure, which is why it is essential to select a plastic surgeon with extensive experience in this area.
You also want to bring any files you have from your first procedure to your consultation to ensure Dr. Maas has all the facts he needs to make the right treatment recommendation for your situation.
There are a variety of reasons why you might want to consider a revision facelift at The Maas Clinic
All these concerns can be addressed by a revision procedure if the surgeon operating is well-versed in facial plastic surgery. Dr. Maas will carefully study the result of your first procedure and listen to your concerns in detail to determine what techniques he might use to enhance your appearance and reduce imperfections. It is essential to allow yourself time to heal fully from your first procedure before pursuing a second, so a waiting period of around one year is usually recommended before discussing revision options.
Revision surgery may pose challenges that are not encountered during the first procedure. These difficulties might be due to scar tissue left behind or tissue that is more tricky to manipulate the second time around. Because anatomical positioning of the face may have been adjusted during the initial operation, that may also need to be addressed carefully to ensure the secondary results are natural and proportionate. Because numerous factors can affect the outcome of the revision, Dr. Maas encourages his patients to bring files and other information about the first procedure they might have so that he can review the original process and identify potential challenges that may need to be addressed.
Dr. Maas usually performs revision facelifts under general anesthesia, ensuring you are comfortably asleep throughout your operation. He will try to use the same incision locations for the second surgery to avoid additional postoperative scarring. If the initial incisions did not heal well or were not placed in discreet areas, the placement may be adjusted to ensure a better result this time around. Dr. Maas will then manipulate underlying tissue to create a more natural contour and youthful volume. Fat might be removed, repositioned or added, depending on the results he is hoping to achieve.
Asymmetries are brought into balance, and deformities like a tightened earlobe are corrected to enhance your natural beauty and eliminate the “done” appearance. Once corrections are made, Dr. Maas carefully sutures the incisions and bandages them to provide protection during the healing process.
Like your first surgery, you are likely to feel sore and swollen for a week or two after your revision facelift. Your activities will be limited for a time to provide ample healing time. You might also decide to avoid social functions during that full two weeks until you are comfortable appearing in public again. Most patients can resume the majority of their activities within one or two weeks and more strenuous exercise within six weeks after their surgery. Residual swelling may continue for a few weeks or even months as the healing process continues.
However, you should be able to see preliminary improvement once the initial swelling subsides and your full results within three or four months when all traces of the procedure are gone. When a revision facelift is performed by an experienced plastic surgeon like Dr. Maas, you can expect to enjoy your refreshed appearance for five to 10 years.
However, the signs of aging will begin to creep into your appearance again, and you will likely need more revision surgery or nonsurgical treatments in the future to maintain your youthful look.
It can be difficult to move ahead with revision surgery after you have already invested so much into rejuvenating your appearance. However, that second procedure may be the best path to an enhanced appearance and increased self-confidence. To schedule your consultation with Dr. Maas and find out if a revision facelift is right for you, contact The Maas ClinicTM today at (415) 567-7000 or contact us by email. The information about rhinoplasty was reviewed by Corey S. Maas MDTM. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us using our contact form below.