If dying young and leaving a beautiful corpse doesn’t appeal, you can take good care of yourself and cross your fingers that you have good genes. If you don’t want to risk leaving your appearance to chance, however, there are literally hundreds of surgical procedures out there which promise to reverse the signs of aging – in a virtual instant.
Many of us feel we are fighting a losing battle when it comes to not looking saggy, droopy and old. In our quest to appear rock-hard, tight and young, it seems we'll do anything – including having radical surgery. If you decide that plastic surgery is right for you, make sure you use only a Board-certified surgeon and shop around. Not only your looks could be at stake!
For many, going under the knife is the only way to go - although the actual plastic surgery procedures can be gruesome. Here are the top seven surgical lifts, for both face and body…
1. Face Lift
The face usually carries the most obvious tell-tale signs of aging, which is why so many people opt for a face lift, or rhytidectomy. Popular among both men and women, it is a relatively straightforward procedure that usually involves an overnight hospital stay and can be painful.
In most cases an incision is made behind the ear, stretching toward the hairline. Your surgeon will then free underlying tissue away from the skin, then pull it up and back, getting rid of all surplus flesh. In some cases deeper tissues may be repositioned, along with accompanying fat removal. Your surgeon’s goal: to redrape the skin, making sure any loose neck folds are gone and that facial tissue which sagged has been tightened.
For the vast majority of patients, having a face lift under general anaesthetic is preferred, although in some cases twilight surgery is performed, using a local anaesthetic with accompanying sedative. This can relax the patient yet allow them to follow the surgeon’s instructions, if needed.
2. Eye Lift
Also known as blepharoplasty, this operation can be done for several reasons, both cosmetic and functional, although the vast majority of patients opt for the former. It involves a complete reshaping of both eyelids, both the upper and lower, along with trimming away excess skin and muscle and taking away surplus fat from the area.
An eye lift is not for the squeamish, and the recovery period can take several months, with stitches and scarring being visible at first. Some people decide instead to have non-surgical blepharoplasty, when injectable fillers are put into the tear trough area to plump it up and temporarily get rid of the appearance of dark circles, which are actually hollows underneath the eyes.
3. Brow Lift
Time was when the wrinkles on the forehead gave your age away, and people resorted to a brow lift to make the skin there smooth and taut. With the popularity of Botox, brow lifts are perhaps less common, but nonetheless they are still seen as a viable way to keep the forehead looking younger.
The incision for a brow lift can be concealed in the hairline or done endoscopically, making small incisions in the scalp. In either case the result is largely the same: cuts, skin stretching and tightening, and sutures or stitches that eventually will have to be removed. Both can be done without general anesthesia but as this is still major surgery, treat it as such.
4. Neck Lift
Getting rid of a turkey neck is about tightening neck muscles and reshaping the neck due to a host of potential problems, such as excess fat that needs to be trimmed and reshaped. The primary thing is to tighten and reshape the muscles then redrape the skin over the new shape you’ve created.
The neck lift can be difficult because you have to free the skin all the way around the base of the neck in order to get the skin to redrape the new shape. A typical neck lift takes two and a half hours. You’re dealing with two sides, the left and the right, and it’s like two operations in one. There is a lot of handiwork involved and it’s quite time-consuming.
All surgery is potentially dangerous, but if the surgeon is experienced and knows what s/he is doing the risks are very minimal. The main risk after a neck lift is immediately after the operation, when there could be a collection of blood, or hematoma, that forms underneath the skin. If you get a collection of blood it actually forms a lump, which can take a long time to resolve. If that happens surgeons will squeeze it out by opening part of the wound and removing the clot. That usually happens within 12 hours after surgery but the incidence is quite low, about three percent maximum.
The other risk is infection, but that is extremely low, well below one percent. And there’s the risk of nerve injury, which you have with all facial operations.
5. Breast Uplift
Also known as mastopexy, this op is popular among women who have seen their breasts begin to droop and sag due to age, gravity, breastfeeding etc. It doesn’t add volume – although you can opt for implants at the same time – but it can make your bosom a lot perkier and firmer by removing excess skin and making your chest sag less than it used to.
The operation requires general anesthetic and usually three incisions: around the areola, vertically underneath from the areola to the breast crease, and horizontally around the breast. You will feel bruised and swollen afterwards and will have to take it easy for a number of weeks, and probably wear a support garment.
Complications are relatively rare but they do exist, especially as this operation cannot be done with a local anesthetic. Following your surgeon’s after-care instructions to the letter and taking good care of yourself in general will help to minimize the risks overall.
6. Butt Lift
Look perky with this unusual, painful and expensive lift – which can take years off your sagging buttocks. With a traditional lift, your surgeon will make an incision right below the butt crease, then take away excess skin and fat and restitch the gap together again. You may want to opt for liposuction at the same time to take away any excess fatty deposits from your bum area.
Patients who are a bit younger may prefer having the skin on their bottom thread lifted instead of removed. Or they may opt for a Brazilian butt lift, in which inserts are added underneath the skin to perk up your tush. These can be either artificial implants made from silicone, or injections from your own fat, which the body has less chance of rejecting. Another option is injections of a gel called Marcolane.
7. Thigh Lift
Make thunder thighs simply a memory with this surgical procedure which is recommended for people who have lax skin in the thigh area. Performed under general anesthesia by a qualified surgeon only, the amount of skin and/or fat removed will vary according to individual.
Bruising and swelling for up to six months are common, but the end result is thinner thighs that have lost that unpleasant orange-peel look. Your skin will be considerably tightened – although in some cases it is best to have liposuction first. Also can be done in conjunction with a full body lift – good for people who have lost massive amounts of weight in a relatively short period of time.
Many of us feel we are fighting a losing battle when it comes to not looking saggy, droopy and old. In our quest to appear rock-hard, tight and young, it seems we’ll do anything – including having radical surgery. If you decide that plastic surgery is right for you, make sure you use only a Board-certified surgeon and shop around. Not only your looks could be at stake!
The information in the article is not intended to substitute for the medical expertise and advice of your health care provider. We encourage you to discuss any decisions about treatment or care an appropriate health care provider.
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