Facelifts have come a long way in recent years and results are now better and more natural.

Early facelifts just stretched skin, but now muscle and fat are also repositioned to give a younger, softer look.

And, there are many different types of facelift, so you may not need the full works – and full recovery time.

Some facelifts can even be performed as day procedures using local anaesthetic. Plus, with advances in minimal, keyhole surgery, you may even be back at work in just a few days.

The mini-lift facelift

The mini lift improves the appearance of jowls and loose neck skin. This procedure is often performed under local anaesthetic and is also known as the weekend facelift because it can be possible to have the procedure on a Friday and return to work on a Monday.

During a one to two hour procedure the cosmetic surgeon makes an S-shaped incision around the ear, tightens tissue under the skin and removes excess skin.

The mid-facelift

Great for tightening sagging faces. The cosmetic surgeon makes tiny incisions in the hairline above the ear and inside the mouth. Fat pads in the cheek are pulled up over the cheekbone to lift and tighten the area.

Full facelift

A full facelift will address the whole face and gives the greatest lifting. An incision is made along the hairline, form the temples to below the ears and back up finishing at the lower scalp.

The surgeon then sculpts or redistributes fat from the face, jowls and neck and repositions underlying tissue. Deeper muscles are also lifted before skin is repositioned over the new facial contours.

If you are not yet ready for a surgical facelift, you may find that one of the non-surgical options suits your needs.

Radiofrequency

At Medcare we use Exilis Elite radiofrequency as in our opinion, and that of many top aesthetics doctors, it is by far the best device and achieves outstanding results.

Radiofrequency delivers heat to exactly the right temperature and depth to stimulate collagen production and tighten skin. As skin is tightened, it has a lifting and smoothing effect on the face and neck.

Thread lifting

Using very fine surgical sutures and small insertion needles, the doctor creates a directional grid of threads in the face. The dissolvable, non-allergenic threads provide lift and tension to the skin, resulting in a lifted, better contoured and smoother face.

The threads stimulate collagen and elastin production, which enhances the lifting so that results improve over two to three months. Thread lifts can last one to two years, and many patients choose yearly maintenance thread lifts.

Thread lifting is perfect for younger patients, or those who don’t want to undergo a full surgical facelift. There is minimal downtime with thread lifting. Some patients experience a little bruising or swelling for a few days.

Fillers

The new generation of volumising fillers can do far more than just fill individual wrinkles. In skilled hands, fillers can be used to shape and contour the face. By adding volume to the correct parts of the face, a lifting effect is achieved.