Are You Worried About Scars After a Facelift?

One of the main concerns expressed by my patients regarding facelift surgery is the fear that scars will be visible. This is an extremely valid concern. Scars can be unsightly. Plus, most people are eager for their faces to look naturally rejuvenated, not surgically enhanced.

How noticeable a scar will be depends on several factors including:

• The size of the wound
• How quickly it heals
• The patient’s skin type
• The age and health of the patient
• How well the patient treated the wound during the healing process
• The skill of the surgeon and placement of incisions

Fortunately, surgeons such as myself who are well trained in facelift cosmetic surgery know how to minimise the appearance of scars. There are even some steps patients can take once the wound is healed to aid the fading of their scars.

What is a Scar?

A scar is a mark that is left on your skin after it has been cut, either by accident, an infection, or from a medical procedure, including a facelift. Scars are usually composed of fibrous tissue and are evidence that your body is at work trying to repair a wound.

Scars usually fade over time. Typically they are red or pink to begin with, but then fade to a silvery/flesh colour. While treatment can improve the appearance of a scar, it cannot completely erase it. The correct placement of incisions is critical so that the scar is not visible.

How to Minimise Scars After a Facelift

When I operate, I work to ensure that incisions are placed in areas that are hidden from view and where they may look like natural wrinkles. An important aspect of this technique is to make incisions parallel to the hair shafts and bulbs so that, in most cases, bald areas will not exist.

This placement of incisions also helps minimise the amount of tension placed on the skin, to allow proper healing and prevent wide scars from forming.

Seeing is Believing

The best way I know to illustrate this point is with before-and-after photographs of two of my patients:

Pay particular attention to the appearance of this patient’s ear where the “tell-tale signs” of surgery can often be found. In addition to the absence of obvious incision marks, the hair along her hairline has continued to grow naturally.

In this patient, there are no visible signs of scars or incision marks. She looks refreshed, natural looking, and very, very happy.

What You Can Do to Reduce Facelift Scarring

Your body has powerful self-repairing mechanisms that you can tap into. When you make healthy lifestyle choices – staying hydrated, exercising to promote good circulation, etc. – you support your immune system. That makes it easier for scars to form and fade.

Other things you can do before and after surgery include:

•  Eat lots of wholesome fruits and veggies, and avoiding nutritionally empty processed foods.
• Get plenty of fresh air to keep your body oxygenated.
• Stop smoking.
• Gently massage the area to stimulate blood flow and flush away dead cells.

If you have questions about post-facelift scarring or anything else mentioned in this post, please contact us on 1300 555 095. You can also use email or the ‘book consultation’ feature of this website to make an appointment.