RHYTIDECTOMY : A face lift, technically known as a rhytidectomy is a type of cosmetic surgery procedure used to give a more youthful appearance. It usually involves the removal of excess facial skin, with or without the tightening of underlying tissues, and the redraping of the skin on the patient's face and neck.
A rhytidectomy is helpful in eliminating loose skin folds in the neck and laxity of tissues in the cheeks.
In a rhytidectomy, an incision is made in front of the ear extending up into the hairline. The incision curves around the bottom of the ear and then behind it, usually ending near the hairline on the back of the neck. After the skin incision is made, the skin is separated from the deeper tissues with a scalpel or scissors over the cheeks and neck. At this point, the deeper tissues can be tightened with sutures, with or without removing some of the excess deeper tissues. The skin is then redraped, and the excess skin is removed. Finally, the skin incisions are closed with sutures and staples.
