Dr. Alberto Henao M.
Facial Plastic Surgery
RHYTHIDOPLASTY
It is a surgical procedure that aims to mitigate the effects of aging on the facial contour in general; works on the entire middle third of the face to give a younger and more rosy appearance, in patients who have flaccid cheeks, wrinkles or very deep furrows, repositioning the tissues, removing excess skin and tightening some muscles.
It is a surgery that has a certain complexity for the tissues and areas of the face that it involves since it brings together a series of small operations that are oriented according to the area to be improved, and can be combined with other procedures such as frontoplasty or mentoplasty, among others, requires of a special training by his Otorhinolaryngologist.
It is possible to perform it in patients from the age of 30, taking into account the needs of each person, each one requires more or less interventions, it is more commonly required by patients between the ages of 40 and 50, but it can also be carried out in older patients .
Diagnostic Appointment
Of the most obvious manifestations of aging, facial wrinkles have deserved more attention from plastic surgery. And it is that the passage of time leaves a mark on the face and neck, giving way to flaccidity, furrows and loss of tone.
Age, a personal or hereditary predisposition, stress situations, prolonged exposure to the sun, depressions, inadequate eating habits or the consumption of alcohol and tobacco, among other factors, lead to a series of alterations in the skin and muscles that times they occur simultaneously. In addition, there is a gradual absorption of the adipose tissue of the face, decreasing the thickness and elasticity of the skin, as well as alterations in the adherence to the subcutaneous tissues with the consequence of the gradual fall of the soft tissues. The result, on many occasions, is a mismatch between the chronological age and the facial aesthetic aspect.
At the initial consultation, we will evaluate your health status, important medical history and assess your facial features, determining which option is best for you. In this consultation we will guide you about the best option, alternatives, limitations, risks and care you should have.
If you are hypertensive, heal poorly, smoke, use drugs such as aspirin, anti-inflammatories, vitamin E, corticosteroids, or have spontaneous or prolonged bleeding, you should discuss it with us, it is important that you stop these drugs and / or stop smoking as at least 2 weeks before surgery, to avoid complications.
This aesthetic procedure is recommended for faces that show various signs of facial aging and that do not improve with other procedures such as lipoinjection, botox, cosmetic procedures such as peeling, CO2 laser, etc. Patients notice it mainly because they look at the drooping cheeks and only get better when they stretch them with their fingers. Dr Alberto Henao evaluates the tension of the tissues of the face and will give you the diagnosis whether or not you are a candidate for this surgery.
The surgical plan must be carried out by the surgeon and the patient in common agreement, establishing the defects to be corrected, the expected results and the way to achieve them.
Within the pre-surgical study, photographic analysis is basic to make an adequate diagnosis of the patient's alterations, planning and successful management, it works as a kind of map for the otolaryngologist during the performance of the surgery and also serves to compare postoperative results. Through the photographic analysis, your surgeon can carry out the study and take the pertinent measurements of the facial components that are going to be operated, and also make a projection of the expected results for each patient.
These photographs must be taken by a professional, from various angles and in different positions, and according to each surgeon, be used for the study in digital media or printed on paper.
It is also important to carry out the relevant laboratory tests to be evaluated by the anesthesiologist and take all necessary precautions.
Request your diagnostic appointment here:
Procedimiento
Surgery;
It lasts approximately 5 to 7 hours, local anesthesia and sedation, or general anesthesia and hospitalization for one day. In surgery incisions are made at the level of the hair implantation edge and surrounding the pinna where the scars are hidden; in women, adequate makeup or long hair will make the scars practically imperceptible. Through these incisions the skin of the cheek and neck is released in order to tighten it. Likewise, it allows the exposure of the muscles to also reduce their laxity, which allows smoothing wrinkles and improving facial expression angles, making your face look younger and fresher.
This surgical procedure uses the latest anesthesia techniques such as intravenous sedation that, depending on the procedure, allows the patient to be awake during the surgery, without any pain and absolutely calm. However, some patients choose to have this procedure under general anesthesia. Both types of anesthesia are equally safe and in both cases nothing is perceived during the intervention, the patient wakes up as soon as the operation ends, feeling well and painless.
Rhytidoplasty is an outpatient procedure. After the surgery you go to a recovery room where you will be controlled by our professional staff while you recover from the anesthesia. It is important that you have a person you trust to accompany you back to your home and take care of you during the postoperative period.
Regarding the marks on my skin; all surgeries leave scars, however the location of the majority of them are covered by the hair, behind the ears and in folds, preventing them from being easily visible. During the healing process, follow-up and treatments are also carried out so that a good result is achieved and imperceptible scars remain.
Facial rejuvenation seeks to improve and rejuvenate the face while maintaining the configuration or shape of neighboring structures with their normal appearance. This means that the aim is to maintain the normal shape of the eyes, nose and mouth so that the procedure looks as natural as possible, avoiding the overly corrected or stretched face, which produces a “Chin” effect due to the effect of tension generated on the region. side of eyes or mouth.
The first days a distortion of the face is observed, produced by the edema which begins to decrease after the 4th day. The changes are significant after 20 days but the final effect is achieved after several months when the entire inflammatory process has ended.
This procedure can be combined with other procedures:
According to the surgeon's recommendation, the following treatments can be used to improve results:
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Cheek surgery or mid-third facelift
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Eyelid surgery or blepharoplasty
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Peeling
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Botulinum toxin application (Botox)
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Application of fat on the face or facial lipoinjection
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Hyaluronic acid application
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Application of enriched plasma to platelets
Postoperative and care after a Rhytidoplasty
Once the surgery is over, you will find drainage tubes and a compression bandage around your head, these are to prevent bruising (blood collections) and will be removed the day after surgery. If you performed eyelid surgery, the stitches will be removed by the 3rd-5th day. The rest of the stitches will be removed between the 8th and 14th day after surgery. The postoperative pain from this surgery is minimal.
Strictly take your surgeon's medications, pain reliever and antibiotic (to avoid infection). The next day you will be able to get up and wander, you can shower and wash your hair.
Avoid lying down. The first week you may have bruises on your face, these will turn yellow and by two weeks they will have largely disappeared (patients return to their daily work between the 10th and 15th days.)
After the 1st week you can use your makeup again. Avoid strong physical activities (tennis, jogging, cycling, etc.) for a month, dye your hair, smoke, use of swimming pools, saunas. Continuously use sunscreen for 6 months and avoid direct sun exposure for not less than 3 months. Initially you will feel changes in sensitivity (decrease in this, tingling) is normal, by the 1st month it has already recovered, however some patients may take up to 6 months to fully recover.
Postoperative recommendations;
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Rest and application of cold the first hours.
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Follow your surgeon's instructions for movements the first few days.
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Take the pain relievers recommended by the Surgeon.
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Cures and removal of stitches will be performed in the consultation of your surgeon, coordinate for this work
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Healthy and light food. Avoid tobacco and alcohol.
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For personal hygiene consult the times and the form with the surgeon.
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Ask if you can do a lymphatic drainage treatment of the area to avoid bruising. They are not always positive, they depend on the patient and the evolution of the surgery.
No need to worry about immediate results. The different stages of the post-operative must be kept in mind.
