The S facelift is so called because of the shape of the incision, which is made in the hairline, traveling to the back of the ear. Once this incision has been made, the surgeon will remove excess skin and fat to improve the contours on the lower part of the face.

A superficial musculoaponeurotic system facelift, more commonly known as an SMAS facelift, targets the bottom two thirds of the face. This particular technique addresses the problem of excess fat, sagging skin and unwanted jowls. It is also a great technique for restoring youthful volume to the cheeks.

A deep plane facelift is a technique which promises a much longer-lasting result. A surgeon will access deeper layers of tissue between fat and muscle by way of an incision. This tissue can be repositioned to firm up the neck, add volume and contouring to the cheeks and leave the jawline with a more defined appearance.

As these techniques all target the lower part of the face, they can be combined with a number of other surgical procedures to help improve other areas of the face. Popular choices include a brow lift, which gives the face a more wide-eyed appearance, and eyelid surgery, which is carried out to improve the appearance of hooded or drooping eyelids or eye bags.

Non-surgical treatments such as dermal fillers and anti ageing injectables, for example Botox, can help to enhance the upper regions of the face.

The unique approach to the Mini-Facelift means patients look naturally 10 to 12 years younger without changing their expression. Rather than "lifting" the skin, the problem is solved by transforming the subdermal tissues to their original places.

Mini-Lift surgery is an operation performed in a hospital environment, without the need of general anaesthesia, but instead under sedation and local anaesthesia. Mini-Lift surgery takes around 1 to 1.5 hours with incisions inside and at the back of the ear. It can be performed in conjunction with other operations, for example eye lid surgery or injectables, depending on the patient's requirements.

A Mini-Facelift gives a moderate improvement with minimal inconvenience, scars and risk.

As such it can be suitable for anyone, but a particular indication is for younger patients with relatively early signs of ageing, who find this difficult to put up with and are prepared to accept that they will need further surgery later on. Meanwhile, they will probably use lasers, peels and creams to prolong the surgery free period.

This is a change of approach. Only a short time ago, we advised patients to wait until they really could not put up with signs of ageing and then, at an older age, have a full facelift. The patient would be delighted with the dramatic improvement and would be unlikely to require any further surgery. Now patients are generally not looking for a major change, but just not to grow old.

The mini facelift is part of a maintenance programme and is often combined with fat grafting (lipofilling) to replace lost volume and stem cell treatments to improve overall tissue and skin quality. Lasers and peels all have their place.

There are many other anti-ageing solutions available, both surgical and non-surgical. Request a call from one of our patient advisors or book a consultation at the Cadogan Clinic if you would like to discuss your concerns in more detail.

After your surgery, you will be asked to come in for a post-operative appointment to come back and see our nursing staff at the Clinic between 1 and 2 weeks after your surgery. At this point your incision sites will be reviewed, and your preliminary healing will be assessed.

After 6 weeks your surgeon will personally review your progress – again at the Clinic - and make sure you are recovering as expected. In addition, they will remove any stitches and advise you on the need for further dressings.

Throughout the recovery period you will have full access to our 24/7 on call nursing service, and full access to the Clinic and our post-operative facilities.

Our aim is to make you feel as comfortable as possible during the entirety of your recovery period.

You will need to avoid exercise for a few weeks, but you will be able to back in front of a computer as soon as the next day. There will be some swelling and bruising at the incision areas, which is normal and will fade in time and heal over the next week or so. You should be back at work after 2 weeks.

You may have heard or read online about patients, who are in pain with considerable swelling for weeks or months following a facelift, but this is highly unusual. It may be the result of poor technique or deep plane facelift, where all the soft tissues are lifted off the bone and placed at a higher level.

While this can give good results, we at the Cadogan Clinic, do not feel that the discomfort and long recovery time of this deep plane technique is worth it. We focus on getting you lasting, impactful results, without unnecessary downtime and pain or discomfort.

Facelift results are essentially permanent but surgery will not stop your face from naturally continuing to age. For patients who take care of their skin, avoid smoking, and excessive sun exposure, it should be possible to enjoy the benefits of a facelift for many years, having essentially 'put the clock back' a decade or so following surgery.

You should expect to retain the benefits from your facelift surgery. If it makes you appear 10 years younger, you should always retain that 10-year advantage.

There are other external factors that determine how long a facelift will last, such as age of the patient and the condition of the patient's skin.

Darker skin that is in a healthy condition will respond better at the time of the surgery, as opposed to fairer skin that has sun damage or is thinner. However, patients who are under the age of 60 typically have the longest lasting results.

The skill of the surgeon and the technique used are also an important factor in the longevity of a facelift.

There are also many non-surgical procedures that can be used to maintain results on an ongoing basis beyond surgery and keep your face looking young and fresh.

These are all offered at the Cadogan Clinic, and include:

• Anti Ageing Injectables, e.g. Botox
• Dermal Fillers
• Lasers
• Chemical skin peels

The latest and possibly the best adjunct is Stem cell treatment.

Certain lifestyle factors can either increase the risk of complications during and after your surgery, or help sustain long-lasting results:

• Don't smoke: Smoking ages you, accelerating the ageing process dramatically.  The most common impact of smoking before your surgery is that it increases your chances of developing an infection and inhibits your body's natural healing processes. We insist that all patients stop smoking and using nicotine products at least six weeks before surgery.
• Drink less alcohol: Alcohol dehydrates your skin and we want your skin to remain firm and supple in order for results to be long-lasting.
• Keep a healthy weight: Significant weight fluctuations can change the shape and elasticity of the skin on your face. To retain that vibrant, youthful look following your facelift, avoid or cut back on alcohol. Your doctor will discuss your current BMI and drug use at your consultation and advise you further on this.
• Drink lots of water: Water hydrates your skin, it keeps the face looking full and fabulous.
• Always wear sunscreen: Every day- no exceptions. The sun damages your skin, causes wrinkles and advanced ageing.
• Take care of your skin: Following the instructions laid out to you by your surgeon for proper aftercare are of the utmost importance. It's also important to use high-quality skin creams, serums and to continue having professional treatments such as peels, fillers or Botox to continue to support your desired aesthetic.

Your surgeon will give you specific advice on how to wash and bathe after the surgery.

In general, you may gently shower and wash your hair 48 hours after a facelift surgery, taking particular care on the treated areas. You can also blow dry your hair on a cool setting. Be gentle when brushing or combing your hair so that you do not catch your comb in the suture lines. You must follow your surgeon's specific advice.

It is normal to feel a little self-conscious when you are in public following facelift surgery due to the visible swelling, redness and bruising that will inevitably occur on the face during the preliminary recovery phase.

The vast majority of bruising and swelling should have comfortably settled by around 2 to 3 weeks, so it is at this point that you should first plan to be seen by friends and colleagues.

Full recovery can take several months, so we do advise you plan well ahead to ensure that you give yourself enough time to recover before a major event such as a wedding or birthday. We would recommend allowing between 2 to 3 months.

It is typically possible to start wearing makeup again 2 weeks after your procedure. At this point, you can then use camouflage or concealer cosmetic products to cover any remnant bruising you may still have.

Of all the scars you may have from plastic surgeries, scars on the face are the best of the whole body. They are not only well hidden, but also settle efficiently. For most healthy people, surgical scars from a well-performed facelift do not cause any issues.

Even for patients who produce keloid scars can consider having a facelift, even though they will require extra Scar Management during their aftercare treatment.

Facelifts are becoming less invasive and scars fewer. Nevertheless, the standard scars themselves are short and hidden around the contours of the face, in the front of the ear, under the earlobe and in the crease behind the ear.

It is perfectly possible to carry out a facelift under a local anaesthetic, but most of our patients prefer the type of general anaesthesia we give at the Cadogan Clinic (Total Intravenous Anaesthesia (T.I.V.A.)) for full facelift surgery.

TIVA delivers anaesthetic intravenously via a computerised pump able to monitor anaesthetic levels closely. This close calibration allows your anaesthetist to keep you at a relatively shallow level of anaesthesia, meaning your sickness is minimal following your procedure and you can start your recovery quickly. You will also be allowed home an hour or two after the surgery is completed, even if the surgery has taken several hours.

Local aneasthetic or sedation are better options for less invasive facelift surgery such as mini-lift or micro-lift surgery.

Plastic surgeons tend to be sceptical of non-surgical injection-led treatments when it comes to delivering long lasting facial rejuvenation results.

However, we do recommend non surgical alternatives for younger patients or patients with only minor signs of ageing.

There are limits, however. It is very difficult to fix drooping, sagging older skin. with a non-surgical facelift. You also cannot expect full resolution of deep wrinkle lines and drooping skin with fillers and injections, and of course, over time fillers fade and need to be replenished.

There are also various laser and high energy device rejuvenation treatments that we offer at the Cadogan Clinic, such as Laser Resurfacing, IPL, and Ultherapy. These treatments can be sufficient for some patients, but this depends entirely on the condition of the skin.

We typically recommend non-surgical treatments as a maintenance adjunct to surgical treatment, wherever possible. Surgical facelifts remain the better option to ensure dramatic, long lasting results. When it comes to drooping, sagging skin and deeply set wrinkles on the face, a surgical facelift is the best option.

In sum, whilst non surgical treatments can delay the effects of ageing to a certain superficial level, but the emptiness of the face and folds of loose skin will require surgery.

Yes, a Micro-Lift may be the perfect solution for your excess neck skin, but there are other solutions.

The Micro-Lift procedure is designed to help alleviate early signs of ageing and mild loss of elasticity loss.

This procedure commences with the making of a tiny incision below each ear. The connective tissue below the skin is pulled and held back to create a subtle structural lift in your jawline and neck. The skin will become taut and contours defined again.

The Micro-Lift does not offer drastic results. This is the subtlest in facelift procedures. If you have moderate skin laxity a mini-facelift may be a better choice for you. Or, if you have a problem with severe folds or prominent jowls you may want to consider a full facelift. However, if you are in your late 30s to late 40s and are looking for a light “pick up” in your face and neck area, the Micro-Lift is probably the best solution for you.

Remember that these modern lifting procedures are often combined with fat transfer and stem cell transfer to restore volume in the right places and rejuvenate the skin.

Any extra unwanted fat or double chin is removed by liposuction.

The recovery period for a Micro-Lift is really short. Most patients are back to their regular routines after just a few days. You will experience minimal discomfort after surgery. In addition, the smallness of the facial incisions means that your skin’s healing process will be quicker as well. You have minimal chance of poor scarring.

Jowls develop along the jawline as we age. The soft tissues naturally lose elasticity and descend. They are held up by deep ligaments to the eyes, nose, ears, mouth, chin and mandible behind the chin. The wider, triangular upper face and narrow chin become inverted, resulting in a sunken, narrow upper face and wide jawline. The outer angle of the eyes slip down and there is a downturn of the mouth. The deep attachments force the skin to fold at the nasolabial (smile) lines and the hitch at the jawline behind the chin forms the jowls behind it.

As part of the ageing process, the appearance of jowls happens to all of us, but it is more of a problem for some people than others as it can be inherited. A person’s nationality and their skin type can have an affect on the severity of jowls. For example, a person with Celtic skin, who has been exposed to sunshine, can find the problem more acute. Strong cheekbones and jawbones delay the onset of jowls.

The onset of jowls can also be delayed with the use of sunblock and quality skin care, but eventually the condition will require surgical intervention. This will recreate the triangular shape of a youthful face, with strong cheekbones and a defined jawline. 

A lower facelift is one of the most effective treatments we offer to tackle the appearance of jowls. Our expert surgeons here at the Cadogan Clinic will lift the soft tissues away from the mandible to restore the volume to the upper part of the face, tightening the floppy skin.