Are you unhappy with gravity’s effect on your face? Are you considering a facelift? If so, it is essential that you understand what a facelift procedure could do for you and what the procedure fully entails. You need to be aware of what to expect, how long it’ll take you to recover from the surgery and any potential for complications. Dr. Anthony Berlet, a top plastic surgeon in New Jersey, answered some of the top questions from patients about facelifts. Learn more below about how to choose the best plastic surgeon for facelift NJ.
What is a facelift?
As we grow older, our body ages to reflect the progression of time. Our face, too, undergoes a subtle change. Muscles go lax, the jawline starts to lose shape and become square, and lines and wrinkles dot the map of our face.
This happens due to a variety of factors. The chief culprit, of course, is time. Some other agents of change are exposure to sun, gravity, thinning of the skin, and your underlying genetic disposition. Smoking and stress can also have a negative impact.
A facelift, technically referred to as a rhytidectomy, is a simple procedure during which such issues can be corrected, giving your face a more youthful look. This is done by tightening muscle, removing fat from below the neck, and trimming excess skin where needed.
Facelifts are especially effective for people who have sagging in the mid-face, resulting in jowls and sagging areas of fat, with loose skin and fat under the neck and jaw. A facelift is an effective procedure for correcting jowls, the laxity of neck muscles, and in re-establishing a pristine jawline.
How often will you need to get a facelift retouched?
On average, a facelift will last 7-10 years before aging starts to overcome the results of the procedure. Rest assured, though, that even after 10 years, most patients who’ve had a facelift are still more pleased than if they had not had the procedure in the first place.
You can see before and after pictures of people who’ve undergone facelifts in our gallery.
How is a facelift performed? Procedure Details
Traditionally, surgeons believed the chief culprit was the force of gravity, and hence sought to correct it by creating a sling from cheekbone to cheekbone, and by suturing under the neck during a facelift. However, research has shown that gravity is not the primary factor in the natural ageing process and how it affects your face.
Your facial (and neck) muscles go lax over time due to chewing and speaking – which results in a rotation of the cheek downwards, and of the neck outwards. Therefore, the best way to correct this is by rotating the face and neck muscles back into their optimal position. This will correct the jawline and make the facial muscles appear more taut.
During a facelift at New Jersey’s Berlet Plastic Surgery, patients are given an oral sedative. This will act as a local anesthesia, so the surgery can be performed without losing consciousness.
How long will it take me to recuperate after a facelift?
After a facelift, the best plastic surgeon for facelift NJ will make sure you are healing properly. Typically, patients go home without bandages or drains, and they can shower normally the next morning. However, the general post-surgical recovery will take some time.
Recuperation time following a facelift usually ranges from 1-2 weeks. This might vary slightly based on your hairstyle, because if you have longer hair, for instance, you may be able to hide the scars and swelling better, and thus go out in public as early as seven days after the surgery.
However, there are some things that will take longer to heal. Since it is a surgery that modifies your features, you may experience residual swelling, bruising, and other changes such as temporary loss of sensation on your face. These problems will resolve themselves fully within a year at most.
So, in short, you should be able to go out in public in two weeks, but it may be as long as a year before you fully recover total sensation.
Can any complications arise after the procedure? Are there any ways to prevent them?
As with any procedure, there are risks of potential complications that can arise after a facelift. These include bleeding, infection, bruising, uneven swelling or discoloration, and temporary loss of sensation. If you are a smoker, you may experience some skin blistering as well.
Most of these will resolve themselves over time. You will have a smoother, more youthful face within a year at most.
As for preventive strategies, you should always do your utmost to follow post-operative care guidelines, and do as instructed by our doctor. Eating well and refraining from smoking may also help. For more information on this subject, ask your doctor during the consultation.
Where should I get a facelift in New Jersey? Which doctor can I trust?
Choosing the right doctor is very important when having any procedure. This is especially true when the procedure involves your face. Minor adjustments are more perceivable in the small nuances of the facial structure. You want to make sure that the doctor knows what he/she is doing and that they ensure the surgery is a success, with minimal complications (if any).
Choosing the right clinic is almost as important, as you’ll want to be completely comfortable in a relaxing, hygienic, and pleasant environment. The clinic’s facilities, method of operation, and staff are strong factors that will determine how the experience turns out.
If you’re planning on getting a facelift, New Jersey’s Berlet Plastic Surgery is an excellent choice. In the clinic, you’d be in the skilled hands of Dr. Berlet, who has over 27 years of experience in the field.
Dr. Berlet earned his medical degree from the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. He took his residency at Albert Einstein Medical Center and later did a plastic surgery residency at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey.
He also has certifications from the Advanced Trauma Life Support, the American Board of Plastic Surgery, and the American Board of Surgery.
Dr. Berlet specializes in plastic and reconstructive surgery, with subspecialties in the face, eyes, and breast augmentation. His meticulous attention to detail and masterly technique has established Dr. Berlet as one of the very few microsurgery experts in the New Jersey area.
He has developed a significant reputation for his expertise in rebuilding breast post-cancer treatments and is among the best plastic surgeons in NJ for breast implants.
For Dr. Berlet, plastic surgery is more than just medical science—it is also an art form. Looking at a person and understanding every dimension—from up, down and side to side—is essential to creating an appearance that is natural.
Dr. Berlet avoids the overly surgical look by looking at the whole body and understanding the natural contours and curves of the human body—and an individual.
Dr. Berlet has an artistic eye—indeed, he studied architecture and art in his undergraduate and has even been a medical illustrator. His unique background gives him a fresh perspective that brings a strong sense of aesthetic balance and natural beauty to his work.
To know more about Dr. Berlet, take a look at some of the testimonials his patients have written for him.
Client Testimonials about Berlet Plastic Surgery
Laura says: “I must tell you how grateful I feel to you for the excellent work you did ‘rehabbing’ my nose after my cancer surgery. Thank you, thank you, thank you! I feel so lucky to have had you as my doctor. Also, your office staff was all very gracious and Rosa, in particular, knows how to be a kind, caring person.”
Marissa writes: “Dear Dr. Berlet, I don’t think I could ever thank you enough for what you have done for me and for my new self-image. I was determined to find the best surgeon possible to make my hopes come true and after meeting with you, I knew my search was over as you are the best in your field. Your talent, knowledge, and skillful hands have made me the happiest I have ever been in my 37 years. My appreciation to both you and Anne (who by the way is fabulous) is infinite. I look and feel confident and beautiful and it’s all because of you. Thank you again!”
Gail says: “It’s been five years since you performed my breast augmentation surgery. For the past four years I’ve been living in South Florida, which as you know, is one of the “plastic surgery capitals” of the world! I know I thanked you years ago, but I have to tell you – over the years, I’ve received so many compliments on the surgery you did for me, I had to thank you again!”
Tracy writes: “I just wanted to say thank you for your extreme generosity and unending kindness. You cannot possibly realize how much you and your staff have helped me through what has been a very difficult time. I feel lucky to have placed myself in your care.”
You can see more testimonials from people Dr. Berlet has helped, on our testimonials.
Learn more at our practice
Dr. Anthony Berlet wants you to choose the best plastic surgeon for facelift NJ. You have to be 100% comfortable with and confident in the doctor you choose for your procedure. Berlet Plastic Surgery is located in Bergen County, New Jersey. Facelift surgery is one of the many types of cosmetic and plastic surgeries offered by the clinic. To learn more about the clinic or the services offered, you can visit the website. You can also schedule a consultation with Dr. Anthony Berlet online, by visiting our contact page.