Face Lift: Know the Specific Details That Make You a Good Candidate

If you are thinking of getting a face lift, you probably already know that you have to qualify as a good candidate first. This means that during the initial consultation, your doctor is thinking of why he or she should choose you, just like you are thinking of reasons to select him or her as your surgeon for this procedure. Find out what most doctors consider before deciding who is a good candidate for this surgery. 

One of the most important details that your doctor will consider is the structure of your facial features. In some cases, you will find that a face lift will not help you much, but other cosmetic procedures could. For example, your surgeon may decide that the detail that is making you look old is not your sagging skin, but your droopy eyelids or eyebrows, in which case those features may need to be lifted. On the other hand, your practitioner may decide that you do not need any other procedures, and that lifting your skin is the best one for you. 

Your skin's elasticity will also be considered. It needs to be able to bounce back fairly quickly after the treatment for the best results. This is why some particularly old patients are not considered good candidates, as you tend to lose elasticity in your skin as you age. By the same token, the surgeon should consider the likelihood that you will scar after this procedure. While nearly every patient will have some type of scar afterward, it should fade with time. If you have several other scars on your body that look fresh despite being years old, you may have the same result with a face lift, so it may be best to get an alternative to surgery to avoid obvious scarring. 

Your medical history is also reviewed, and you may even have to have a physical exam before you can schedule a face lift. In particular, the doctor will check to see if you have high blood pressure since this is not a good thing during surgery. It can make surgical procedures quite dangerous if your blood pressure spikes at any time. In addition, if you have any clotting disorders, you may be barred from elective surgery since you can end up bleeding excessively. Your surgeon may still take you on as a patient, but you will have to understand that your risks are particularly high. 

Additional details to be considered include any habits you currently have, such as smoking or excessive drinking. If you do these routinely, you will have to stop temporarily before and after the treatment in order to recover as fast as possible. Also, you will have to have realistic expectations, as you cannot expect that this procedure will make people like you more. The only thing you can expect is that it should make you look younger due to smoother skin, and you will probably feel better about yourself as a result. 

Your surgeon should find out these details at the initial consultation, long before you schedule a face lift. If you are sure that based on these facts you will be a good candidate, it is time to talk to a practitioner.