If you are considering a surgical facelift, it’s important to understand that there are a number of significant risks that come with the procedure. Here are some of the most commonly recognized complications of a surgical facelift.
Hematoma
Hematoma is basically excessive bleeding under the skin. When this occurs, blood collects in pockets under the skin, leading to areas that are firm to the touch, swollen, and potentially dark in color. This complication occurs in up to 10% of patients, but is more common among men than women. Although it is easy to resolve this complication by draining the blood from the area, unrecognized hematomas can lead to skin necrosis, a more serious complication.
Skin Necrosis or Skin Slough
In skin necrosis, a portion or all the skin that was moved begins to suffer and die, falling off to expose an area of tissue below the skin. This complication is most common in smokers.
Nerve Injury
Nerve injury is a potential risk of facelift surgery. There are many nerves in the areas being operated on that can potentially be damaged. Most commonly, sensory nerves are damaged, resulting in either numbness (most common) or excessive pain. In other cases, motor nerves are damaged, resulting in a temporary paralysis of a portion of the face, giving you an awkward smile or causing you to lose certain expressions. Most nerve injuries heal spontaneously, but some may be permanent.
Excessive Scarring
Another risk of facelift surgery is excessive scarring. Whenever your skin is cut, a scar results. Most of the time, this scar is a thin, fading white line, but in some cases it can become a large, red scar. In some cases, called keloid scars, scarring may expand beyond the original operation area. Although there are some risk factors for excessive scarring, it’s always random who develops them, for new.
General Surgical Risks
In addition to risks specific to facelift surgery, people may also encounter general surgical risks, including anesthesia complications that can be life-threatening.
Avoid Surgical Risks
Just one of the many benefits of nonsurgical facelift is that you are able to avoid the numerous risks associated with surgery.
Want to learn more about the benefits of this procedure? Please call (912) 234-8282 today for an appointment with a Savannah cosmetic dentist at Beyond Exceptional Dentistry.
