Now that we are beginning to get a break from the hot, sultry days of summer, South Louisiana is entering our best weather conditions of the year. Mild temperatures with low humidity make all things more comfortable, whether it’s enjoying the ancient live oaks, heading out to the lakefront, or eating at your favorite outdoor banquette. Let’s face it, many of us New Orleanians look forward to this time of year.
Another reason to look forward to the Fall season is for finally getting the cosmetic work you have been considering. If you have been contemplating moving forward with your plans to have a facelift, now is the best time to start the process. Fall is the season between the summer heat and the most active time on your social calendar and the best time to schedule your initial appointment with a board-certified facial plastic surgeon.
Why Have a Facelift?
Facial beauty is critical to look your best and boost your self-confidence. Attaining a youthful facial presence adds to self-esteem and the way others see you. Unfortunately, age, environment, and other factors can have a negative effect on your facial appearance. Wrinkles, lines and uneven skin texture and tone can make anyone look tired and aged, robbing us of our youthful appearance.
Facelift surgery is designed to improve the visible signs of aging on the neck and face. It involves tightening underlying tissue and removing excess skin to improve facial shape and texture. It can effectively resolve:
- Excess fat and skin below the chin (double chin)
- Jowls
- Fine lines around the mouth and nose
- Undereye wrinkles
- Loss of volume in the cheek area (hollow cheeks)
The facelift is the best procedure to provide long-lasting results for a younger, fresher facial appearance. It is designed for men and women looking for permanent results. It is a one-time treatment which does not require additional surgeries although other facial treatments can enhance results in the future.
Facelift Recovery
As with all surgery, there is a recovery process after having a facelift. This may take several weeks to heal fully and at times can cause some discomfort. Also, wound healing requires patients to keep the incisions dry to avoid unnecessary scarring risk. This may prove difficult during much of the year in the Southeast.
Swelling and bruising usually subside within ten days, with most patients returning to work in a couple of weeks. A custom ice wrap will aid in resolving these effects quickly and efficiently. All sutures will be removed after one week.
Because incisions are strategically placed, they are inconspicuous. The incisions will turn pink at first; then, over time, they will harden and fade, blending in with your natural skin tone more. \
Why Have a Facelift in the Fall
Because facelift surgery is a popular procedure among men and women to improve their appearance, the procedure is sought after year-round. However, fall is the best time of year to start the process. Here’s why:
Milder Climate
Nobody wants to recover from surgery when temperatures are hovering in the nineties and humidity is high. The thought of heat, sweat, and discomfort during the summer months is enough to make us locals want to go on vacation, which many of us do. When considering elective surgery, the least optimal time would be when you will be the most uncomfortable. Also, summer is when the sun is most intense which can cause improper wound healing.
Although many patients choose summer to take advantage of their vacation time for recovery, others would prefer to heal during the cooler months. The fall season fits this bill. It is our mildest season and offers comfort and plenty of time to heal properly.
Good Timing
Although New Orleans is known for its year-round party atmosphere, the fall season is more popular to tourists and conventioneers for activities in the Crescent City. Fall is a great time for residents to lay low. Because swelling and bruising is a common consequence after any surgery, you will not look your best for the first few weeks following a facelift. Recovery duration lasts from four to six week, giving you plenty of time before the start of the holiday season.
You will also be able to look beautiful for the next spring season as well, with Mardi Gras Balls, Spring Festivals and the Zoo to Do coming into full swing. Whatever your social activities involve, come late October you can meet the season with an improved facial presence that is subtle, natural, and beautiful.
Prepare for the Holidays
With the winter holidays just weeks away, and those festive parties, corporate events, and family dinners not far in the future, you still have enough time to prepare by enhancing your facial beauty. Various facial procedures, including a facelift, neck lift, eyelid surgery, and a brow lift, are available to make sure you look stunning by addressing the facial concerns of wrinkles and fine lines, hollow cheeks, jowls, or sagging skin.
Blepharoplasty, also known as an eyelid lift, is a popular cosmetic surgery designed to reduce the effects of aging around the eyes. Sagging upper eyelids or drooping undereye circles can make patients look old and tired. An eyelid lift addresses these concerns and creates a youthful, rested and vibrant facial appearance—all before your holiday season begins.
Rhytidectomy, or facelift surgery, has multiple techniques to address a patient’s individual concerns. The procedure is designed to support the structure of the face and neck, tighten the facial skin and deliver a youthful, attractive appearance. Facelifts can also address issues like jowls, excessive skin and neck bands.
Get a Jump on Next Summer
We often come to grips with our appearance when we are more exposed to the public. With outdoor events like barbeques, crawfish broils, pool parties and traveling to the Florida beaches; it’s this time of year we tend to think about cosmetic improvements. Get a jump on next summer, so you will feel better about your appearance during your summer events. Facial surgery will deliver a boost to your self-confidence which will allow for your next summer to be met with an exciting facial rejuvenation.
Next Step
For more information about facelift surgery, contact New Orleans Center for Aesthetics and Plastic Surgery for a consultation today.
