Patients See Results with Secondary Facelifts
Researchers study more than 800 procedures to gain valuable insights into outcomes, longevity
Performed an average of a decade after initial Facelift surgery, a “secondary” facelift can achieve similarly lasting results with a low rate of complications, according to the March issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, the medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS).
More than 800 facelift procedures were studied to gain insights into the techniques, outcomes and longevity of the results experienced by secondary facelift patients.
A secondary facelift (also called rhytidectomy) is a repeat procedure to treat the recurrent signs of facial aging.
Of the facelifts studied by ASPS Member Surgeon Dr. Rod J. Rohrich and colleagues at University of Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, 60 of the procedures were secondary facelifts. These 57 women and three men averaged 51 years of age at the time of their initial facelift and 60 years at their secondary facelift. Thus, the results of the initial facelift lasted an average of 9 years.
Of the 60 patients who had a second facelift, 10 later underwent a third facelift procedure. The time between the second and third procedures was 7.5 years, suggesting that the results of the secondary facelift lasted almost as long as those of the initial procedure.
The complication rate after secondary facelift was about 5%. Consistent with previous studies, the risk of complications was about the same after secondary versus primary facelift surgery. In contrast to some reports, there was no increase in the rate of facial nerve injury after a secondary facelift.
“With an ever-growing middle-aged population and an overall interest in facial rejuvenation at an earlier age, there has been a substantial increase in patients undergoing secondary rhytidectomy,” according to the study. “Secondary rhytidectomy is a safe and effective procedure for continued surgical facial rejuvenation in the aging patient.”
Source: American Society of Plastic Surgeons
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