In recent years, an increasing number of men have begun to undergo cosmetic surgery procedures. Men are realizing the benefits of looking their best, both personally and professionally. The facelift, or rhytidectomy as it is also known, is a cosmetic surgery procedure which can tighten loose skin in the lower third of the face, including the jowls, neck and jaw line, in order to eradicate the signs of aging and restore a more youthful appearance. For additional correction in the upper face, forehead or eye area, the facelift may be combined with other procedures such as an eyelid lift or laser skin rejuvenation.

Most men are good candidates for the facelift due to the thickness of their skin and the fact that they often have fewer wrinkles. However, in order to achieve natural results, the facelift must be tailored for the man to take into account the rougher skin and more masculine look. With locations in Fort Myers and Bonita Springs, Florida, Dr. Flaharty is a board certified ophthalmologist specializing in facial cosmetic surgery. He has extensive experience with male patients and provides beautiful, natural, long-lasting facelift results.

Local anesthesia and sedation or general anesthesia may be used for the face lift procedure. Proper incision placement is essential to creating a natural result. Dr. Flaharty customizes the incision sites to the individual patient but generally places them in well-concealed locations such as in the hairline or sideburns, in the natural skin creases, or inside the ear. Working through these incisions, he will then tighten the underlying muscles and tissues and remove excess skin and fat. The surgery takes an average of several hours to perform.

Discomfort, swelling, bruising and numbness of the skin may occur to some degree after the facelift. Pain medication will help to minimize discomfort while elevating the head can improve swelling. Numbness may last anywhere from several weeks to several months while the bruising should fade after two to three weeks. For men, the beard-growing skin may be repositioned during surgery and, as a result, may require future shaving. While sun exposure will need to be limited for several months and strenuous activities for two or more weeks, most men find that they’re well enough to return to work and other normal activities within ten to fourteen days.