Meloplasty

(Facelift)

An experienced Meloplasty (Facelift) surgeon, Dr Lim aims for The Best Possible Outcomes.

Meloplasty (Facelift) surgery, also known as rhytidectomy, can tighten and remove sagging skin on the face and neck. A Meloplasty (Facelift) can aid the contours of the face, giving you a smooth appearance.

A Meloplasty (Facelift) can assist wih:

  • Sagging jowls
  • Fat that has fallen lower on the face
  • Loose skin and fat deposits under the chin and neck
  • Deep creases caused by excess skin around the mouth.

As a specialist plastic surgeon, Dr Lim can develop a personalised treatment plan that focuses on the problems that concern you.

The length and placement of surgical incision will be different for everyone — it is dependent on factors like how toned the skin is and how much is involved in the procedure.

For the majority of Meloplasty (Facelift)s performed, incisions begin just above the temple in the hairline and end behind the ear. This allows Dr Lim access to tighten underlying tissue and remove excess fat and skin. A second incision under the chin is sometimes necessary.

Dr Lim will do his best to minimise scarring, and the location and length of your incision will be discussed with you in the consultation process.

Meloplasty (Facelift)s are individually customised to each patient depending on their personal requirements — during the consultation period, Dr Lim will take you through all available options and possible outcomes.

A Meloplasty (Facelift) may take three to four hours and is performed under general anaesthetic in an accredited hospital. You will be required to stay in hospital overnight following your surgery.

After your surgery you will notice some swelling and bruising which should subside in two to three weeks. You will need to wear a halter garment around your face all day and night for a week, and then at night only for the following week. This will help decrease the bruising and swelling. Dr Lim will review you post-operatively and will prescribe analgesia and antibiotics for you to continue at home.

My Klinik staff will stay in touch with you after the procedure, monitor your progress and answer any questions or concerns as they arise. You’ll have reviews with Dr Lim one week, two weeks, one month and three months after surgery.

Your final results may be noticeable in one to two months, while incision lines or scars will continue to refine for the next year.

Our goal is to make your experience as supportive as possible — Dr Lim and the My Klinik staff are always willing to answer any questions you may have.

Dr Lim’s 2023 Face and Neck lift Guide

Face & Neck Guide
Face & Neck Guide

Pre and Post-Operative Care

  • You must fast prior to your procedure — do not eat, drink (even water) or chew anything for at least six hours before your procedure. The hospital will ring you the day before your procedure to confirm your admission time.
  • If you have a gastric band or sleeve, you will need to have a fluid diet the day before your surgery and fast for at least eight hours on the day of your procedure.
  • Notify Dr Lim of any medications that you are currently taking.
  • Do not take any medication that contains aspirin, or any anti-inflammatory or herbal medication for two weeks before your procedure. Aspirin thins the blood, which can result in unnecessary blood loss during your procedure.
  • Do not smoke for eight weeks before and eight weeks after your procedure. Smoking decreases blood flow to the skin and may delay the healing process or result in tissue loss and unfavourable scars.
  • Do not drink any alcohol for two days before your procedure as it can interfere with the anaesthetic you will be given on the day.
  • Vitamin C may help reduce your healing time and is recommended for two weeks before and two weeks after surgery.
  • Do not wear any nail polish, make-up or jewellery to the hospital and leave any valuables at home.
  • You will need to wear comfortable, loose clothing that does not need to be pulled over the head or face on the day of surgery and home from the hospital. You may also wish to cover your dressings with a scarf, hat or hooded jacket for your journey home.
  • Be aware that you won’t be able to colour your hair for six weeks after surgery.
  • Dr Lim will normally visit you in the hospital the morning after your procedure. If you have drains, they will be removed before you are discharged. You can usually go home the day after your surgery.
  • General anaesthetic can take a few days to recover from — it can be quite normal to feel a little slow or out of sorts for a few days. It is recommended that you don’t drive for three to four days after surgery.
  • After the procedure, your face will be swollen and bruised — this can cause temporary changes to the symmetry of the face. Following your surgery, you will need to wear a halter garment around your face all day and night for a week, and then at night only for the following week. This will help decrease the bruising and swelling.
  • You may very gently wash your hair two days after surgery. We recommend using mild products such as Johnson’s Baby Shampoo.
  • You will have stitches in front of both ears. You will be given an antibiotic ointment to apply to your stitches daily. Dr Lim will remove your sutures at your one-week post-op checkup.
  • Once you have your stitches removed, you can apply vitamin E oil or cream to the scars.
  • It is important not to lie flat when sleeping. You must lie on a 45-degree angle to help decrease swelling. Pop two to three pillows underneath your back to keep you in this position.
  • To help the swelling go down, you will be provided ice packs to place around the swelling on your face three to four times a day for a period of 20–30 minutes — don’t put ice directly onto your skin. Wrap ice packs with cloth and place gently on your face over the halter garment. This is most effective in the first three days.
  • While you are in hospital you will be given medication for the pain. The amount of pain you feel after the operation varies from person to person. If you are concerned about the amount of pain you are in, or you feel you cannot control the pain, you should inform the nursing staff while in hospital, or call My Klinik if you are at home.
  • It is crucial that you finish the course of antibiotics you are prescribed to prevent any post-op infection.
  • My Klinik nursing staff will contact you to make sure that you are feeling comfortable and that you are getting enough pain relief.
  • Do not smoke for eight weeks during your recovery period as this may slow the healing process and affect wound healing.
  • Contact My Klinik if any of the following develop:
    • A temperature higher than 38°C or chills
    • Severe pain or tenderness
    • Redness around the incisions that is spreading.
  • Dr Lim and the nursing staff are available to you as you recover — should you have any concerns or questions, please don’t hesitate to contact My Klinik. For after-hours concerns, please contact the hospital where you had your surgery and they will be able to contact Dr Lim as required.

Meloplasty (Facelift) FAQs

If you are basically satisfied with your facial features but you have one or more of the following, you may be a good candidate for Meloplasty (Facelift) surgery:

  • Sagging jowls
  • Sagging in the cheeks or mid facial area
  • Fat that has fallen lower on the face
  • Loose skin and fat deposits under the chin and neck
  • Deep creases caused by excess skin around the mouth.

If you are concerned about sagging eyebrows, deep forehead frown lines, your upper or lower eyelids, or wrinkles around the mouth, another procedure might be better suited — Dr Lim can address all your concerns and determine a personalised treatment plan through the consultation process.

Most Meloplasty (Facelift) patients are aged between 40 and 65, but anyone who is interested should contact Dr Lim and My Klinik to discuss their options.

Unfortunately, even skilled plastic surgeons like Dr Lim can’t stop the ageing process. Results will always differ from patient to patient, but a Meloplasty (Facelift) may last between five and ten years. It is possible to have two or three Meloplasty (Facelift)s during your lifetime, depending on your personal circumstances.

Your first consultation with Dr Lim will take around 45 minutes and you are most welcome to bring a support person with you. Due to social distancing measures as a result of COVID-19, the support person may not be able to enter the rooms (depending on the number of persons in the rooms at that particular time).

Dr Lim will take the time to discuss the procedure with you, the changes you desire, and any other issues related to the appearance of your facial features that you feel are important to you. This will help Dr Lim understand your expectations and determine if they are achievable.

Dr Lim will explain the risks of surgery and discuss the methods of Meloplasty (Facelift) surgery with you. Your facial features will be assessed, and a few measurements and photographs will be taken to plan the procedure.

You do not have to make the decision to proceed with the surgery at this initial consultation. You will be given a written quotation and information to take home to read.

Dr Lim will examine your face and consider factors such as the size and shape of your facial features, the quality of your skin and the positioning of your features.

Please come to the consultation prepared to discuss your medical history. This will include information about any medical conditions you have, medications you are currently taking, allergies you have, other medical treatments you have received and any previous surgery you have had.

A second consultation is required if you wish to proceed with surgery.

We recommend taking vitamin C for a week prior to the surgery.

Avoid products that contain aspirin, glucosamine, herbal supplements, fish oil and krill oil for four weeks before surgery. We also strongly recommend avoiding alcohol, and not smoking for eight weeks before and after surgery. Smoking can negatively affect the healing process.

On the day of surgery, patients should wear comfortable, loose clothing that does not need to be pulled over the head or face. Don’t wear any make-up, jewellery or nail polish.

We want to make this experience as supportive as possible — you will be given all pre-operative instructions prior to your procedure but please don’t hesitate to call My Klinik if you have any questions or concerns before your surgery.

Dr Lim performs all surgeries at fully accredited hospitals — Lakeview Private Hospital and Westmead Private Hospital. Meloplasty (Facelift) surgery is an overnight stay procedure performed under general anaesthetic.

Please contact the hospital a day before surgery to confirm your admission and fasting time. On entering the hospital, you need to report to the admissions desk and the staff will direct you through the admission process. Dr Lim and the anaesthetist will both see you prior to surgery and Dr Lim will make some markings on your face.

After the procedure, you will spend some time in the recovery room where you will be closely monitored until you are fully awake and returned to your rooms. Dr Lim will visit you in hospital the morning after your surgery.

The first days after surgery are usually the most uncomfortable, particularly when you are moving around or coughing. Like most operations, it is not painless; you will be prescribed pain medication during this period and Dr Lim will provide a prescription for you upon discharge.

It is also normal to feel tired and a little slow for a day or two following a general anaesthetic. Your face may feel tight, sore and bruised. You will be given a facial garment to wear after the operation. Bruising will usually subside within a few weeks.

Everyone is different, so the recovery period following this procedure varies from person to person. Most people are back to their normal routine in approximately one month. It is important to restrict movement for the first two weeks. The face will be sensitive for two to three weeks following surgery and should be handled according to your own level of comfort.

Returning to work depends on the demands of your job — you may be able to return to light work within three to four weeks. Dr Lim will discuss your individual situation with you before and after your surgery.

We endeavour to make sure our patients are as informed as possible. While some of the potential risks seem frightening, it is important for you to be aware that they can occur. During consultation, Dr Lim will take you through the risks involved and the potential complications.

Some of the possible complications are:

  • Infection
  • Keloids and hypertrophic (or raised) scars
  • Poor wound healing
  • The final result may not be as the patient desired and may require follow-up procedures
  • Separation of wound edges
  • Temporary or permanent hair loss around scars
  • Sutured skin may not heal well, and a skin graft may be needed
  • Deformity of the earlobe
  • Damage to the facial nerve occurs in about one in every 100 patients. This can result in partial loss of movement and, in rare cases, may be permanent.

Dr Lim will monitor your progress carefully and our staff will stay in contact with you during the post-operative period. You will be seen at frequent intervals over the first twelve months. Your relationship with Dr Lim and the nursing staff does not end once you have had the procedure.

If you have any questions or concerns after your operation, you are always welcome to call My Klinik.

Want to know more?

Due to Australian medical guidelines we are unable to publish reviews and testimonials on our website. This is to ensure any opinions or information you read comes from an unbiased and unedited source. Though this is the case, we understand that reviews and testimonials are a very important part of your decision-making process when selecting a specialist plastic surgeon. Please contact the My Klinik team for further information.

Book a Consult

Want to know more?

Due to Australian medical guidelines we are unable to publish reviews and testimonials on our website. This is to ensure any opinions or information you read comes from an unbiased and unedited source. Though this is the case, we understand that reviews and testimonials are a very important part of your decision-making process when selecting a specialist plastic surgeon. Please contact the My Klinik team for further information.

Book a Consult

About Dr Jake Lim

Highly qualified and experienced specialist plastic surgeon Dr Jake Lim focuses on facial plastic, cosmetic breast and body contouring after significant weight loss

Dr Lim creates the best possible plastic surgery results for his Australia-wide and international patients.

Dr Lim is passionate about making sure each and every patient has access to the right information about available treatments and procedures and is able to make well-informed decisions.

At My Klinik, patient safety, education and achieving optimal results are our top priorities.

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