There are different types of face-lift which are all largely dependent upon what is needed.

In most cases a face-lift requires much more than just tightening the skin.  It usually requires that that the firm underlying layer of the face called the SMAS (Superficial Muscular Aponeurotic System) is also lifted.

The SMAS is the layer that has the strength and firmness to hold the newly refreshed facial contours.

Over tightening of this layer is what gives the terrible “wind-blown” look, an unfortunate hallmark of bad surgery.

Infection– relatively rare and it can be effectively treated with oral antibiotics.

Bleeding– This is also fairly rare but can occur after any operation. If this bleeding causes a collection of blood under the skin, called a haematoma, it rarely impact on the long term outcome but it can require returning to the operating theatre to clean out the blood and stop any points of bleeding that were not evident at the time of surgery.

There are a number of factors that predisposes one to increased risk of bleeding- blood thinner medications, fish oil, many food substance starting with “G“- garlic, ginkgo, ginseng. Interestingly males are also predisposes to an increased risk of bleeding.

Poor scar healing– As a general rule the darker your skin the greater the risk of a scar not healing well.  While this does not take into account each individual’s variation in genetics the pigment in your skin does dictate the likelihood of you forming obvious scars.  We will be discussed with you in detail on your consultation.

Please note Dr Kim will not perform facelift on current smokers, the risk is just too high. All aesthetic procedures are a partnership between the patient and the surgeon- you must stop smoking for 2 months prior to all aesthetic surgery.

Nerve injury– This is rare and permanent nerve injury even more so.  Recovery time from nerve injury varies greatly from very brief, have you ever hurt your funny bone, others can take quite some time.

A longer term nerve injury “neuropraxia” can take takes days or weeks to recover and some nerve injuries are permanent.   However rare, nerve injuries around the face can in rare circumstances have serious consequences- they could result in numbness in the ear or inability to move some muscles in the face.  Extreme vigilance on your surgeon’s part is imperative.

A Neck-lift often done in concert with a face-lift and can range from a simple liposuction proceedure to a more complex operations involving muscles and the removal of tissue.

Simple neck lift– this is for those that have some excess fat below the chin. A liposuction is done to improve the contour without any incision.

Neck-lift with skin incision– This involves a combination of an initial liposuction after which extra skin is addressed with incisions hidden around the ear.

Comprehensive neck-lift– This combines the above above techniques with additional small transverse skin incision below the chin to smooth out the so called “turkey neck”. This turkey neck happens because the muscles fiber in your neck called platysma becomes stretched and forms two lines or bands.

The operation consists of bringing these muscles back together again at the midline.

Potential complication of a neck lift is similar to the facelift discussed above.

Ask us about our Comprehensive Facial Rejuvenation

Rhinoplasty may be for functional and/or aesthetic reasons.

Functional issues often arise due to sinus or a previous broken nose and maybe require a more in depth functional nasal surgery in conjunction with an Ear Nose and Throat surgeon.

Aesthetic concerns are usually about a bump or kink on the nose, or a bulbous tip that a patients wants refined. Issues like a deviated nose may have both aesthetic and functional which can be remedied by surgery.

Different methods of rhinoplasty are employed depending upon the issue and areas that need to be addressed.

Depending upon your unique anatomy and circumstance there may be one of more of the below procedures required to achieve the desired result.

Incision– Usually an “open” approach where a small one centimetre incision is made between the nostrils to gain access into the nasal structures.
If the concern is just the bump it may only require a small hidden incision along the line of the nostril. The bump is then gently shaved down to give you a more pleasing profile.

Inside work– Operations such as straightening a deviated septum not only have a great impact on appearance but can also include functional nasal surgery at the same time to improve breathing. Interestingly, the septum, which is the middle partition between right and left nasal cavity, is a common source of extra cartilage material used for altering the shape of the nose.

Nasal bone work–  Where a person desires to reduce the width of their nose to give a more balanced appearance it can require shaving the actual bone structure to give that balance.

Tip work– Using different suture techniques relocating cartilage from the septum or elsewhere the tip is re-defined and any imbalance or tilt of the nose can be corrected. For more complex cases such as reconstruction after severe trauma a small part of rib may be borrowed to create a better contoured nose.

Following Rhinoplasty – You will experience some discomfort the worst is usually passed in 24-48 hours. Swelling and bruising is normal and the time it takes to subside largely depends upon the type of rhinoplasty performed.

The final result usually be seen in around two months.

Inside Work – If you have had inside work done you may also have internal and external splints to guide the healing.
The internal ones will need to come out a day or two after the initial surgery.  The outside splint will stay on for another week and tapes to help reduce swelling will remain for a couple of weeks after that.

You will be given nasal washes, antibiotics and pain relief to ensure your recovery is smooth.

Infection– Though relatively infection is possible so you will be provided with prophylactic antibiotics to further minimise this risk after the surgery.

Bleeding– Bleeding can occur and while a little light bleeding is no concern, excessive nose bleed that may require a return to operating theatre. Fortunately this is also very rare.

Failure to achieve the desired result-Perfect symmetry can be difficult to achieve depending on what you start with.

Dr Kim will see you at least twice before the surgery to fully assess your needs and make sure you are both understand and agree on the desired result and what is possible.

Risk of poor wound healing– This is very rare in rhinoplasty where the incision made is very small.

Contact Us to discuss about your functional and aesthetics goals.