Facelift in Nashville

The effects of gravity, environmental factors, and the natural aging process inevitably take a toll on the quality and elasticity of the skin over time. This can lead many to feel their outward appearance does not match the age they feel.

Anyone of any race or gender can get a facelift, though it is most popular for those over 45 years old.

In addition to ensuring a facelift will align with your personal goals, you will also need to be found healthy enough to undergo surgery. Your safety is of the utmost importance, and our team will conduct a thorough review of your medical history and order any testing necessary to clear you for the procedure.

In addition to booking your time in the operating room, we also reserve time between 1 month and 2 weeks out from your procedure for a pre-operative appointment. This check-in allows us to review your goals in detail once more, review all post-op instructions, provide tips on how to prepare, and answer any remaining questions you have to feel confident going into the day of your surgery.

The day of your facelift in Nashville, we want you to feel calm, ready, and well cared for.

Your surgeon will first mark the area for treatment. Once you are ready, we will escort you to our on-site operating suite—a AAAA, State-accredited facility—where we will place you under anesthesia and begin your procedure. From start to finish, you will be under the watchful eye of our experienced and attentive anesthesia team, there to monitor your heart rate and maintain your physical safety.

If previously discussed in your consultation or pre-op appointment, we will also perform a resurfacing treatment (such as a chemical peel, Renuvion skin tightening, or other laser treatment) to help address the quality of the skin in conjunction with your surgical procedure.

Your surgeon will prep and disinfect the area. Then, we carefully make the incisions, separating your skin from the muscle and fat underneath. This allows us to remove any excess skin before repositioning it in the appropriate place, ensuring total precision and accuracy. Finally, the surgeon will apply sutures to the area(s) of incision, and finish the surgery, releasing you to a quiet and comfortable recovery area.

DeLozier Plastic Surgery is proud to offer a fully State and AAAA-accredited, on-site, state-of-the-art Ambulatory Surgery Center. This facility adheres to the highest safety standards and protocols while ensuring our patients have an easily navigable and discreet surgical experience.

A facelift is a surgical procedure, and therefore requires some physical, emotional, and logistical preparation in advance. We will guide you through this process from start to finish during your pre-operative appointment, but a few key things to keep in mind include:

• Lining up transportation. You will not be cleared to drive immediately after your facelift in Nashville, so you will need to coordinate with a spouse, friend, or other family member to drive you to and from your surgery.
• Coordinating with a caregiver. You should not be left alone the night of your surgery. This may be the same person or a different person than the one who is providing transportation.
• Ensuring your space is clean, comfortable, and hygienic for recovery.
  Planning for meals. Some of our patients will pre-make meals to reduce their physical and cognitive load after their procedure and ensure they are eating healthy, nutrient-rich meals that fuel the body’s healing process.
• Staying hydrated. Ensuring you drink plenty of water is a must for anyone, but it’s even more important before a surgical procedure.
• Taking a multi-vitamin. Our physicians recommend everyone take multi-vitamins regardless of any upcoming surgeries.
• Taking care of your skin consistently. Our estheticians are well versed in the unique needs of our facelift patients, and can design a medical-grade regimen or recommend specific products to help prepare your skin for surgery.
• Picking up your prescriptions. We call in all necessary prescriptions in advance of your surgery day so you can pick them up at a time that’s convenient—and have one less thing to think about on the day of!

Immediately after your facelift, we advise you:

• Walk around at least every two hours during waking hours to prevent a blood clot.
• Wear compression leg hose for three days and do foot pumping exercises when in bed.
• Perform periodic deep breathing exercises to help prevent pneumonia.
• Do not drive until cleared by the office staff.
• Resume eating food as soon as you are ready, but avoid spicy and greasy foods for 24 hours.

Keep in mind that at no point while taking pain medication can you drive a car, go to work, make important decisions, or consume alcohol.

Also, note that antibiotics can interfere with the efficacy of oral birth control. If you currently take a birth control pill, you should use a backup method of contraception while you are on your antibiotics after surgery.

Your physician will give you and your caregiver a call the night of your surgery to ensure you are settled, comfortable, and able to ask any clarifying questions about your post-care. We also ask that you please call the office if you develop a fever, nausea & vomiting, diarrhea, excessive swelling, bruising, or bleeding.

The next day following your facelift in Nashville, we welcome you back to our office for a follow-up appointment. During this time, your surgeon will remove your drain, and our skilled estheticians will remove your head wrap and wash your hair. We will also instruct you on how to apply antibiotic ointment to the incision for the next week.

You can expect bruising and swelling to subside after about two weeks, and any sensation of numbness or decreased sensation should subside in the weeks following as you fully heal from the procedure.

During this period of recovery, there are a few things you can do to help your body heal.

• Use a cold compress in 10-minute intervals to help reduce swelling and discomfort.
• When sleeping or lying down, keep your head elevated and your face upward to prevent further swelling.
• Avoid strenuous exercise, heavy lifting, or other difficult physical activity for at least 2 weeks.

Most facelift surgeries provide significant results for between 8 to 12 years, oftentimes even longer. This may vary depending on genetics, exposure, lifestyle, skin elasticity, and other factors. To help prolong your results, we recommend:

• Eating a balanced, nutrient-rich diet
• Protecting your skin from the sun with SPF 30+
• Maintaining a consistent skincare regimen with high-quality, medical-grade skincare products

Our Nashville estheticians are also highly experienced in working with post-op facelift patients and are happy to continually treat and improve upon their results!