​​​​​​The consultation

During this introductory meeting, I conduct an examination to compare the treatment request with my observations. I look with a trained eye, which may give you a surprisingly new perspective. For example, you come in for a facelift. However, I see sagging eyebrows or pronounced bags under your eyes, and I feel you would benefit more from a forehead lift or a lower eyelid correction. The correct diagnosis ultimately leads to the best treatment result.

During the first appointment, we will take stock of your medical history and any risk factors such as smoking, the use of anticoagulants, high blood pressure, etcetera. My assistant, who will be present at the meeting, will provide information on funding, scheduling, and logistics in the clinic.

The procedure

During the facelift procedure, the surgeon cuts in or behind the sideburns, then along the ear, around the earlobe and in the fold behind the ear, possibly extending further into the posterior hairline. The skin is partially detached in the direction of the corner of the mouth, along the jaw line and partially behind the ear.

The deeper layers are lifted and stitched, restoring them to their original position. The excess skin is removed and stitched without stretching the skin excessively. The procedure takes approximately two hours and takes place under sedation (monitored anaesthesia care via an IV), together with local anaesthesia of the entire surgical site. This means you are not fully awake during the procedure and not feeling pain. You can breathe unassisted, with some oxygen administered through a nose cannula, so you are not under general anaesthetic but supervised and monitored by the anaesthetist and the anaesthesia nurse.

A neck lift/platysmaplasty sometimes starts with liposuction. Next, an opening under the chin is used to detach the skin. The remaining excess fat is removed, and the platysma muscle is shortened. The skin is then put back, closed and fixed to the base layer with some stitches.

After the procedure

You will not feel pain after the facelift and/or neck lift. Even after the anaesthesia wears off, you will not have any pain; at most, it might feel a little tight.

In the recovery room, the temporary dressing is changed after 3-4 hours, and you will be fitted with a removable compression mask that you will wear at home at the end of the afternoon. The following day, you can take the mask off to shower and wash your hair, using your own shampoo. After that, you can shower daily and rinse the wounds (keeping the wounds clean is good for healing). You do not need to wash your hair every day. You will wear the mask for about 5 days or as long as it feels safe and comfortable. During your one-week check-up visit, some staples are removed (those in the ear fold may sometimes be slightly sensitive). After two weeks, the remaining staples are removed, and the knots of the soluble sutures are cut off. Until the scars are completely healed, I recommend not applying any cream to the scars, as this can cause irritation and inflammation.

After the neck lift/platysmaplasty, you also go home with the temporary bandage. You can remove this bandage the following day and start taking daily showers (you can also rinse off the wound). You will wear the compression mask until the first check-up. The stitches are removed after 5 and 10 days.

After the surgery, you may be worried about your recovery, and you could be extra sensitive to comments from others. After all, the end result is not immediately visible, and you might wonder whether it will all be all right in the end. I will prepare you for this with some tips to help you recover in peace. If you have any questions or concerns after the procedure, do not hesitate to contact me directly, preferably by email at dr.e.j.f.timmenga@gmail.com. During those first days after the procedure, I am easily accessible to you.