The endoscopic facelift is a minimally invasive method designed to rejuvenate the upper parts of your face. Visible scars in the skin are avoided with this technique, as the short incisions are all placed in the hair bearing scalp. The lifting of the cheeks, temples, forehead and eyebrows is achieved with small endoscopic instruments. Also, some parts of the forehead musculature, which causes the furrows and lines between the eyebrows, may be targeted and weakened with this surgical technique.
The aging of the forehead may show as heaviness of the upper eyelids and drooping eyebrows. The endoscopic forehead lift the forehead skin and eyebrows with the hairline. Since the position of the eyebrows has important influence on the upper eyelids, a forehead lift is frequently combined with an upper eyelid blepharoplasty in order to optimize the outcome.
You can make a very important contribution to the success of an Endo Face Lift operation. Dr. Gassner would explain in detail exactly what one needs to pay attention to before an operation. The following suggestions are presented here as general suggestions and should only be followed once one has consulted with Dr. Gassner in depth.
Three weeks before the operation, medications and other substances which have a blood thinning affect should be avoided. For example, the list could include pain medications such as Aspirin®, Ibuprofen®, Diclofenac®, Voltaren®. In addition, substances such as Gingko, garlic and vitamin preparations should also be set aside.
Intensive exposure to the sun or “Solarium” (tanning beds) can cause skin inflammation and/or swelling and should be avoided the full 10 days prior to the operation.
Nicotine hinders blood circulation and can slow the healing process which means use of tobacco products should be avoided at least a week and preferably 2 weeks after the operation. Likewise, coloring or dying hair in any way should be avoided the week prior to surgery.
On the night before the surgical appointment, all make-up needs to be gently removed. Also, hairspray or other hair products should be avoided and hair should be thoroughly washed with a gentle shampoo.
The procedure is typically performed under general anesthesia. Usually the patient may go home the same day unless additional more extensive procedures are combined with the endoscopic forehead lift. You are prepared for surgery by our friendly nursing staff who will accompany you to the surgical suite. The anesthesia doctor will then speak with you again and will induce general anesthesia very gently. During the procedure, you are monitored and very closely watched by our professional team. Once the minimally invasive procedure has been completed, a dressing is applied and you are taken to the recovery area where you can recover from anesthesia. You may be dismissed and leave the hospital the same day. You should have a person that will accompany you to your accommodation or your hotel. You should also have a person that will stay the night after surgery with you. Pain is typically mild and well controlled with pain pills which you will be described by our team.
After the endoscopic forehead lift, Professor Gassner will see you the morning after surgery. At that time the dressing around the forehead will be removed. You may have some swelling and some bruising. The swelling and bruising typically subsides within 10 to 14 days to a degree that will allow you to go about your daily activities and in such a manner that it is not obvious to the public that you have undergone surgery. The suture material is typically removed after 7 or 8 days. We prefer that this is done by Dr. Gassner. However if you travel long distance, you may return home after 3 to 4 days and have the suture material removed at home. Dr. Gassner prefers to see his patients back 3 months after surgery, 1 and 2 years after surgery. Again these regimens maybe modified in patients traveling long distance.