The best candidate for a facelift is a man or woman whose face and neck have begun to sag, but whose skin still has some elasticity. There is no need to wait until hanging folds or almost irreversible changes have taken place. While facial reconstructive surgery is probably the most sought after within the over 40’s group, increasingly these are being carried out on younger patients. In fact these days, many patients prefer earlier corrections to maintain youthful appearances, and therefore avoid living through a period of looking “old and tired”. Although the occasional film star may undergo a celebrated facelift, the vast majority of patients are those normal people who take pride in their appearance and feel younger than they look. A facelift has always been regarded as a major cosmetic surgical procedure, but in reality need hold no fears. It is important to remember however that cosmetic surgeryncannot erase permanent creases, particularly around the lips and mouth, and that it does not stop the aging process. A facelift just “sets the clock back”; it does not stop it running. At the time of consultation Mr. Solomos will ask you about your general medical history, specifically pertaining to any medical conditions that could cause problems during or after surgery, such as uncontrolled high blood pressure, blood clotting problems, or a tendency to form excessive scars. Slight differences in facial symmetry are normal and will be pointed out as many times these are unnoticed by the patient. It will also be explained that certain areas of the face cannot be helped by cosmetic surgery, such as the lines around the mouth, frown, and crow feet region. The newer skin resurfacing lasers, fillers and peels covered under separate notes best deals with these areas. If you are a smoker you will be asked to stop smoking well in advance of cosmetic surgeryas well as for a period after the operation(generally 4 weeks before and 4 weeks after) . Smoking seriously constricts blood vessels and therefore decreases blood flow to a given area resulting in poor healing. Aspirin and certain anti-inflammatory drugs and other medications (discussed in DO’& DON’TS section) can cause increased bleeding, so you should avoid these. If you’re contemplating facelift surgery, this information will give you a basic understanding of the procedure. It can’t answer all your questions since a lot depends on the individual patient. However, any specific questions should always be addressed at the consultation.