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Does a Facelift Leave Scars? If So, How Visible?


May 06, 2020 | 3 minute read

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Having a facelift is an excellent way to turn back the hands of time and help yourself look years younger. It’s perfect for reducing wrinkles and creases, eliminating jowls, and getting rid of sagging skin in the cheeks. To get such great results, Dr. Yarish or Dr. Bartlett will have to make incisions in your skin. This means that for most Houston patients, scarring is inevitable. That being said, because of the extreme care and precision with the placement of the incisions, most scars are barely noticeable. Learn more about scars after a facelift and how you can minimize their appearance.

Where Facelift Incisions Are Placed

To make your scars less noticeable, Dr. Yarish or Dr. Bartlett will choose inconspicuous locations for your facelift incisions. Typically, cuts are made around the hairline and the natural contours of the ears and face. This means any scarring is usually covered up by your hair or blended into the curves of your ear so no one can see them. Even a person who knows what to look for will have trouble finding your scars because of how well they are hidden.

What a Facelift Scar Looks Like

The good news is that for most Houston patients, facelifts do not result in large, red scars. Instead, they usually appear as faint white lines that blend in with the color and the contour of the skin. Because of this, even if you can see them, they’re easy to cover up with makeup for a completely invisible appearance.

For most people, it usually takes about a year for a scar to fully develop after a facelift. The good news is that as the years pass, most scars continue to fade in appearance until they’re barely noticeable.

Tips for Reducing Scarring

While having scars is inevitable, there are plenty of ways you can minimize their appearance. What you do during your recovery process is crucial to how well your wounds will heal. A wound that heals faster and better will have a less noticeable scar. Some tips for improving the healing process include:

  • Eating a healthy diet full of vitamins and minerals to give your body the fuel it needs to make repairs.
  • Staying hydrated by drinking plenty of water.
  • Resting, especially in the first couple of weeks after surgery.
  • Staying out of the bright Houston sun, as UV rays can damage the wound.
  • Scar massage, which involves applying pressure to the scar with your fingers.
  • Using vitamin E or steroid creams, which can help the skin heal better.
  • Having a laser treatment done to blast away scar tissue.

The above tips are just suggestions; Dr. Yarish or Dr. Bartlett will provide you with a more personalized recovery plan after your procedure, so make sure to follow it exactly to get your desired results.

Schedule Your Facelift in Houston Today

Don’t let the thought of scarring turn you off from a facelift. Dr. Yarish and Dr. Bartlett will do everything in their power to make sure your incisions are well placed and as small as possible to reduce scars. To learn more about the process, contact us today at (281) 645-0355.