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Face Lift & MACS Lift

You can now have a VIRTUAL CONSULTATION via Doxy.me with Dr. Janssen. This encrypted telemedicine system is an easy-to-use online tool that allows you to schedule a HIPAA compliant video call with no download required. Please call the office at 920-233-1540 or email us at [email protected] for instructions on how to proceed.

Like an in-office visit, we will usually need your 1) demographics, 2) insurance information (if applicable), 3) area(s) of concern, 4) photos of the area(s) of concern, and 5) complete health history. We’re here for you more than ever.

As people age, facial skin begins to lose elasticity, causing wrinkles and sagging. Extensive sun exposure or large weight fluctuations can greatly accelerate aging of the skin, leaving people looking much older than they actually are. The board-certified plastic surgeons at Fox Valley Plastic Surgery perform facelift surgery in Wisconsin to help women and men look naturally more youthful and rejuvenated.

Dr. David Janssen is an expert in face lifts, and is helping women and men from places such as Green Bay, Appleton, Fond du Lac, and Sheboygan perfect their personal Renaissance. To learn more about facial rejuvenation procedures, request your consultation in either the Oshkosh or Appleton office using our online form or contact us at (920) 233-1540. The non-refundable $100 cosmetic consultation fee can be applied towards the cost of the procedure.

What Is a Facelift?

A facelift, or rhytidectomy, is a surgical procedure that improves visible signs of aging in the face and neck, such as:

• Sagging in the middle of your face
• Deep creases below the lower eyelids
• Deep creases along the nose extending to the corner of the mouth
• Fat that has fallen or has disappeared
• Loss of skin tone in the lower face that creates jowls
• Loose skin and excess fatty deposits under the chin and jaw can give even a person of normal weight the appearance of a double chin

Pricing

A facelift is a cosmetic procedure, which is not paid for by insurance. In general, a full (SMAS) facelift costs $13,250, a MACS lift $11,600, a MACS lift/neck lift combination with lateral skin platysma displacement $13,750, and a MACS lift/neck lift/fat transfer to cheeks combination $16,500. The price includes the surgeon’s fee, the facility fee at the Theda Care Surgery Center, and anesthesia. The pricing is subject to change, and will change if the surgery is done at another facility, and if there are unique circumstances surrounding the surgery, etc.

The use of Strataderm® immediately after wound closure and for several weeks afterwards, is highly recommended for optimal healing. Stratamed is the first film-forming silicone gel-based wound dressing approved for the use on open wounds and compromised skin. Depending on the length of the incision, a tube of Strataderm® costs $32-$54.

Usually there are multiple procedure discounts for cosmetic procedures: 15% off the surgeon’s fee for the 2nd cosmetic procedure, and 30% off the surgeon’s fee for the 3rd procedure. The operating room fee is discounted 50% for the 2nd+ procedure, while anesthesia is based solely on time. Although there are zero interest financing options available through Care Credit and Alphaeon Credit, payment by cash gives an additional 5% discount. There may be additional discounts, which are too varied to be mentioned here.

The non-refundable $100 cosmetic consultation fee can be applied towards the cost of the procedure.

RealSelf Patient Reviews of David Janssen, MD, FACS

Facelift Options

The loss of youthful contours in the face can be due to a variety of factors, including heredity, gravity, environmental conditions, and stress. Depending on the degree of change desired, facelift choices include a traditional (SMAS) facelift, a MACS (Minimal Access Cranial Suspension) lift, and a skin only facelift.

A traditional facelift incision often begins in the hairline at the temples, continues around the ear and ends in the lower scalp. Fat may be sculpted or redistributed from the face, jowls and neck, and underlying tissue is repositioned, commonly the deeper layers of the face and the muscles are also lifted. Skin is re-draped over the uplifted contours and excess skin is trimmed away.

A second incision under the chin may be necessary to further improve an aging neck. Sutures or skin adhesives close the incisions.

The MACS lift allows for the correction of sagging facial features through a short, minimal incision, elevating them vertically by suspending them from above. There are many advantages to having a MACS facelift versus a traditional facelift.

• The MACS lift uses a shorter scar that is in front of the ear, instead of behind, which is much easier to hide.
• The MACS lift surgery is safer because less skin is raised. This means that there is less risk of bleeding and nerve damage.
• The operation takes less time, lasting 2.5 hours instead of the 3.5 hours that the traditional facelift requires.
• There is also a shorter recovery period, 2-3 weeks instead of 3-4 weeks.
• The results of the MACS lift are very natural, while the traditional facelift will often result in a “windswept” look.

The incision is limited to the skin fold in front of the ear and follows the hairline under the sideburn. The zig-zag pattern incision makes the scar blend with the hairline, and it becomes virtually invisible. The skin is lifted to gain access to the deep tissues. After making the incision, the skin is lifted from the working area underneath. Depending on the patients’ needs, two or three sutures are woven into the deep facial tissues in order to obtain suspension of the facial features. As the facial tissues have been repositioned in a vertical direction, some skin excess appears on the lower eyelid and around the sideburn. It is removed, and the earlobe is replaced into its original position. The skin is now meticulously closed.

Watch Chapter 2 of the facelift videos for a visual description of the MACS Lift. Because of its natural results and quick recovery, it has been become the most popular facelift technique that FVPS performs.

Rejuvenation procedures typically performed in conjunction with a facelift are brow lift, to correct a sagging or deeply furrowed brow, and eyelid surgery to rejuvenate aging eyes.

Best Candidates

A facelift can only be performed surgically; non-surgical rejuvenation treatments cannot achieve the same results, but may help delay the time at which a facelift becomes appropriate and complement the results of surgery. Facelift surgery is a highly individualized procedure, which should done for yourself, and not to fulfill someone else’s desires.

Facelift surgery is a good option for patients who are physically healthy, do not smoke, have a positive outlook and have specific, but realistic goals in mind.

Preparing for Surgery

In preparing for a facelift, patients may be asked to:

• Get lab testing or a medical evaluation
• Take certain medications or adjust current medications
• Stop smoking
• Avoid taking aspirin, anti-inflammatory drugs, and herbal supplements as they can increase bleeding

Preparing for surgery with a clear, complex-carb rich beverage will keep you strong and enhance your recovery. Drinking ClearFast PreOp prior to your medical procedure is a safe way to speed up recovery time, nourish your body, and reduce post-operative nausea and vomiting. It is available at Hometown Pharmacy on N. Sawyer Street, Oshkosh at $8 a bottle. The recommended dosage is one bottle the night before your surgery once you are in the fasting window, and a second bottle two hours before surgery. Consult with your anesthetist before taking the beverage. Afternoon surgery patients are encouraged to take this beverage.

Special instructions will cover what to do on the night before and morning of surgery, the use of anesthesia during the facelift, and post-operative care and follow-up. A facelift may be performed in an accredited office-based surgical facility, licensed ambulatory surgical center, or a hospital. Patients need to have someone to drive them to and from surgery and to stay with them for at least the first night following surgery.

Discuss your treatment options with the experienced surgeons of Fox Valley Plastic Surgery. Contact Fox Valley Plastic Surgery today at (920) 233-1540 to request a consultation.

Smokers are always at high risk for health troubles, but particularly so during and after surgery. Smokers face longer healing times, blood clots, wounds that break open, and greater risk of infection. For these reasons, FVPS requires that smoking cease one month before and one month after for face lift surgeries, which are adversely effected by the decrease in blood flow caused by nicotine. Read our comprehensive explanation of how smoking impacts healing.

FVPS will notify patients if they are affected by this policy. At the pre-operative appointment which normally occurs two days before surgery, patients must take a cotinine test, which detects the presence of nicotine. Test results are immediately available with this quick blood test. If the test is positive, then surgery will be cancelled and the patient will be charged a cancellation fee in accordance with our Financial Policy, which is included in patient paperwork. Smokers, who cannot quit smoking, should not schedule a surgery.

Procedure

Anesthesia is administered for the patient’s comfort during the surgical procedure. The choices include intravenous sedation and general anesthesia. The anesthesiologist will recommend the best choice.

A variety of other procedures can further enhance the outcome of a facelift. They include:

• Facial implants or fat transfer
• Soft tissue augmentation to re-contour the facial structure
• Resurfacing techniques to improve the tone and texture of facial skin
• Wrinkle reduction by injection of fat or fillers

The incisions are made in accordance with the description in the first section. Once healed, the incision lines from a facelift are well concealed within the hairline and in the natural contours of the face and ear. The visible improvements of a facelift appear as swelling and bruising subside. The final result restores a more youthful and rested appearance.

Meet Our Surgeons

Dr. David Janssen and Dr. William Doubek combine experience, refined surgical techniques, and artistry to produce beautiful results for their plastic and reconstructive surgery patients.

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Recovery

During recovery, a bandage is placed around the face to minimize swelling and bruising once the procedure is completed. Thin tubes may be present to drain any excess blood or fluid that may collect under the skin.

Patients will be given specific instructions that includes how to care for the surgical site and drains, medications to apply or take orally to aid healing and reduce the potential for infection, specific concerns to look for at the surgical site or in general health, and when to follow up with the office.

Recovery from a face lift takes time. Most patients can return to work at a desk job in 5-7 days. Depending on how comfortable patients are with going out with bruising and swelling, the patients may be back on their feet earlier or later than the average time. Bruising and swelling typically decrease to “socially acceptable” levels in 10-20 days. Patients who are physically active will have to wait at least three weeks to resume activities. The final result is usually evident in 4-6 weeks with continued improvement over several months. It can take up to six months for incision lines to mature.

It is important that the surgical incisions are not subjected to excessive force, abrasion, or motion during the time of healing. Avoid wearing any clothing that must go over the head. Life-long sun protection and a healthy lifestyle will help extend the results of the facelift.

Are you ready to discuss a face lift for yourself? Contact Fox Valley Plastic Surgery today at (920) 233-1540 to schedule a consultation.

Potential Risks

Patients will be asked to sign consent forms to ensure that they fully understand the procedure and any risks and potential complications. Facelift risks include:

• Anesthesia risks
• Bleeding
• Infection
• Poor wound healing and skin loss
• Facial nerve injury with weakness
• Temporary or permanent hair loss at the incisions
• Fluid accumulation
• Numbness or other changes in skin sensation
• Persistent pain
• Unfavorable scarring
• Prolonged swelling
• Skin irregularities and discoloration
• Sutures may spontaneously surface through the skin, become visible or produce irritation that require removal
• Unsatisfactory results may include: asymmetry, unsatisfactory surgical scar location and unacceptable visible deformities at the ends of the incisions, which may necessitate a revision
• Deep vein thrombosis, cardiac and pulmonary complications

Consultation

During the consultation be prepared to discuss your surgical goals, medical conditions, drug allergies, and medical treatments, current medications, and previous surgeries. The plastic surgeon will also:

• Evaluate general health status and any pre-existing health conditions or risk factors
• Discuss facelift options
• Examine and measure the face
• Take photographs
• Recommend a course of treatment
• Discuss likely outcomes of a facelift and any risks or potential complications
• Discuss the type of anesthesia that will be use

Find out how you can look considerably younger with a face lift. Our board certified Wisconsin plastic surgeons are helping women and men from Milwaukee, the Fox Cities, Green Bay and Madison perfect their personal Renaissance. Contact Fox Valley Plastic Surgery at (920) 233-1540 or request your consultation online. The non-refundable $100 cosmetic consultation fee can be applied towards the cost of the procedure.