Hair Preservation in Facelift Surgeries

According to Dr. Sam Rizk, a double board certified plastic surgeon, the hairline is critical to preserve during facelift surgeries. When performing a facelift, Dr. Rizk makes small incisions which eliminate the loss of the hair in the temple and sideburn areas as well as the hair behind the ears on the neck. When these hairlines are drawn, they can lead to unnatural "pulled" appearance. During the surgery, the surgeon should make sure that the ear position is not changed and all scars are hidden and not noticeable. All incisions are beveled, and as a result, the hair can easily regrow through the healed incisions. A successful facelift procedure elevates the deep muscle-fibrous tissues of the face and neck, and it does not result in pinching, pulling or stretching of the skin's surface.

Dr. Rizk has developed facelift methods that really give a natural, unoperated look to patients with less bruising and a quicker recovery time. Such an approach allows to preserve the hairline and makes it possible for the patients to wear their hair up off the face or in a ponytail.

An incision is usually made into the hairline and around the front and back of the ear. Dr. Sam Rizk notes that the hairline incision is made just inside the hairline to hide scars, and the hairline itself is not repositioned. The incision in front of the ear is best hidden if it is placed behind the edge of the tragus cartilage. The best way to hide an incision at the back of the ear is to place it behind the natural ear crease. Dr. Rizk uses a state-of-the-art 3D telescope system that allows for less invasive procedures, allowing him to use smaller incisions to perform the surgery.

Many surgeons often overlook the hair loss issue. However, scarring can lead to hair loss. You should talk to your facial plastic surgeon about this issue and ask him what techniques he uses to preserve hair. You should look attentively at before-after pictures of facelift patients when choosing a facelift surgeon and examine the hairline before and after facelift. If post-op patients’ hair patterns look unnatural, consider choosing another surgeon.