You will receive detailed instructions from your plastic surgeon on how to prepare for your operation.
These instructions include guidelines for eating, drinking and smoking as well as information on taking and – if necessary – discontinuing medication.
If you follow these recommendations carefully, you will make a decisive contribution to the problem-free course of your operation.
If you smoke, it is particularly important that you stop smoking at least 4 weeks before the facelift. Smoking inhibits the blood-flow in the skin and can lead to complications in the healing of the wound in the area of the incisions.

The incision is made in a slight curve just above the level of the pubic hair. A second incision is made around the navel to detach this from the abdominal skin. In a partial abdominal reduction (mini-abdominoplasty) the incision is much shorter and no incision is necessary around the umbilicus.
In a full abdominal reduction, the abdominal skin is detached from the front abdominal wall to the rib cage.
The underlying abdominal muscles are sewn together along the mid-line in order to tighten the front abdominal wall and emphasize the waistline.
The surplus skin is then pulled downwards and the excess skin is removed.
The umbilicus is finally repositioned in a new skin opening. Drains are positioned under the skin, leading out through the pubic hair, and drain off blood and wound fluid for about 24 hours.
In a partial abdominal reduction the skin is only mobilised between the incision and the navel. The skin of the lower abdomen is drawn downwards and the excess skin removed. Finally the remaining abdominal skin is sutured and a bandage applied.
After the operation the contours of the abdominal wall are flatter and more even. The scars will remain visible but fade with time.