Borstvergroting I Parkkliniek Rotterdam Plastische chirurgie

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Minisites

Aptos lift

General

If you suffer from any of the problems listed below, a correction using an amazingly simple yet effective technique known as the APTOS lift would probably be of considerable benefit to you.

We actually use an APTOS lift if you have problems with:

A tired appearance due to the fact that your eyebrows are starting to droop slightly, or if you have sunken cheeks, loose folds between nose and cheeks, or jowl formation along your jawline.
Lines along the groove from nose to cheekbone.
At the same time, however, you do not have any excess skin (either your skin is still reasonably firm, or you might have undergone a previous facelift in which sufficient skin was removed)

Preparation

During the first consultation, we will discuss your wishes and any symptoms you may have. We will then look at the resulting picture in relation to your medical history. A physical examination will be carried out together with you in front of a mirror, where the following points will be looked at:

the part(s) of your face which sag the most (eyebrows, cheeks, jowls, folds between nose and cheeks, folds between the corners of the mouth and the chin)
the quality of your skin (elasticity, thickness, etc)
the quality of the underlying subcutaneous layers of your skin (fatty tissue, muscle)
the degree of lining of your skin due to a deeper fold between nose and cheekbone
the degree of slackening of your skin

At the end of the consultation, you will be told which treatment or combination of treatments are expected to give the best results. Advice on preparation for the right kind of care and nursing at home will naturally also be extensively discussed.

Procedure

This is an outpatients’ department procedure, taking approximately 10 minutes for each side and each area where lifting is performed. Therefore, if an APTOS lift is only carried out on the cheek which already droops slightly over the fold between nose and cheeks, the entire procedure will take no more than 20 minutes. At the beginning of the operation, a couple of injections of local anaesthetic will be given at the points on your skin where lines have been drawn, after first tying the hair at your temple into a tail. The temple is the only place where a small incision – no more than 1 cm – will be made in the skin: this is the anchor point. The main advantage is that no hair needs to be cut away or shaved off. Anaesthesia is painless and takes effect quickly. If you wish, a mild sedative can also be administered during surgery, after consultation with the surgeon. However, this still means that you will be fully conscious and breathing naturally.

Duration

The APTOS lift (on 1, 2 or 3 places simultaneously) is eminently suitable for outpatients’ treatment. You will be able to go home, accompanied by a friend or relative, about 30 minutes to 1 hour after the operation. Surgery can also be performed as outpatients’ treatment under local anaesthetic, even if an endoscopic forehead lift or an S-lift is carried out during the same operative session. However, if a more extensive combination of lifts is desired, we usually advise the patient to spend one night in a hotel specially selected by us. In such cases, you will have the option of engaging a qualified nurse for non-stop post-operative care.

Risks and complications

A face lift entails the risks associated with any form of surgery, such as post-operative bleeding and infection. Thanks to efficient circulation, infections hardly ever occur in the facial area (unless the patient is generally run-down). Post-operative bleeding involving re-operation cannot occur if this technique is applied. Only the insertion of the hollow lifting needle may result in a slight extravasion, although even this very seldom happens. The fluid used to anaesthetise the operative area contains a substance which closes the blood vessels. This serves to reduce the risk of such extravasion even further.

This type of operation does specifically involve a certain degree of post-operative discomfort which always wears off completely. It is usually described as 'a rather puffy, swollen feeling around the treated area. This means that patients frequently experience this type of discomfort; it is, therefore, quite normal and will eventually disappear of its own accord.

If you take certain medications, or if you have experienced any side-effects as a result of previous operations, you should always inform us during the pre-operative consultation so that we can take it into consideration if necessary.

We cannot guarantee absolute symmetry when performing double-sided surgery such as an APTOS lift. Most faces are slightly asymmetrical anyway, even before operation. Naturally, our aim is to achieve as great a degree of symmetry as possible. If your face is already asymmetrical, we will discuss this with you before surgery. In that case, it is possible to undergo supplementary treatment in order to counteract (and literally fill up) any hypovolaemia.

Afterwards

After an APTOS lift, you will once more radiate energy and vitality. However, please note: in view of all the reasons given above, it is always essential to discuss the effects of an APTOS lift using this technique with your plastic surgeon before surgery ... what to expect, and what not to expect, from this operation.

APTOS lift: most frequently asked questions

When can I start playing any sports?

You should avoid any contact sports such as judo, basketball and football for 6 weeks. However, you may start jogging, etc., again 2 to 4 weeks after surgery.

Are the results permanent?

The ageing process of your skin, muscles and connective tissue will, of course, continue. After 5 or 10 years (sometimes even 15 years), the tissue will start to sag again at a certain point in time, due to loss of elasticity in this tissue and to the effects of gravity, which pulls everything down. Exactly how soon this will happen in your case partly depends on the quality of your skin, your general state of health, exposure to the sun, and whether you smoke or not. Please note: the technique described here forms part of new developments. Although it admittedly seems promising, we still do not know precisely what the long-term effects will be.

Can this treatment also remove superficial wrinkles or pouches under the eyes?

Theoretically, this operation does not correct the fine lines on your skin or the occasional accumulation of fluid in pouches underneath your eyes: the quality of your skin will remain constant both before and after surgery. This is why it is always essential to discuss what to expect, as well as what not to expect, with your plastic surgeon before the operation.

Is the operation very painful?

No, although patients usually experience a rather puffy, swollen feeling during the first few days. This sensation is not really painful, although it can sometimes be a bit uncomfortable.

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