Local anaesthetic facelifts at Purity Bridge – The Purity Bridge Facelift

We have an increasing number of enquiries about our Purity Bridge local anaesthetic facelift, and thought it would be a good time for an update to explain about the procedure and what it involves.

We are all different, and everyone’s face is unique and different. It therefore follows that a single procedure cannot be the right procedure for everyone (there is no “one size fits all” or “cookie cutter” procedure suitable for everyone). The Purity Bridge Facelift is not for everyone! It is, however, a great procedure for the right person. So who isthat person and what do they typically look like?

The best candidates for a Purity Bridge Facelift are those who want to target their jawline, rather than their neck. They are in their 40s to late 50s and have a mild to moderate degree of laxity. However, we still perform this approach in older age groups, if they desire a more modest procedure with a less dramatic correction than a more invasive or comprehensive facelift.

This shows one of our patients following her Purity Bridge Facelift.

A Purity Bridge Facelift is not the right procedure for those who are primarily concerned with their necks, those with heavy tissues and those who have a greater degree of facial ageing or sagging.

So, what is a Purity Bridge Facelift? It is a short scar “SMAS facelift” performed under local anaesthetic. The scars run from the sideburns down the junction between cheek and ear, curving around the nooks and crannies of the ear, with an extension around and behind the earlobe. As with all modern facelifts, following the injection of local anaesthetic the skin is lifted up from the underlying tissue (the SMAS) in a pre-planned way. Once the SMAS and neck muscle (plastysma) are sufficiently exposed, the SMAS surgery takes place. This is either in the form of lifting what are known as SMAS flaps (where the SMAS is incised and lifted up as a flap of tissue), or alternatively as a SMAS plication – whereby the SMAS is lifted and repositioned using stiches.

It is only by lifting and re-positioning the SMAS layer that a facelift will work satisfactorily. Gone are the days of simply pulling and tightening the skin – that only led to wind tunnel appearances and unnatural results.

The advantage of the Purity Bridge Facelift (in the right person) is that the procedure and the recovery are relatively quick – most stitches are out at 1-week and the few remaining are removed the following week. As it is under local anaesthetic there is no grogginess or nausea typically associated with a general anaesthetic, and this contributes to the overall “downtime” being reduced.

This picture shows the typical pre-operative markings planned for the Purity Bridge Facelift

However, it is still a “proper” facelift, and sometimes we need to remind our patients that just because it is taking place under local anaesthetic and it is performed in the clinic, rather than in the hospital, it still a “proper” operation!

Unfortunately, there is a lot written about different approaches to facelifts, with much marketing confusion and some promises made, that may not be possible to keep. At Purity Bridge, we pride ourselves on our honesty, openness and realistic accounts when we discuss procedures with our patients. In fact, we would always rather under-promise and over-deliver than the other way around, anytime! We hope this review of our local anaesthetic Purity Bridge Facelifts has been helpful – please get in touch if you would like to find out more!