Facelift

When performed by a skilled specialist, a facelift, also called rhytidectomy, can lift facial skin that has stretched over time or as a result of weight loss. We offer our patients a team of board-certified aesthetic surgeons who are highly skilled in facelift techniques that offer a natural and more youthful facial appearance.

Facelift (Rhytidectomy) Overview

During a facelift, the surgeon uses techniques aimed at tightening surface skin and underlying soft tissue on the lower part of the face. When combined with a necklift, which addresses sagging skin below the jaw, the results can smooth out lines around the mouth and nose, and alter the appearance of the neck.

A variation of this procedure, called a short-scar facelift, improves the appearance of the face and jawline but doesn’t involve the neck.

Individualized Treatment

Take some time before you meet with your surgeon to consider your goals for surgery. When you meet, your specialist will want to discuss these goals as well as any existing health issues. Your surgeon may suggest other techniques, in addition to a facelift, that may help you achieve the look you want. The two of you will work together to design a treatment plan that suits your needs.

Scar Location

The scars that result from a facelift are hidden in the hairline and around the ear so as not to be noticeable once healed. If the neck skin is tightened as well, there will be a scar hidden under the chin that is often very subtle.

Recovery After Facelift

Most people report that pain and swelling are at their highest levels in the two to three weeks following surgery. Your care team will offer options to help you manage these. Additionally, you’ll need to refrain from lifting anything heavy and from any work-out routine for up to four to six weeks after surgery. By the third month, you’ll find swelling has reduced considerably and it will continue to diminish during the first year post-surgery.

Why Choose Us?

Because a facelift affects one of your most important and visible features, our board-certified surgeons have acquired the training, skills and experience required to offer virtually flawless results. When you choose one of our surgeons, you’ll have a partner who will listen to you, help you define your goals and then determine the best strategy to reach them.

Frequently Asked Questions About Facelifts

Though your specialist will be happy to answer any questions you might have about your facelift, the following answers to some of the questions we hear most often from patients might help you prepare for your consultation.

How can I achieve natural results from my facelift procedure?

To achieve the best, most natural looking results, we encourage you to clearly discuss your goals with your surgeon. It may be that your desired results will be best achieved with a combination of procedures—perhaps by combining a facelift with a necklift, for example. Or you might best achieve your desired look if you and your surgeon develop a treatment plan that includes fat-grafting or earlobe-shaping. A thorough and frank conversation with your surgeon will help the two of you determine the most effective treatment plan.

Where are the incisions for a facelift?

For a facelift, the incisions are usually made in the hairline and by the ear and earlobe. When a facelift is combined with a necklift, the incisions are made behind the ear and in the hairline. Additionally, a necklift includes an incision under the chin that is hidden by the natural crease in that area.

How long do the results of a facelift last?

The answer to this question depends upon a person’s anatomy. Generally speaking, a facelift lasts for many years. After 10 to 20 years, with ongoing aging and sun exposure, some people may choose to have the procedure repeated.

What procedures are most commonly combined with a facelift?

Many people choose to combine a facelift with a necklift, as the jawline and neck tend to age together. Restoring these areas simultaneously results in a more natural look. Depending on individual anatomy and goals, a facelift is often also combined with an eyelid lift.

How does a facelift restore volume to a face?

You and your surgeon may determine that grafting fat in certain areas of the face may change some hollowed areas that a facelift alone can’t address. Small fat grafts can make a dramatic difference in appearance.

What is recovery like after a facelift?

After facelift surgery, patients experience the most pain and swelling in the first two to three weeks. We’ll ask you to refrain from lifting anything heavy—and any work-out routine—for four to six weeks after surgery. In that time period, you’ll also need help with driving, as quick movements of the head and neck can affect the results of surgery. You’ll also need to refrain from getting your hair cut or colored. After three months, swelling has diminished significantly and will continue to dissipate in the year following surgery.

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