Facelift Surgery

The gold standard in cosmetic anti-aging procedures is the facelift or rhytidectomy. Well-performed facelift surgery can have a dramatic effect on the youthfulness of the face. Dr. Lesley Rabach at LM Medical NYC in Manhattan is a double board-certified facial plastic surgeon who specializes in only facial cosmetic procedures. We offer several options in facelift surgery that can reset the aging clock back several years.

World-renowned facial plastic surgeon, Dr. Lesley Rabach, performs a deep plane facelift, which lifts the muscular substructure of the face to restore the beautiful bone structure of the jaw, cheeks and neck. This is the most comprehensive facelift, but not all our patients need to start with this level of facelift surgery. Dr. Lesley offers a variety of facelift options and complementary procedures that can help you maintain a more youthful appearance as you become older.

Options in Facelift Procedures

Several different facelift procedures can be performed to manage the changes in the face as it ages. Many of our patients do not want to wait for their face to look older before they begin addressing aging issues. We offer the following procedures that can be performed throughout the aging process to help maintain a firmer, more youthful face as gravity and skin change.

• Stem cell facelift: Stem cell injections can slow skin aging and loss of elasticity, reducing lines, wrinkles and laxity.
• Mini facelift: The “weekend facelift” or mini facelift is a less invasive version of the complete facelift surgery for the early stages of facial sagging.
• Midface lift surgery: A midface lift surgery addresses cheeks that have begun to sag – this can be combined with traditional facelift surgery.
• Facial liposculpture and fat transfer: As the face ages, fat placement changes. Facial liposculpture and fat transfer can be used to maintain the right facial-fat balance.
• Forehead lift surgery: A forehead or brow lift surgery is often paired with a facelift to give a balanced, rejuvenated appearance to the neck, lower face and brow.

Facelift Surgery FAQs

What are the credentials of my facial plastic surgeon?

Dr. Lesley is a world-renowned, double board certified facial plastic surgeon, and one of the few elite surgeons who specialize specifically in operating on the face and neck. She completed her internship and residency in head and neck surgery at Yale New Haven Hospital followed by an ABFPRS accredited fellowship in facial plastic surgery. With the most advanced surgical technique, an artistically trained eye and a gentle bedside manner, Dr. Lesley sculpts the face and neck area to achieve a natural, youthful look.

What is the recovery like?

A facelift is a gentle procedure. Minimal bruising and swelling should be expected but will only last 7-10 days. After 7 days, all sutures are removed, and most patients feel comfortable to go out in public.

Where is the procedure performed? Will I get general anesthesia?

All deep plane face and neck lifts are performed in a Quad A accredited surgical suite under twilight sedation with local anesthesia, and occasionally general anesthesia. Safety is the utmost importance to our patients, so we work closely with the board certified anesthesiologists who optimize each patient’s procedure.

What are common side effects and complications?

The most common side effects are bruising and swelling. These typically are resolved in 7-10 days. Rarer side effects include infections, bleeding, hematomas and nerve damage.

How much pain is expected following a facelift?

There should be relatively little, if any, pain associated with this surgery. Dr. Rabach carefully follows the anatomic planes of the face, repositioning it to provide a more youthful look. During the first night after surgery, patients will wear a firm dressing under the chin, along the cheek and neck. Some patients find this uncomfortable, but never painful. This dressing is designed to hold the skin and underlying tissues in place. No drains are placed. Sutures are removed after 7 days and most patients notice that their neck feels tight, but not restricted in any way.

How do you make a facelift look natural, and not “tight?”

It is best to seek out a board certified facial plastic surgeon who is intimately aware of the anatomical layers of the facial tissues. The deepest layer of the face contains the muscles that give your face expression and allow you to speak, eat and drink. Above this, a thinner muscle, called the platysma, starts on the collar bones and travels up the neck, and then over the face. Above the platysma is SMAS fascia. In a deep place facelift, the plastysma layer, instead of the more superficial fascial layer (the SMAS) is pulled up. Thereby the tension is on muscle, which is more sturdy, natural and long-lasting.

Where are the incisions for a facelift, and will they be visible?

Incisions for the facelift are dependent on the patient’s anatomy. Most incisions are located in a hidden crease just in front of the ear curve around the earlobe and then along the back of the ear straight to the hairline. This scar is almost completely hidden since Dr. Rabach performs a deep plane face and neck lift, thereby the tension is on the muscular layer, not the skin, as is in a SMAS lift.

Do facelift techniques differ between men and women?

There are major differences between female and male facelifts, based on the varied anatomical structure. Lifting the deeper tissue of a man’s face should be performed in a more vertical fashion, since a man’s face is typically squarer in appearance. A female’s facial shape is generally more oval and almond shaped, and a woman’s skin is much thinner than a man’s skin, which makes bleeding, bruising and swelling much less.

If you are ready to explore cosmetic surgery to restore a more youthful facial appearance, contact us at LM Medical NYC. We can schedule a consultation with expert facial surgeon Dr. Lesley to discuss facelift surgery and other anti-aging treatments at our clinic in Manhattan.