While there are many noninvasive techniques to help rejuvenate the face, none are as comprehensive and provide as dramatic results as the facelift. Facelifts, today more than ever, yield natural looking results that work more than just skin deep. Dr. Daniel Brown, with three southern California locations based in La Jolla, Coronado, and Del Mar keeps up with the latest facelift techniques and technology in order to provide premium results to his patients looking for a striking reveal.

Learn more about the latest facelift techniques and then contact Dr. Brown at one of his San Diego locations today to schedule a consultation and find out what distinguishes him from the rest in his field.

About Facelifts

A facelift is a cosmetic procedure that tightens the skin and repositions soft tissue and facial muscles to a more youthful position, producing a refreshed, rejuvenated appearance. Smoothing of the skin on the face and neck without over-tightening, correcting jowling and neck bands, restoration of the angular relationship of the jaw and neck, and possible addition of other rejuvenation procedures like injectable fillers can be combined to optimize your results and appearance.

Benefits of a Facelift

Dr. Brown’s Preferred Facelift Technique

When Dr. Brown performs a facelift, he does not only correct issues of skin laxity, but goes further to address muscles that have started to droop and affect the overall foundation of the face. Dr. Brown performs an SMAS facelift, which addresses the subcutaneous musculoaponeurotic system, or the connecting tissue and muscles of the face.

Using sutures, he will lift and reposition the tissue and muscles in order to attain natural looking, long-lasting results. He will also redrape the skin over the muscles for a look that doesn’t appear too strained or overly taut.

As a board certified plastic surgeon, Dr. Brown knows that no two faces are alike and works with the patient to create a custom procedural plan that fits with their unique anatomy and delivers exceptionally natural looking results. He also utilizes discreet incisions around the hairline or along the ears, which means that the resulting scars are easily hidden and will continue to fade over time.

Other Types of Facelifts

There are different variations of facelifts that vary depending on the individual patient’s areas of concern and aesthetic goals. Dr. Brown can employs a combination of the following techniques in order to achieve the patient’s desired results.

Lower Facelift

A lower facelift aims to correct signs of aging around the mouth and jowls. It can target deep folds and lines, such as nasolabial folds and marionette lines. It also helps lift the corners of the mouth for a less stern appearance. In some cases, liposuction may be used to remove fat deposits in the neck and jowls and help improve definition in the jawline. The incisions are made around the ears and hairline and then sutured to remove excess or drooping skin.

Mid Facelift

A mid facelift addresses signs of aging around the eyes, nose, cheeks, and corners of the mouth. Incisions are usually made around the hairline, although in some cases incisions may also be made by the lash lines, such as in blepharoplasty. In fact, blepharoplasty, or eyelid surgery, is frequently combined with facelift procedures to offer the most comprehensive results. In this procedure, the muscles are raised and excess skin is removed to lift the midfacial region.

Brow Lift

A brow lift, also sometimes called a forehead lift, addresses signs of aging in the forehead and lifts the eyebrows to a more attractive position. This can be performed using incisions along the upper hairline or, for patients with less severe signs of aging, using an endoscope. This procedure helps smooth wrinkles in the forehead and lift the eyebrows, making the patient look more alert and awake. Like a mid facelift, this procedure is also often combined with eyelid surgery to enhance the results.

Good Facelift Candidates

Additional Procedures

While a facelift can correct many signs of aging in the face, it is not designed to correct all issues – including loss of volume in the face or uneven skin tone. A facelift can be combined with other facial procedures in order to provide the patient with enhanced results.

Eyelid Lift

An eyelid lift is one of the procedures most commonly combined with a facelift. Also known as blepharoplasty, the procedure can be performed on the upper and lower eyelids in order to correct issues including drooping eyelids, excess skin that may interfere with vision, and bags underneath the eyes. These issues can make the patient look tired and older. Blepharoplasty can not only help correct patient’s vision, but also make the eyes look more vibrant and alert.

Fat Transfer

Since a facelift does not help with a loss or lack of volume in the face, a fat transfer can be performed to address this issue. A facial fat transfer first uses liposuction to harvest fat from the body where the patient has excess deposits, including the neck, arms, abdomen, flanks, back, or thighs, and then injects that fat into the face where it appears hollow or sunken. In a facial fat transfer, fat is commonly reintroduced into the cheeks, chin, or lips to restore volume and smooth out fine lines and wrinkles.

Dermal Fillers

Dermal fillers are non surgical injectables effective at treating static facial lines, such as nasolabial folds, marionette lines, and vertical lip lines. Dermal fillers can also be used to provide patients with temporary volume in their cheeks, chin, and lips.

The Facelift Process

A facelift is typically performed under general anesthesia and on an outpatient basis. We ask that prior to surgery, patients make arrangements for an adult to drive them home from surgery and spend the first night with them at home for recovery support.

After the patient has been anesthetized, Dr. Brown will make the proper incisions around the hairline to perform the predetermined technique. Through these incisions, he will lift muscles, reposition tissue, and, in some cases, redistribute fat around the face according to the patient’s unique anatomy.

Once Dr. Brown has achieved the desired result, he will redrape the skin, trimming away extra if necessary. Finally, he will close the incisions with sutures. Patients will be taken into a recovery room, where they will be well taken care of by our helpful and caring staff.

Recovery

In order to reduce swelling, patients are advised to sleep and sit with their head elevated and engage in easy exercise, such as walking around the house. They will be properly educated on how to change their bandages and care for the incisions.

All patients are required to come in for a follow-up appointment. In some cases, Dr. Brown will remove the patient’s sutures at this time. But, other patients will have dissolvable sutures that will disappear on their own. Nonetheless, Dr. Brown and his dedicated staff like to take the time to examine each patient individually and ensure that they are healing properly.

Patients can begin to see the final outcome of their surgery within three weeks to a month, but the face will continue to settle into its final appearance over the course of a few months. Youthful, rejuvenated results generally last 10 to 15 years.

Consultation