Deep Plane Facelift

Absolutely! A well-performed facelift can make you look 10-15+ years younger, without tell-tale signs of surgery, but it depends on your anatomy and the goals you discuss with Dr. Cohen and our team. We’ll walk you through each step of the process, including the recovery period, to ensure you receive the results you’re looking for once you’re fully healed.

A facelift is a perfect procedure for tightening loose skin that may be causing jowls or a double chin. By removing excess skin and tightening and repositioning the underlying tissue, Dr. Cohen provides you with a smoother and firmer facial appearance without obvious signs that you’ve had surgery.

To prepare for a facelift, there are several steps we require you to follow. You’ll need to stop all nicotine products at least 4 weeks in advance, avoid blood thinners, including alcohol, and stick to a healthy diet. The night before your surgery, you’ll also need to avoid eating anything after a certain time. As you will be under IV sedation anesthesia (usually NOT general) for your facelift surgery, you should also arrange for someone to drive you home after surgery and to accompany you for at least the first 24 hours.

To ensure you have everything you need to recover and heal properly, we’ll provide you with a set of guidelines to follow, and this will include ways to reduce swelling. You’ll want to apply cold compresses as instructed, prop your head up with pillows when lying down, drink plenty of water, and rest as much as possible. Taking our recommended supplement kit as instructed will also help speed your recovery process.

The best option to tighten your jawline depends on how loose it is to begin with. For minor improvements you can try topical neck firming creams that focus on improving crepey skin. For slightly more laxity, the next option would be minimally invasive treatments, such as CO2 laser, radiofrequency microneedling, ultrasound or heat-based devices, and suture suspension techniques. These treatments can vary in effectiveness and may have mild to moderate downtime to allow for healing. However, the improvements are generally subtle at best. For more significant tightening along the jawline, neck, or jowls, your best option is surgery. Dr. Cohen’s signature Deep Plane Facelift is designed to target these exact areas, but your ideal surgical procedure is based off your goals and individual anatomy. This would be fully reviewed during your consultation with Dr. Cohen.

There are several ways to reduce swelling after a facelift. With regards to physical activity, it’s best to take it easy for the first couple of days to decrease risk of bleeding and subsequent swelling. Avoiding exercise for a couple of weeks can also help significantly. Avoiding high sodium foods will reduce your body’s tendency to retain water, and thereby limit swelling as well. Additionally, there are various supplements that have been shown to reduce bruising, swelling, and overall downtime. These include vitamin C, bromelain, and arnica (both by mouth and topically). Treatment wise, there are several options available to help prevent or treat swelling; the most simple is ice, which should be done as instructed for several days after surgery. Hyperbaric oxygen is available both before and after surgery and has been shown to reduce healing time after a facelift. Other adjunctive treatments such as lymphatic massage or LED light therapy can be considered to help speed healing as well.

It’s very simple to take care of your face after a facelift. That said, recommendations can vary so be sure to check with your surgeon for specific details. Here at the Cohen Clinic for Plastic Surgery we recommend a few basic steps to ensure optimal healing. To take care of your incisions, all you have to do is apply bacitracin or Aquaphor a few times per day for a couple weeks. After that, topical scar gel and sunscreen are all thats necessary. Cleaning your face with a sensitive skin cleanser can start a couple days after surgery, and occasional ice can limit swelling. Other than that, we simply encourage patience and a positive attitude.

Its best to take it easy for the first 48 hours after surgery. By one week you should be back to normal daily activities but we recommend holding off on exercise for at least 2 weeks. At this point light cardio and standing light weights are fine. Advance slowly as your body allows, but avoid core work or any neck twisting motions for at least 6 weeks.

Pain after a facelift varies greatly from person to person. Most patients describe it as more uncomfortable rather than painful, but some amount of discomfort can be expected. Since the majority of your face becomes temporarily numb right after surgery its common to notice a feeling of tightness or pain just around the ears. This usually only lasts a few days and typically improves gradually as the healing process takes place. Rarely, discomfort may extend for a longer period of time but generally responds to medication.

Initial recovery after a facelift can vary from 1 to 3 weeks, with most patients feeling “restaurant ready” by 2 weeks. Most patients are comfortable on their own after one or two days and continue to improve from there. Your particular time period can vary based on the type of facelift performed or any additional procedures done at the same time, such as a brow lift, lip lift, or CO2 laser resurfacing. Overall social downtime is generally 3-6 weeks, and we recommend giving yourself several months before major events such as a wedding.

Cost of cosmetic surgery varies greatly based on factors such as location, surgeon experience, and case complexity. As a result, a midface lift could be done for as low as $5,000 in some cases, or as high as $50,000, or more. Regardless, it’s important to find a surgeon and team where you feel a connection, so at whatever the price you recognize and appreciate the value.

To ensure the best possible results from a facelift, appropriate expectations are crucial. Patients often come into the office stating they no longer look on the outside how they feel internally. Following this procedure at the Cohen Clinic, you should expect to feel rejuvenated and refreshed - able to radiate the energy you feel on the inside, but naturally and without the tell-tale signs of traditional surgery. However, your desired outcome will require time, patience, and understanding that healing is a process. We are here to guide you through.

The medical term for a facelift is rhytidectomy, which literally means “removal of wrinkles.” However, over the years, there have been many marketing terms developed such as the S-lift, SMAS lift, J-lift, “mini” facelift, “lunchtime” lift, “lower” facelift, etc. At the Cohen Clinic for Plastic Surgery, we prefer to focus less on marketing and more on results. Therefore, Dr. Cohen refers to his procedure simply as a “lift”, and performs an extended deep plane facelift and necklift to comprehensively address the fallen tissues of the midface, lower face/jawline, and neck all together. This ensures a beautiful and natural result that you still recognize as you.

Cost of cosmetic surgery varies greatly based on factors such as location, surgeon experience, and case complexity. For facelifts, specifically, more advanced techniques like a deep plane facelift, tend to command higher prices. As a result, a facelift could be done for as low as $10,000 in some cases, or as high as $100,000, or more. Regardless, it’s important to find a surgeon and team where you feel a connection, so at whatever the price you recognize and appreciate the value.

If excess skin is causing a double chin, tightening and removing that loose skin with a facelift and necklift can give you the more defined, younger-looking profile you want. Occasionally, an isolated procedure to sculpt beneath the chin may be all that’s required. Dr. Cohen will be able to provide a detailed treatment plan when you come in for your consultation.