Facelift

When you want to take years off your look and get an overall more youthful look, a facelift is an excellent option. At the offices of Stephen M. Chen, MD, in Midlothian and Richmond, Virginia, the aesthetic plastic surgeon provides customized facelifts that lift sagging skin, refine droopy jowls, and smooth deep lines and creases in your skin. Call today or schedule an appointment online to find out how a facelift can help enhance your features.

What is a facelift?

A facelift is an outpatient surgical procedure that removes and tightens sagging skin to reduce skin laxity, jowling, and facial creases. During a facelift, Dr. Chen makes small incisions along your hairline and around the lower part of your ear to access the deeper layers of your skin. He redrapes the skin around your features and removes any excess, so you look refined. 

A facelift procedure takes two to four hours and can be combined with a brow lift or eyelid lift to further brighten your appearance. You can go home once the anesthesia wears off.

What aging concerns can a facelift address?

The effects of time, the environment, genetics, and lifestyle appear on your face over time. A facelift can help with:

• Lost skin elasticity
• Sagging cheeks
• Jowls
• Deep folds around the nose and mouth
• Turkey waddle at the neck

Many of these aesthetic concerns originate in the deep underlying facial tissues that can only be reached through surgery. A facelift may be able to take 10 years off your look to restore a more refreshed, youthful appearance. 

What are the different types of facelifts?

Dr. Chen doesn’t only focus on surgical facelifts. He also provides customized procedures to address your specific aesthetic concerns and goals. You might be interested in a nonsurgical facelift with injectables. Or, you may want to have a surgical procedure for dramatic effects. 

If you choose a surgical facelift, he might combine a brow lift or eyelid surgery for optimal results. 

How long does it take to recover from a facelift?

Your initial recovery takes about 10 days. In the first days after surgery, your face feels sore and tight. Prescription and over-the-counter pain relievers can help you manage post-op pain. 

Expect some bruising and swelling, but these subside after a week or two. Most patients feel comfortable returning to work or daily activities about two weeks after a facelift. You’ll gradually resume most activities over the course of six weeks. 

All swelling and signs of surgery resolve in about six months, when you reveal a beautiful, youthful face. 

To set up your facelift consultation, call one of the offices of Stephen M. Chen, MD, or schedule an appointment online today.