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Facelift

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Bothered by jowling or sagging skin on your face & neck? A facelift can take 10 years off your appearance, tightening and elevating facial tissues to a more naturally youthful position.

INITIAL RECOVERY TIME: 10 DAYS

FINAL RESULTS: 6 MONTHS

Your Facelift Surgery in Richmond

Signs of aging on the face are typically the first to appear—and the most difficult to hide. As skin loses elasticity, we may notice sagging cheeks, jowls, deep folds around the nose and mouth, and the dreaded “turkey waddle” on the neck. While nothing can stop the natural aging process, a facelift can help you reset the clock, lifting facial tissues and eliminating excess, sagging skin to restore a more refreshed, youthful appearance to your face and neck.

Why consider a facelift?

The aging process is progressive and affects everyone a bit differently. While early signs of aging, such as fine lines and wrinkles can usually be treated non-surgically with skin care and injectables, more extensive issues, such as loose, sagging skin, and deep creases are best treated with facelift surgery, which addresses facial aging on two levels:

  • Underlying facial tissues, which have drooped lower over time, are lifted and placed back into a more youthful position, helping to reverse the effects of gravity and providing more naturally youthful facial contours.
  • Excess skin is removed to eliminate jowling, and remaining skin lies smoothly and naturally on top of the lifted facial tissues

When performed by an experienced, skilled plastic surgeon, facelift results look remarkably natural and last for many years. A smoother, more youthful facial profile offers many benefits:

  • With a smoother, more graceful neckline, you’ll no longer have to get “creative” with scarves and turtlenecks
  • Smoother, more youthful facial contours can help you look healthier and more alert
  • Restoring a youthful facial appearance that more accurately reflects your vibrancy can be a real confidence booster

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Before & After Patient Gallery

SEE FACELIFT RESULTS

Why choose Dr. Chen as your facelift surgeon?

Natural results with facelift surgery require experience, advanced training and skill, and an artistic approach. Board certified plastic surgeon Dr. Stephen Chen takes the time to get to know you and understand your goals, and he tailors his surgical plan to create naturally appealing improvements that refresh your appearance, not change it.

Known for his warm, caring approach, Dr. Chen and his team strive to make each patient feel listened to and cared for from start to finish.

I am so happy I worked with Dr. Chen. He is a very skilled and knowledgeable surgeon. He had a vision of what my end result would look like and explained it to me very clearly. Nothing was rushed, every question was answered. He was also honest about the recovery. Everything was awesome! I could not recommend Dr. Chen more highly.

-Actual Patient of Dr. Chen

What does facelift surgery involve?

Dr. Chen performs facelift surgery as an outpatient procedure, using general anesthesia provided by a board certified physician anesthesiologist. He begins by make small incisions along the hairline and around the lower ear, placing them in the natural contours of your skin. Depending on your procedure plan, he may also make a small incision beneath the chin.

After separating the skin from the underlying tissue layers, Dr. Chen then lifts and repositions these deeper layers to provide a sort of “scaffolding” for the skin. He then drapes the skin naturally over the lifted facial tissues, removing the correct amount of excess skin to eliminate jowling and restore a smoother, yet natural skin appearance.

Surgery typically takes between 2 to 4 hours, perhaps longer if you are combining a facelift with other procedures such as an eyelid lift or brow lift. Following surgery, a bandage will be placed around your head and neck. After spending an hour or so in our recovery room, you will be allowed to go home to continue your recovery.

What is facelift recovery like?

Patients who follow post-op instructions closely typically enjoy a smooth recovery after facelift surgery. Initially, your face will feel sore and very tight; we’ll prescribe pain medications to manage discomfort and help you sleep more comfortably. Bruising and swelling are to be expected; these will subside significantly after the first week or so—most patients feel confident going out in public by two weeks or so after their procedures.

It’s important to take it easy and not do too much too soon. Light daily activities, such as walking, showering, and working at a computer or desk job are typically okay within the first week. Lifting, straining and vigorous exercise are off-limits for a minimum of two weeks after a facelift. Dr. Chen will provide detailed instructions during your consultation.

How long will facelift results last?

A facelift can help you look years younger, and with good skin care and health habits, you results will look great for many years. Nothing can “freeze” the aging process, but your facelift results will age naturally along with you, so you continue to look several years younger than your actual age as time goes by.

Ready to learn more about your facelift options? Contact us for a complimentary consultation with Dr. Chen.