Facelifts Are Back and Bigger Than Ever in Hollywood
At RefinedMD, we’ve noticed a powerful aesthetic trend sweeping through Beverly Hills, beauty blogs, and Instagram feeds alike: the full surgical face...
Our faces display the majority of our emotions—and also show the first signs of aging. Sagging cheeks, smile lines, jowls, and wrinkled skin can make us look older than we feel. Double board-certified facial plastic surgeon Dr. Sudeep Roy specializes in facelift surgery at RefinedMD in Los Gatos. People from Campbell, Saratoga, Cupertino, and throughout the Bay Area trust him to turn back the clock, helping them look younger, natural, and still like themselves.
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Should I Get a Mini Facelift or Traditional Full Facelift?
Facelift surgery can instantly make you look younger, healthier, and happier while skyrocketing your self-confidence. A traditional facelift provides the following benefits:
- Raises sagging cheeks and jowls.
- Corrects skin laxity in the face and neck.
- Defines the jawline and neck contour.
A mini facelift is less invasive than a traditional or full facelift, so it’s best for patients with less advanced aging of the lower face and neck.
When excess skin is expertly removed and scarring is nearly invisible, you can reclaim your youth and self-esteem with a single procedure. With Dr. Roy’s expertise, you’ll enjoy long-lasting results that look completely natural. He will help you determine which technique is right for you during your consultation with at RefinedMD in Los Gatos.
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Facelift Surgery
Mini Facelift
Also known as a limited-incision lower facelift, the mini facelift is designed for younger patients in their late 30s through early 50s to address aging changes in the lower face. Say “No!” to unwelcome jowls and lax neck skin. Offering many of the benefits of a traditional lower facelift but with shorter incisions, faster healing, and less downtime, a mini facelift is a great solution to bring you back to the you you recognize.
Using the safest, most advanced techniques, Dr. Roy can restore your youthfulness in just a few hours under local anesthesia. Patients can return to social activities in a little over a week and physical activity soon after that. Incisions are so fine and well-hidden that patients can wear a ponytail or rock a shaved head with confidence.
Mini Facelift Before/After Photos, Real Patient Results*
Lower Facelift
The traditional lower facelift is better suited for patients with heavier necks or who are experiencing significant muscular banding or cording in the neck. The major difference between this procedure and a mini-lift is the addition of a small incision beneath the chin to allow for direct neck contouring of fat and muscle. While a mini-facelift also helps lift the neck, a lower facelift provides more dramatic results in this area, thanks to the access point.
As a lower facelift is a little more involved, Dr. Roy likes to perform lower facelifts under IV sedation (aka twilight sedation), but there’s still no general anesthesia. Even though there is an additional incision with a lower facelift, the incisions are similarly well-hidden to ensure they’re virtually invisible after the recovery period.
Lower Facelift Before/After Photos, Real Patient Results*
Ideal Candidates for a Facelift
Women and men of all ages, including young adults, may be good candidates for a facelift or mini facelift. Since every person is one of a kind, we all age differently. We’ve had different lifestyles, degrees of sun damage that can cause lax skin, and of course, unique genetics. These factors all play a role in determining how quickly our skin ages and how loose it can become. If you notice yourself regularly editing your photos to remove facial or neck wrinkles, lifting your chin to get rid of a double-chin or the dreaded “turkey neck,” or simply think you look older than you should, a facelift and/or neck lift might be the answer for you.
Neck Lift and J-Plasma Renuvion
Neck Lift
A neck lift is part of both types of facelifts. However, in some cases patients opt for a neck lift as a standalone procedure. These instances are rare, as it is unlikely that the neck requires lifting and contouring while the face does not. Still, since every person is different, it is possible that a neck lift alone might be right for you.
A neck lift as a standalone procedure works much like a facelift, removing excess fat and, when needed, skin, to help you look your best. It’s a procedure that can be performed under local anesthesia with mild oral sedation. Liposuction is often required with a neck lift, and this is done before muscles are tightened. Sometimes skin simply needs to be “re-draped” to achieve the ideal results, while other times skin may need to be tightened with radiofrequency heat or removed. A special, compression neck dressing is worn for one to three days, and stitches are removed one week after surgery. The recovery period for a neck lift is similar to that of a facelift.
Neck Lift Before/After Photos, Real Patient Results*
Renuvion J-Plasma Neck Lift
Are your facelift and neck lift providing optimal results? Not if it doesn’t include Renuvion®, formerly called J-Plasma. A traditional facelift encompasses a tightening and lifting of the lower face and neck, with some patients preferring solely a neck lift. Take your results to the next level with the Renuvion J-Plasma neck lift, which guarantees the results you want when you want them. Loose, sagging skin on and around the neck can now be treated with a minimally invasive procedure that uses a single incision and has a much shorter downtime than a traditional neck lift or facelift.
Facelift Recovery: What To Expect
Both the mini-lift and lower facelift are outpatient procedures, so you’ll go home the same day with minimal, temporary face and neck dressings. Afraid of surgical drains? Don’t worry! Dr. Roy’s use of the most advanced techniques and technologies means no drains are needed for either the mini-lift or the lower facelift.
Recovery Timeline
While experiences vary, patients generally recover along the following timeline:
- Day of surgery: Return home in the care of an adult friend or family member.
- 7 days: Sutures removed. Noticeable improvement.
- 7 to 10 days: Most patients feel comfortable returning to their normal daily activities. At this point, most bruising and swelling will have subsided.
- 2 weeks: Resume low-impact activities.
- 3 weeks: Return to hardcore fitness regimens.
- 6 to 12 weeks: Full results are reached.
Before/After Photos
See Dr. Sudeep Roy’s before/after photos of popular surgeries including facelift, mini facelift, neck lift, and more.
Complement Your Facelift
Complementary procedures can be surgical and non-surgical, and both can maximize the results of a facelift or mini-lift. However, the exact best procedures for you will depend on your skin and goals. One of the most common complementary procedures for a facelift or mini-lift is a neck lift. Dr. Roy will often recommend additional procedures such as skin tightening or chin augmentation to help maximize neck contours. Your journey to a more youthful you begins here with the experts at RefinedMD.
Eyelid Surgery: Many patients benefit from an eyelid surgery along with a facelift. This can include upper eyelid surgery, lower eyelid surgery, or both. Also known as blepharoplasty, eyelid lifts specifically target the very first part of the face to show aging: your eyes. They’re the windows to the soul, so you want to keep them fresh and youthful.
Brow Lift: A brow lift can also greatly help, and in some instances patients interested in an upper eyelid lift are actually better candidates for a brow lift. There are two primary types of brow lifts: a full brow lift and a lateral brow lift. Browlifts correct heavy, sagging brows while also helping to open the eyes.
Facial Fat Transfer Surgery: Fat transfers are very common complements to a facelift. If you would like to restore lost volume to the face, most often in the cheek area, a fat transfer offers you an organic solution. It’s your own fat, which means it’s permanent and there is no need for fillers.
Define Your Jawline: Chin augmentation can also be a fantastic addition to a facelift. This procedure can help better define your jaw and profile and contour your face to achieve better symmetry. Some people are simply born with “weaker,” less defined chins. A facelift can greatly improve this issue when the neck is lifted and re-draped, but a chin augmentation changes more of the underlying structure for optimal definition.
Facelift / Neck Lift Surgery FAQs
Where are the incisions for a facelift and will there be visible scars?
The incisions are designed to be hidden around the ear and the hairline and, with certain lifts, under the chin. Anytime an incision is made there will technically be a scar, but Dr. Roy prides himself in meticulous incision placement and suturing techniques which are virtually undetectable when healed. Dr. Roy’s approach allows patients to wear their hair in any style (including up in a pony-tail) without the incisions being visible.
How does Dr. Roy perform facelift surgery?
Dr. Roy utilizes an incision of variable length in front of and behind the ear that is designed to hide in natural creases and around the hairline. The deeper facial layer of the face (better known as the SMAS layer) is elevated, trimmed and tightened. This is the layer that is predominantly responsible for facial sagging. Once the SMAS has been addressed, excess skin is removed in just enough quantity to allow the edges to lie together without any tension on the skin. This allows for inconspicuous post-operative scars and very natural results.
How much time off work will I need after facelift surgery?
Most patients are able to work at least a partial day (assuming a non-physical job) after 2 to 3 days although, experiences vary. If discretion is sought, then a recovery period of 7 to 10 days is more appropriate.
What is recovery like after facelift surgery?
After a lower facelift, sutures generally remain in place for 6-7 days. With limited incision procedures, such as the minilift, bruising has usually resolved by this time. For more involved procedures involving direct neck interventions, such as with the full lower facelift, bruising may persist for up to 10 days. Most patients are able to resume their social activities (“social recovery”) in 7-10 days, although improvement in incision appearance and swelling will continue to improve beyond this time frame. Low impact activities can typically be resumed after 2 weeks, while more high impact activities (running, jumping etc) is permitted after 3 weeks.
What kind of anesthesia is used for facelift and neck lift surgery?
Minilift (i.e. limited-incision lower facelift) or neck lift procedures are generally performed under local anesthesia and minimal oral sedation. ProNox Nitrous Oxide (“laughing gas”) is also available upon request. More involved procedures, such as a full lower facelift, are performed at a private surgical center under IV sedation. General anesthesia is generally not required.
What is the difference between a neck lift and facelift?
This is one of the most common questions patients have when considering facial plastic surgery for aging changes in their face and neck. Generally, a facelift (or lower facelift) describes a procedure that addresses the lower face, including but not limited to the neck, jowls and jawline. A neck lift is a focused procedure addressing the neck only. Often times, a lower facelift includes a neck lift, but not vice versa.
Will there be any visible scarring after neck lift?
Whenever incisions are made to address the neck and face, there will be scars. This does not mean, however, that these scars will be obvious or visible. Dr. Roy utilizes advanced techniques during his facelift and neck lift procedures to minimize the risk of visible scars. For a neck lift, a small, 2cm incision is made under the chin in a natural crease along with two small stab incisions under each earlobe. Stitches are removed after 1 week. Dr. Roy provides patients with advanced wound healing and scar improvement gels to ensure the best possible outcomes.
What is the difference between submentoplasty and neck lift?
This is a common question and one that is somewhat difficult to explain. Generally, a submentoplasty (which literally means plastic surgery under the chin) involves contouring of the soft tissues and muscles of the neck under the chin or in the central neck region. This results in a “neck lift”. Traditional neck lifts would also include excision of skin from behind the ears, but this is increasingly being replaced by skin tightening technologies like Renuvion J-Plasma or treatments that address both lower face and neck, such as a lower facelift. In your consultation, Dr. Roy will address which approach is ideal for your specific needs.
Is Renuvion the same as J-Plasma, and why would it be added on to my neck lift?
Yes, Renuvion is the new name for the original J-Plasma treatment, although the technology has evolved considerably since J-Plasma was first introduced to the market. Renuvion is a state-of-the-art skin tightening technology that utilizes cool Helium Plasma to safely and efficiently deliver Radiofrequency energy under the skin for maximal tissue contraction and skin tightening. Its unique heating mechanism allows for speedy delivery of energy to the undersurface of the skin without overheating the outside or surface of the skin, preventing unwanted burns, blisters and scarring. Renuvion is often paired with neck lift procedures in patients who exhibit mild or moderate skin laxity in the neck in addition to a double chin or excess fat in the neck.
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Discover the Dr. Roy and RefinedMD Difference
Dr. Sudeep Roy is a double board-certified, fellowship-trained facial plastic surgeon who is 100% dedicated to surgical treatments of the face and neck. His immaculate credentials and glowing reviews for his surgical skills, natural results and exceptional bedside manner are proof of the five-star experiences he provides his patients. The goal of RefinedMD is to offer patients all of the best treatments and procedures for lifelong gorgeous, glowing, healthy skin. This means both surgical and non-surgical aesthetic treatments are available, and we will always work with you to customize a plan to suit your goals. Find out more about facelift and neck lift surgery today. Call RefinedMD, at (408) 831-3921 and schedule your consultation today.