When time and gravity change your appearance (especially in the face and neck areas), you may begin looking for ways to restore the youthful appearance of your skin. Dr. Karen Leong approaches your facial rejuvenation with artistry and skill that produces extraordinary results.
Regardless of your age, you have options with plastic surgery and nonsurgical treatments with Dr. Karen Leong. If you are considering having a facelift, then you should have a consultation at our Newport Beach facility to learn about your options in natural lifting surgeries to tighten and smooth your face and neck and nonsurgical skin resurfacing to erase wrinkles.
Discover Dr. Leong’s plastic surgery videos to learn more about facial plastic surgery.
Men and women have similar trouble areas when it comes to the face. Skin laxity happens to everyone (especially in the brow, mid-face, and neck); this can begin as early as age 40. When you start to notice your skin making you look older and worn out, when you hate your jowls or wish your neck were tighter, come for a consultation to jumpstart the discussion.
Be prepared to have several options offered to you at your consultation appointment. You may walk into our office thinking you need a full facelift. Even with a facelift, your skin will continue to age. We hope you find it comforting to have a plastic surgeon on your side who wants to help you look your best at every age. Dr. Leong can suggest short-term and long-term solutions for your aging skin by combining surgical restorations and nonsurgical maintenance treatments for longer-lasting results you will love.
What is a Facelift?
A facelift removes wrinkles and lines from the face by tightening the underlying muscle and restoring your anatomy for a tighter, smoother, and more youthful appearance.
Dr. Leong commonly performs the superficial musculoaponeurotic system or SMAS (with or without an internal thread lift) facelift that particularly addresses the jowls and jawline. She can also include a fat transfer if you have volume loss, liposuction to areas with unwanted pockets of fat cells, and an earlobe reduction or repair for lobes that hang or are damaged by piercings or trauma.
Each facelift type concentrates on distinct sections of the face to tighten loose skin features to create a more taut yet softer appearance. Depending on your concerns and goals for surgery, a facelift can focus on the lines and wrinkles near the eyes, the cheeks, and mid-face, the bottom two-thirds including the jowls, mouth, neck, and more for an all-encompassing youthful look. Your recommended facelift technique will depend on your goals, the condition of your skin, the amount of laxity present, your lifestyle, age, and facial structure. Older men and women usually have enough skin and muscle laxity for a full facelift, while others may only be ready for a mini lift.
Dr. Leong is a highly trained and experienced surgeon who has an understanding of the complexity and the delicate anatomy of your face. The overall goal is to create a natural look that’s gorgeous yet subtle.
What Are The Different Kinds of Facelifts?
Some of the more common facelift options include:
Full Facelift
Considered the gold standard, the full facelift most often makes an incision hidden around the ear that may extend to the temple and into the hairline behind the ear. The underlying facial tissues and muscles are carefully pulled and safely tightened to produce a lifted outcome, which reduces excessive loose skin and droopy features. This facelift is reserved for individuals who have visible signs of advanced aging. With this lift, various methods may be combined, including blepharoplasty to enhance the eyes or a neck lift for the lower region.
Mid-Facelift
With a similar approach to the mini lift, the surgery known as a mid-facelift focuses on the hollow and lax areas close to the cheekbones and the upper jaw. This lift works well for those who hope to attain improvement in the lower two-thirds of the face, which also improves the look of the jowls. An internal thread lift may also be appropriate with a mid-facelift.
Lower Facelift
This lift addresses the chin area and neck, and in many cases, the jowls. Nonsurgical methods, such as a Kybella injection or an internal thread lift, can also be used to attain a younger, tighter-looking neck.
Mini Facelift
During a mini facelift, a thin, small incision is made around the ears to lift the skin and muscle to a higher position, which enhances the mouth, jawline, and jowls. This process creates subtle improvements that look natural.
What is a Facelift Procedure Like?
The majority of Dr. Leong’s facelift surgeries are performed with IV sedation at an accredited surgical facility. The duration of the treatment depends on the invasive nature of the procedure and if other surgeries are combined.
What Is the Recovery After Facelift Like?
Dr. Leong and our team will explain how to best care for your rejuvenated skin after surgery. You may have questions about how to care for your incision, how to manage pain, and how to keep your skin clean during the healing process. We will have a lengthy discussion about how to get the most out of your treatment and will provide follow-up appointments to check on your progress. We are in this together. Dr. Leong’s facelift procedures include postoperative scar management with light therapies, topical scar treatments, and lasers as needed to give you the best outcome. She will also build a maintenance plan for you to keep your skin in its best condition.
After surgery, there will be bruising and swelling, some moderate soreness, and discomfort, which can be helped with a prescription or over-the-counter pain medications. Be encouraged; most of Dr. Leong’s patients do not require any pain medications stronger than Tylenol! Many patients look and feel normal after two weeks. You can look forward to seeing a glowing complexion with fewer lines and sagging. All in all, your face will be lifted and younger-looking.
Am I a Good Candidate for a Facelift?
Men and women who are suitable for a facelift will have drooping skin, lines, and wrinkles on the face whether it be on the entire face or on the upper, mid, or lower face. Facelift surgery can address one or more areas depending on your unique goals and desired outcome.
It is important to understand that age does not necessarily define the time in life to have a facelift. There are so many aspects and factors, and also numerous lift techniques depending on the cosmetic concerns. The lifting technique chosen will vary as the condition of the skin is one of the most important elements in the planning process. If you are thinking of having a facelift, then you should be in good physical health, refrain from smoking, and also have realistic expectations.
Combine Facelift With Renuvion®
To improve the results of your facelift, Dr. Leong offers Renuvion®, a skin-tightening procedure that works under the skin to contract collagen fibers and provide immediate results. Renuvion® reduces loose skin and makes the treated area look more defined and contoured. Renuvion® uses a proprietary combination of radiofrequency and cold helium plasma to safely heat and contract the tissue.
The cost of your facelift will vary based on the technique used. While the average cost of treatment starts at $10,000, your custom treatment plan is established in consultation with Dr. Leong, and then we can discuss cost estimates. To avoid results that look unnatural, it’s best to focus on finding an experienced surgeon, like Dr. Leong, instead of the cheapest price. Dr. Karen Leong can help you find low-interest financing that will make your surgery easier to afford.
The best technique for you will depend on your needs, goals, degree of skin laxity, which areas are being addressed, and more. To produce the results you want, Dr. Leong will go over the different techniques during your consultation. She will then help you decide which technique is best for you.
While there are many great nonsurgical skin tightening procedures, these can only produce mild improvements in skin firmness. If you have moderate to severe skin sagging, a surgical facelift is the best choice to improve your appearance. During your consultation, Dr. Leong will discuss your options, including nonsurgical treatments, to help you decide what is best for your goals. Dr. Leong loves practicing surgery in this day and age because she has so many options at her disposal to customize your treatment plan.
Injectable wrinkle fillers and relaxers, like Juvéderm® and BOTOX®, have become very popular to refresh the face. Sometimes known as a liquid facelift, injectable wrinkle treatments can usually help with early signs of aging, but the results are temporary. A facelift can produce more dramatic improvements than injectables with results that can last for a long time. Ask Dr. Leong about injectable treatments during your consultation.
Many patients worry that facelift surgery will make their skin look too tight, shiny, or like they live in a wind tunnel. Dr. Leong focuses on giving you a natural-looking result, so you look refreshed and not fake. She listens to your needs and goals before developing your personal treatment plan with the technique that will produce your best results.
Dr. Leong believes that rejuvenation is a lifelong process that requires dedication to realize your best self. Surgery may get you to your desired outcome the most dramatically, but building the foundation consists of small steps along the way, both surgically and nonsurgically. For more information, we invite you to get in touch with Dr. Leong in Newport Beach, CA, to set up your appointment.
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