Facelift FAQs with Dr. Craft

All scars on the skin are visible. But facelift scars are generally not noticeable unless examined closely. I have many patients who are photographed or filmed regularly with high definition equipment without the scars being detected. We also offer adjunct treatments such as laser, UV protectants, and topical scar gels to help minimize the appearance of scars.

Sadly, unless we ship you to the moon, the effects of gravity will continue to impact your appearance after a facelift. The good news is that a traditional facelift can be expected to last around 10 years and up to 15 years for a Deep Plane approach.

Facelift dentures is a non-surgical approach to improve the appearance of the lower face and jaw with a dental appliance. These are not offered by Plastic or Cosmetic Surgeons and are provided by Dentists who specialize in cosmetic dentistry. However, their effect is limited and does not offer the same degree of facial rejuvenation as a true surgical facelift.

A properly placed facelift incision follows the same general pattern in front of and behind the ear. However, modifications are often made for individual patients based on their hairline, pre-existing scars, or patient preferences. In women, incisions for a facelift are typically placed behind the ears, along the tragus in front of the ear, along the side burn, and in or along the hairline behind the ear. In men, incisions are typically placed behind the ear, in front of the ear at the beard line, around the sideburn and along the hairline behind the ear. In men it is very important to place the incisions such that skin with hair growth (beard) is not distorted or pulled onto the ear. Occasionally this is unavoidable to achieve the desired outcome, and the slight hair displacement is addressed with laser or electrolysis. In both men and women it is important not to put any tension on the ear lobe to avoid creating a pulled or distorted ear lobe, and not to distort the size and location of the sideburn, which can be giveaways that a patient has had a facelift.

Any incision made in the skin will result in a scar. Facelift incisions are made where we see the scars after - along the temporal hair tuft, both in front of and behind the ear, and along the hairline at the neck.

A “mini facelift” does not address the upper or mid face. It only addresses the lower face and sometimes the neck. Mini facelift scars are small incisions that are made in the hairline and behind the ears. These scars from a mini facelift are usually less noticeable than those from a traditional facelift, because they often don’t go in front of the ear or along the temporal hairline.

Any surgical procedure can have complications, and facelifts are no exception. Facelifts have a 1.8% complication rate, which is in line with the 2% complication rate associated with other cosmetic surgeries. The most common complication was hematoma (bleeding) at 1.1%. This complication can readily be treated with drainage once recognized. The second most common complication was infection (0.3%) which often resolves with oral antibiotics. The most worrisome complication after a facelift is injury to the nerves, which may impact feeling or movement of the face. A review of 7,068 facelift procedures found the incidence of facial nerve injury to be 0.7%, with the incidence of permanent injury being 0.1%.

Facelifts can cause temporary hair loss at the site of the incisions. However it is not common - studies suggest it happens in less than 9% of all cases and virtually all cases resolve in 6 months to a year. When reading about this online, the term used to describe this phenomenon is telogen effluvium - which means hair shedding or loss from localized inflammation in the scalp.

There is no evidence that facelifts cause cancer. However, some studies have shown that a facelift reduces the risk of developing basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). This reduction can be more impactful when a resurfacing procedure, such as a croton oil peel, is added to the procedure.

Yes, but the complication is rare with a reported incidence of nerve injury of 0.7% and incidence of permanent injury at 0.1%. It is critical that your surgeon have a thorough understanding of the anatomy and use facelift techniques that ensure safe visualization and protection of these vital structures.

To some degree - yes. Facelifts address the laxity of the facial skin. This stretch/tightening of the skin can help improve the appearance of acne scars. Also, any scars at the periphery of the skin may actually end up excised as excess skin as part of the lift itself. For patients looking for a more significant improvement in their acne scars, adding a croton oil peel can greatly improve the texture of the skin and appearance of even deep pitting scars.

The goal of a facelift is a natural inset of the earlobes that does not indicate that you had a surgical procedure. However, earlobe deformities can occur after a facelift. The most common is a “pixie” ear - which has a stuck or pulled appearance caused by too much tension being placed on the skin at the time of closure. A skilled facelift surgeon knows how to avoid this issue. If you have this appearance from a previous facelift, it can be corrected.

It is not common to seek a complete reversal of a previous facelift - in other words, to return the volume loss and lax skin that the patient presented with. Excised skin cannot be returned. However, when most people talk about facelift reversal, they are referring to correction of deformities or irregular contours that occurred during their original surgery. A revision facelift can correct these deformities or irregularities while maintaining an improved appearance.

Yes, a facelift will smooth out the wrinkles and fine lines in the lower two-thirds of your face. However, the wrinkles around your eyes and forehead are not addressed with a facelift alone. Similarly, deep vertical lines around the mouth are also not addressed with a facelift. For patients with those issues, I will combine a resurfacing treatment to the face in addition to the facelift. My preference is a croton oil / phenol peel - a remarkably powerful treatment that in many cases can erase deep lines and sun damage. Facelifts by themselves do not address brows that have dropped over time and contribute to wrinkles of the upper eyes. For this reason, an endoscopic-approach brow lift is often added to improve the appearance of this area.

Any operation does at least a little damage to the peripheral sensory nerves. Facelifts are no exception. However, permanent damage to motor nerves should not happen. Return of sensation to the face is almost always complete although it may take months. There are two types of nerves to consider: motor nerves and sensory nerves. The Facial Nerve (7th cranial nerve) is the predominant motor nerve to the face. That is, it supplies nerve input to the muscles that govern facial function. Permanent damage to any branch of this nerve should really never happen as a consequence of a facelift. Most of the sensation to the face is provided by the Trigeminal Nerve (5th cranial nerve). One of the annoyances of a facelift is temporary numbness of the cheeks. This is due to damage to the very peripheral branches of this nerve in the skin. The major branches should never be injured. Eventually, almost all sensibility will return to the face although it may take months and can be annoying. The Greater Auricular Nerve is another consideration as it rests in a shallow location below the ear. Numbness of the ear is the result of temporary insult to this nerve during the facelift. This will return as swelling subsides. This nerve should not be permanently damaged by a facelift.

Yes! Facelifts are commonly performed in the office. Some facelift surgeons will also perform the procedure under local anesthetic. Whenever receiving sedation or IV anesthesia of any kind, be sure to discuss with your surgeon who will be monitoring and administering the anesthesia. In my practice, I always use a board-certified anesthesiologist as the gold standard for patient safety.

All scars on the skin are visible. But facelift scars are generally not noticeable unless examined closely. I have many patients who are photographed regularly or filmed with high definition equipment without the scars being detected. We also offer adjunct treatments such as laser, UV protectants, and topical scar gels to help minimize the appearance of scars.

A facelift works by restoring the deep structures of the midface, jowls, and neck back to where they were 10-15 years ago. While there are many approaches to facelift surgery, Dr. Craft prefers a Deep Plane Facelift that releases the ligaments of these deep facial structures to allow for a more complete and natural looking rejuvenation. Any excess skin is then trimmed off without tension, making the resulting scars imperceptible in most people.

A facelift is a surgical procedure performed under deep IV sedation under the guidance of a board certified anesthesiologist. The procedure usually takes between one and four hours. First, Dr. Craft makes incisions in strategic locations to prevent visible scarring. Then, Dr. Craft elevates the soft tissues of the cheek and neck while they remain attached to the skin. These soft tissues are repositioned to reduce the appearance of sagging. The droopy neck muscles are also repositioned and then secured. If excess fat exists in the neck, the procedure includes the removal of the fat. After the fat removal, Dr. Craft removes the excess skin. The elevated soft tissues are secured to the deeper structures with sutures. Dr. Craft’s goal with each procedure aims to produce a naturally refreshed appearance that corrects the specific signs of aging the patient wants to be addressed. An experienced and trusted surgeon, like Dr. Craft understands how to create the best appearance without a pulled or tight look. This is the artistry you receive from Dr. Craft.

A mini facelift usually lasts around 5-8 years, depending on how well you care for your skin. Liquid facelifts must be repeated every year to maintain the positive results. For a full surgical correction facelift, the deep plane facelift is considered the longest lasting at 10-15 years. By reducing the tension in the facial muscles, the effects of aging are lessened. Lifting the deeper tissues where they are most lax also contributes to the power and longevity of this approach.This is Dr. Craft’s preferred approach.

For most patients, facelift recovery is surprisingly easy. Usually, there is minimal pain after surgery. Patients can expect to be up and about immediately after the operation. Though due to the anesthesia, plan for someone to drive you home from the procedure. Most patients experience minimal bruising and swelling. However, in rare cases, exceptions occur, like with any medical procedure. While patients can return to most normal activities the day after surgery, many patients plan for recovery time to allow the bruising and swelling to subside. The recovery time from a facelift is typically two weeks. During the recovery, patients should avoid exercise or other strenuous activities. This allows time for the incisions to heal and your body to recover without compromising your health or the results. If you are including a deep resurfacing with a croton oil peel of the central face as part of your procedure, there will be additional recovery for the skin before all of the reds completely dissipate. However, during the later stages, the appearance is easily masked with concealer.

Cost of a facelift can vary greatly both by geographic region as well as the extent of the surgery. Additional procedures such as brow lifts, eyelid surgery, fat grafting, or resurfacing of the skin can also affect the cost. The cost of a facelift in the Scottsdale-Phoenix area typically ranges from $15,000 to $25,000.

Thread Lifts, sometimes referred to as a Minimally Invasive Facelift, are a less invasive procedure than a full facelift surgery, and the thread remains in place to keep your skin looking lifted. Most patients having a thread lift are able to remain awake so that although they are numb and do not feel pain, they can see the results as the procedure is being performed.

A facelift addresses the areas of the face from the lower eyelids down to the collarbone. The procedure includes repositioning the cheekbone and cheek fat pads. A facelift also addresses aging in the neck by removing the surplus fat and tightening the muscles in the neck that descend and obscure the angle of the neck. This restores the jawline. When necessary, a facelift includes the removal of excess skin to smooth the overall appearance of the cheeks, jaw, and neck. A facelift does not include corrections to the eyelids, forehead, or brow area. Other cosmetic procedures address these specific issues. Patients may schedule concurrent procedures as part of the facelift surgery.

The best age to consider surgery is between 40-70 years old. This can vary depending on the skin laxity, lost collagen, your expectations, and the type of recovery time you can afford to take. At any age in this range where you’re concerned about sagging skin, fine lines, wrinkles or volume loss, you might want to consider a facelift.

Facelifts restore the face’s natural volume and contours to where they once were 10-20 years ago. To accomplish this, your surgeon undermines the skin to access the supporting structures of the face. These deeper structures are then freed up and repositioned superiorly. Any excess skin is then trimmed and removed. This maneuver smooths out the wrinkles in the neck, jawline and midface. Sometimes additional procedures are performed at the same time, such as lifting brow or lifting the eyelids, which are complementary procedures to a facelift.

The best age to consider surgery is between 40-70 years old. This can vary depending on the skin laxity, lost collagen, your expectations, and the type of recovery time you can afford to take. At any age in this range where you’re concerned about sagging skin, fine lines, wrinkles or volume loss, you might want to consider a facelift.

Not all patients must lose weight before having a facelift. However, patients may need to lose weight if a doctor recommends weight loss for medical reasons or the patient is significantly over the goal weight. Consulting with a plastic surgeon can help determine a pre-operative plan for the patient. For heavier patients whose weight is stable, additional liposuction of the neck and jaw is often performed to help with the final contour. Deep fat of the neck may also need to be addressed in this patient population to assure an optimal outcome.

I see patients who are 40 - sometimes younger - who are excellent candidates for a facelift. It all depends on that individual’s skin laxity and changes in volume. Massive weight loss can also make younger patients ideal candidates for a facelift when younger.

A mini facelift usually lasts around 5-8 years, depending on how well you care for your skin. Liquid facelifts must be repeated every year to maintain the positive results. For a full surgical correction facelift, the deep plane facelift is considered the longest lasting at 10-15 years. By reducing the tension in the facial muscles, the effects of aging are lessened. Lifting the deeper tissues where they are most lax also contributes to the power and longevity of this approach.This is Dr. Craft’s preferred approach.

At the end of the day, Dr. Craft feels that the procedure that your surgeon can safely perform to get you the outcome you are looking for is the best facelift for you. However, Dr. Craft’s personal bias is toward the deep plane facelift. This approach lifts deeper structures of the face where they are most mobile, allowing for a more powerful rejuvenation. Further, it also releases the ligaments that fix those structures to deeper structures, which allows the tissues to be restored to a more youthful position more readily and without forces working counter to that goal. In his opinion, the deep plane facelift has the most natural and long lasting outcome.

Facelifts are my favorite thing to do in all of plastic surgery. No other procedure provides such a restoration to someone’s appearance, giving them back a decade or more. My patients don’t want to look weird or like someone else - they just want to like themselves. But they want to look like the version of themselves that still feels like on the inside, which isn't necessarily what they see in the mirror every day. That’s why they have a facelift.

Facelifts are my favorite thing to do in all of plastic surgery. No other procedure provides such a restoration to someone’s appearance, giving them back a decade or more. My patients don’t want to look weird or like someone else - they just want to like themselves. But they want to look like the version of themselves that still feels like on the inside, which isn't necessarily what they see in the mirror every day. That’s why they have a facelift.

Facelift before and after photos are a critical part of any consultation you may have with your surgeon. It is important to see the surgeon's work as well as their aesthetic. Often, surgeons will have permission to show you more examples of their work during an in-office consultation than are allowed to be showed on a website. Be sure to ask during your consultation.