At FacesFirst in Denver and Lone Tree, we know how delicate facial tissues are and how important their appearance is to our patients. Your face is the first thing people see. It’s the first impression you make. And it’s what people remember. A facelift procedure is a way to address patients’ concerns about aging.

And it goes beyond appearances. Your face represents you and your personality, and it should exude the same level of self-confidence on the outside that you feel on the inside.

We are experts in creating natural-looking facial beauty and a youthful appearance that allows patients to trust in their treatment and, more importantly, their results. Our experienced board-certified plastic surgeons, Dr. Nicolette Picerno and Dr. Christopher Cote, practice precision care that creates a more radiant version of you.

There are specific facelift techniques available to our facial plastic surgeons, and each patient will be suited to a different type depending on the specific issues they wish to address. After a consultation, we will recommend the type of plastic surgery that will best meet your needs. Some facelift surgery options include a mini facelift, lower facelift, neck lift, or mid-face cheek lift. Some Denver facelift patients may also benefit from a combination of these.

What is a Facelift?

A Denver facelift procedure, or rhytidectomy as it is medically called, treats the neck, cheek, jowl, lateral temporal and/or eyebrow area. It gives the ultimate improvement in facial plastic surgery because it addresses all the areas of concern and will reposition tissues into a more normal, natural position. It helps to turn back the clock against the aging process by approximately 10 years for most people.

As we age, a youthful almond-shaped face sags into more of an oval configuration. As the aging process continues, an oval face becomes more rounded, eventually leading to a square shape. The square-shaped face ages the least gracefully because even minimal lax skin and excess fat are noticed immediately. This is why women appear to age more rapidly than men, who have more square-shaped faces to begin with, and why they seek facelift procedures to get a more youthful appearance.

Facelift Benefits

A facelift procedure offers several significant benefits for those looking to rejuvenate their facial appearance. This surgical technique can effectively tighten sagging skin, smooth out deep wrinkles and creases, and restore a more youthful contour to the face and neck. By addressing multiple signs of aging simultaneously, a facelift can take years off one’s appearance, boosting confidence and self-esteem.

The procedure can improve the definition of the jawline, reduce jowls, and tighten loose skin in the neck area. Unlike temporary solutions, a facelift provides long-lasting results, with many patients enjoying the benefits for 10 years or more.

Preparing for a Facelift

In the weeks leading up to surgery, stop smoking and avoid blood-thinning medications and supplements as directed by your doctor. Arrange for someone to drive you to and from the procedure and stay with you for the first 48 hours post-surgery. Prepare your recovery area at home with necessary supplies and easy-to-prepare meals. Follow your surgeon’s pre-operative instructions carefully, which may include washing your face and hair with a special soap the night before surgery. Plan for enough time off work, typically 2-3 weeks for a traditional facelift, to allow for proper healing and recovery.

The Facelift Surgical Procedure

A facelift is primarily focused on correcting the signs of aging in the lower face, including the cheeks and jowls, but it can be customized to also tighten muscles and loose skin around the eyes and forehead that cause deep wrinkles for an overall more youthful appearance.

Facelift incisions are hidden within the skin creases around the ear, going behind the tragus (the small flap of skin immediately in front of the opening to the ear canal). This means there is no incision in front of the ear, which is an unsightly and telltale sign of facial surgery. The incision goes behind the ear and up into the hairline, without hair needing to be shaved. Incisions are closed with dissolvable sutures in multiple layers. Small clips are used to allow facelift patients to shower following surgery.

This facial plastic surgery can take between three and six hours and requires patients to take 10-14 days off work to heal. Any major family event or reunion should be scheduled at least one month after this procedure. Dr. Picerno and Dr. Cote may also recommend laser resurfacing, facial fat transfer, or dermal fillers to further improve your results.

Facelift Recovery

Based on the search results, facelift recovery typically takes around 2-3 months for most patients to feel fully recovered, though some minor effects may continue to improve for up to a year.

In the first 1-2 weeks after surgery, patients can expect significant swelling, bruising, and discomfort as the initial healing takes place. Most people can return to work and normal activities within 2-3 weeks. By 4-6 weeks post-surgery, much of the swelling and bruising will have subsided and patients start to see improvements in their facial contours. However, it can take 3-6 months for all residual swelling to resolve and up to a year for very minor tightness or numbness to completely disappear.

Following the surgeon’s post-operative instructions carefully, getting plenty of rest, and having realistic expectations about the recovery timeline are important for optimal healing and results.

Types of Facelifts

Mid-Face (Cheek) Lift

As we age, a pad of fibrous and adipose tissue over the cheekbone, called the malar fat pad, can drop to a lower position in the cheek. This results in several side effects, such as a flattened cheek area, excess facial skin along the jawline, and a deepening of the nasolabial fold (the fold that runs from the corner of the nose to the corner of the mouth).

Known as a mid-face lift or cheek lift, this limited-incision facial rejuvenation surgery can be highly effective in restoring the natural curves and fullness to the lower eyelids and cheeks by moving the soft tissues and underlying muscle to a more youthful position. Endoscopes are used to enable smaller incisions to be used for this facelift technique making this a minimally invasive option for facial rejuvenation.

Advantages of a mid-face cheek lift include:

• Minimal swelling and bruising
• No need for general anesthesia
• Surgical time is less than an hour
• Most patients are able to resume their normal activity within three to seven days

This procedure works best for a patient who has good skin elasticity but is displaying early signs of aging and needs to have tissues repositioned. A patient who has excess skin, as well as sagging of the malar pad, can have the mid-face cheek lift procedure performed in conjunction with a full facelift or a mini facelift to provide maximum aesthetic enhancement.

A cheek lift offers the same natural and long-term results as a facelift does in appropriate patients. The incisions are hidden in the hairline and under the lip, and because the incisions are not visible, this procedure is good for both men and women who have active lifestyles and desire very minimal downtime.

Gallery

Before and After

Facelift and neck lift surgeries tighten loose skin and eliminate wrinkles for a more youthful appearance. Patients can choose to have a facelift or neck lift, but these procedures are often combined for complete rejuvenation.

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The Weekend (Mini) Facelift Surgery

The Weekend Facelift (also called the mini facelift or the S-lift) is designed to have minimal downtime and a lower cost than a traditional facelift. This facial plastic surgery procedure can treat early skin laxity around the corners of the mouth and jowl area that is too advanced to be treated simply by a mid-facelift (cheek lift) procedure alone. It differs from a full facelift in that it does not treat laxity (sagging skin) in the neck or the lateral temporal area.

A mini facelift is performed through small incisions around the ears. Loose and sagging skin through the cheeks and lower face are lifted for a more youthful appearance and reduced wrinkles. Your facelift surgeon may also tighten the facial muscles at the SMAS for a more complete rejuvenation of the lower face.

With a Weekend Facelift Denver, patients are able to resume their normal activity within several days after surgery. Performed under local anesthesia, a mini lift takes only about four days from pre-op to recovery. Plus, we use a tumescent solution that results in less bruising and faster recovery.

For a candidate with early aging changes and an active lifestyle, this procedure can be extremely beneficial. It can also be combined with a mid-facelift or forehead lift for additional benefits, such as reducing forehead lines and wrinkles.

Benefits of the Weekend Facelift include:

• Minimal discomfort
• Accelerated recovery time – just four days from pre-op to recovery
• The ability to maintain your active lifestyle
• Years of lasting facial improvement
• Reduced cost

Deep Plane Facelift

The deep plane lift is the most sophisticated facelift technique, used to treat severe signs of aging in the mid-face and lower face. It is the “gold standard“ lift used to create the most dramatic but natural results. The deep facial tissues, muscles, and fat pads will be resculpted and lifted to improve the look of significant wrinkling, jowling, and sagging skin. Loose or excess skin will be carefully removed to achieve a smooth natural appearance without a “windswept” look. Because the procedure targets the deep layers of facial tissue, patients should expect swelling and recovery of about 7-14 days.

Advantages of the deep plane facelift include:

• The longest-lasting results compared to most other techniques
• Natural-looking rejuvenation
• Improvement of advanced signs of aging

This procedure is best for patients who have moderate to severe signs of aging and skin that has lost some of its elasticity. It’s important to have realistic expectations about the results you can achieve, depending on the severity of wrinkles and sagging skin.

Combination Procedures

Neck Lift

Sagging jowls, fat under the chin, or visible bands in the neck (sometimes called “turkey neck”) present obvious signs of aging. The neck tends to show signs of aging before the face due to excess sun exposure and lack of protection through SPF or proper skincare over time. Reduce the signs of an aging neck and create a naturally youthful look through a neck lift.

While the neck lift is not a replacement for a facelift, in many cases, 80% of the improvement that a facelift would provide to the lower facial area can be achieved with this surgery. Plus, this procedure allows patients to avoid any visible external incisions and has a reduced healing time. This technique is especially beneficial in patients who want to avoid the around-the-ear incision that is necessary in other surgical cosmetic procedures, yet are concerned over laxity of tissue in the neck area.

The neck lift procedure uses an incision under the chin and sometimes in the nape of the neck, through which excess skin is removed, and the underlying muscle tone is tightened. It requires twilight or general anesthesia.

Brow Lift

Combining a facelift with a brow lift can offer more comprehensive facial rejuvenation. While a facelift tightens and smooths the lower face and neck, a brow lift elevates the forehead and addresses drooping eyebrows. Together, these procedures create a harmonious balance, providing a youthful appearance from the forehead down to the jawline. The benefits include more dramatic and natural-looking results, addressing multiple signs of aging in one surgery and reducing the need for separate recovery periods.

Eyelid Lift

This combination addresses both the lower two-thirds of the face and the eye area simultaneously, resulting in a more balanced and harmonious appearance. Patients benefit from a single recovery period for both procedures, saving time and reducing overall downtime. The synergistic effect of a facelift and an eyelid lift can lead to more natural-looking and longer-lasting results, as the entire face is refreshed cohesively.

Botox

Combining a facelift with Botox injections can provide comprehensive facial rejuvenation and enhanced results. While a facelift addresses sagging skin, jowls, and deep creases in the lower two-thirds of the face, Botox targets dynamic wrinkles caused by muscle movements, particularly in the upper face. This combination allows for a more holistic approach to facial rejuvenation. The facelift tightens and lifts the skin and underlying muscles, while Botox smooths out expression lines around the eyes, forehead, and between the brows. Many patients opt to have Botox injections a few weeks after their facelift surgery to further refine their results and address areas not typically treated by a facelift alone.

What to Expect From a Facelift Consultation

Denver patients and those in the surrounding area can schedule a facial plastic surgery consultation with board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Cote or Dr. Picerno to learn more about facial procedures and whether they are a good candidate for this surgery. Your surgeon will examine the aging signs that most concern you and review all your options for improving your overall facial anatomy and achieving more youthful natural contours. As board-certified facial plastic surgeons who specialize in facial cosmetic surgery, our doctors utilize the latest techniques in facelift surgery to offer the best possible results.

We understand that choosing to have a facelift is a deeply personal and important decision, which is why we are available to answer any questions and guide you toward the treatment that makes the most sense for your circumstances. Schedule an initial consultation to discuss how our facelift surgeries can smooth wrinkles, reduce excess or sagging skin, and dramatically enhance your appearance.

What is the Cost of a Facelift?

Schedule a Consultation in Denver & Lone Tree

To schedule your facelift surgery consultation with Dr. Picerno and Dr. Cote in Denver or Lone Tree, Colorado, call FacesFirst at (720) 414-3332 or request your appointment through our online form.

Frequently Asked Questions About Facelifts

Nicolette Picerno, M.D.

Dr. Nicolette Picerno is a double-board-certified facial cosmetic surgeon certified by the American Board of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery and the American Board of Otolaryngology. She received her medical degree from Hahnemann University, School of Medicine in Philadelphia, and completed her fellowship for the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at the Beeson Aesthetic Surgery Institute in Carmel, IN. She also completed the Cenegenics Physician Training and Certification in Age Management Medicine program in 2012 and became a certified BioTE provider in 2014. When not in the office, Dr. Picerno enjoys spending time with her family, hiking, skiing, playing tennis, and running her doggie daycare with her husband.