There are many variations to the facelift procedure. Your features, expectations, and your surgeon's preferences will determine the exact technique used for your surgery. However, the incision for a female face lift is generally hidden in the natural contour of your ear, and then extends around the earlobe and back into the hairline. At times a small incision hidden beneath your chin may also be utilized. The incisions for a facelift are easily concealed by your hair or with make up.

Through these incisions, your plastic surgeon frees the facial skin from its underlying tissues and pulls it forward and back. The excess skin is removed. The deeper tissues may also be repositioned to restore a more youthful contour to your face. If necessary, a neck lift can be performed in conjunction with a face lift. In this case, an incision will be made under the chin to remove fatty tissue in that area and smooth the underlying muscle in the neck.

A facelift addresses aging in the central and lower third of the face. Since the face ages as a unit, facial rejuvenation often includes a combination of procedures performed at the same time to improve the appearance of the entire face. Other procedures commonly performed at the same time as a facelift include: brow lift, eyelid surgery, neck lift, submental liposuction, chin augmentation, laser skin resurfacing, chemical peels, Botox and dermal filler injections. You and your physician will decide which procedure or procedures will best achieve the improvement in your facial appearance that you are seeking.

Submental liposuction is the removal of small fat deposits under the chin or anterior neck. Good candidates for submental liposuction are patients with small localized fat deposits but without muscle banding in the neck (turkey gobbler neck).

Face lift surgery is performed under general anesthesia as an out patient.