Facelift

Introduction

A good facelift, also known as a rhytidectomy, can easily reverse signs of facial aging. Faces in their forties and fifties start to show the effects of gravity – more lines, less facial muscle tone, and sagging jowls. A facelift leaves your face looking refreshed, healthy, and younger. In fact, it can make you look and feel five to ten years younger – no wonder it’s the most famous procedure in plastic surgery. Dr. Michael J. Sundine strives to deliver the best facelift Newport Beach has to offer.

out of beach -- woman --Newport Beach Plastic Surgeon, Dr. Michael Sundine

What is Facelift?

In its simplest terms, it’s an aesthetic plastic surgery designed to combat the aging process and restore a more youthful appearance to a patient. Its essential elements include repositioning of deeper tissues and tightening of the skin of the face and neck. In reality, an isolated facelift (only that single procedure) is rarely performed. More commonly, a facelift is performed in conjunction with a neck lift procedure.

The aging face is characterized by loss of elasticity of the skin with laxity of the deep tissues and some loss of volume in certain areas of the face. The appearance changes from the heart-shaped face of youth to a boxier and more hardened look.

Patients who are good candidates for a rhytidectomy typically have started to develop laxity of the skin of the cheeks and neck, along with wrinkles. The creases that run from the base of the nose to the corners of the mouth (nasolabial creases) begin to deepen. The corners of the mouth become downturned, which in women causes lipstick to leak out of the corners of the mouth.

Patients start to develop creases from the corners of the mouth down to the chin-so-called marionette lines along with jowls. The neck skin becomes lax, and they develop bands of platysma muscle tissue The full facelift technique is designed to treat all of these aging changes.

Note: Be wary of heavily marketed procedures that promise to achieve in an hour over lunch with no downtime. These procedures cannot achieve any significant correction and will not produce a lasting result. A recent Consumer Affairs report from a study they conducted on one of the heavily marketed procedures reveals that the procedure had only a 2% full satisfaction rating with 5 stars, while the dissatisfaction percentage was 76%, earning only one star.

Facelift -- Newport Beach Plastic Surgeon, Dr. Michael Sundine

What Are The Benefits

Of Facelift?

Some of the many benefits our Newport Beach patients have seen from their Facelift surgeries include:

  • Eliminates the double-chin
  • Gets rid of deep creases
  • Good for adults of any age
  • Helps you lose jowls (sagging, loose skin below the jawline)
  • Natural look
  • Reduces deep wrinkles
  • Improves facial sagging
  • Targets many signs of aging in one step
  • Tighter and more redefined face and neck
  • Works on both women and men

Who are the Best Candidates

For Facelift?

These procedures are typically performed on patients in their 50s and 60s, but there are no particular age restrictions to the procedure. The patient must be in good general overall health. Any underlying medical conditions such as hypertension or diabetes mellitus should be under control. All patients require clearance from their primary care physician to make sure that it is safe for the patient to undergo the procedure.

Other good characteristics to have if you’d like to be a viable candidate for a Facelift in the Orange County area include:

  • Patients who have facial wrinkles and skin laxity
  • People who have developed deep nasolabial creases (the crease between the base of the nose and the corners of the mouth), downturned corners of their mouths, and marionette lines (the crease running downward from the corners of the mouth to the chin)
  • Patients who have developed jowls
  • People who have vertical bands in their necks or who have a poorly defined neckline
  • Patients who have a tired appearance
  • The patient must be in good general overall health. Any underlying medical conditions such as hypertension or diabetes mellitus should be under control.

Facelift Basics

Many people still believe that these procedures don’t work and that having one makes you look plastic and unnatural. Others think they are only for the rich and famous or that the procedure needs to be repeated, over and over again. With advances in surgical techniques, the results of today’s lift procedures last a long time, anywhere from five to ten years. Many people have repeat procedures with great success. Surgeons have learned how to tighten not only the skin but the underlying muscle as well, and they also know how to remove excess fat from jowls, cheeks, and necks with liposuction.

Mini-facelift

A Mini-Facelift (also called Short Scar Facelift) is a slightly modified version of traditional facelift surgery and helps minimize loose skin around the lower portion of your face. Most plastic surgeons consider mini-facelifts to be less invasive and require less excessive skin removal than other facial surgeries.

During a mini-facelift procedure, Dr. Sundine will make discreet incisions behind your ears that are easily hidden once healed. Through this incision, your skin and facial muscles are carefully tightened and excess tissue is removed. Your incisions are then closed with a precision suturing technique that reduces tension on your skin and minimizes visible scarring.

This surgery usually lasts less than two hours. You can expect to experience some mild swelling and bruising, but a mini lift has a much less intense recovery when compared to traditional full facelift surgery.

Deep plane facelift

Widely considered to be a very invasive but effective technique, a Deep Plane Facelift produces the longest-lasting results, with many patients seeing results lasting up to 15 years. Patients will have a successful flattening of the nasolabial fold (a.k.a. the “Smile lines”) with an additional target to the mid-face region, reaching deep tissues and the deeper layers of your facial muscle.

After you’ve been administered intravenous sedation with local anesthesia, Dr. Sundine will mark the locations on your skin where he intends to make the incisions around the hairline and ears. Dr. Sundine will then tighten and secure the layer of connective tissue and underlying muscle beneath your skin, releasing strategic ligaments at a deeper level to lift and rejuvenate your appearance, as well as repositioning the underlying layer of muscle and tissue. Once finished, Dr. Sundine will carefully close the incisions.

During the initial three weeks of your recovery, there will be significant bruising, swelling, and discomfort. You will need to continuously wear a compression garment and neck support during the first few weeks, or until they are removed.

You will need to avoid working for the first two weeks so you can recover comfortably, and avoid any strenuous activity for six weeks. It is not uncommon to see ongoing swelling or bruising for longer than a year, but if you have any concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact our office.

woman laying down -- facelift -- Newport Beach Plastic Surgeon, Dr. Michael Sundine

What’s The First Step?

If you are looking into a Facelift in Newport Beach or the Orange County area, your first step is to schedule your consultation with Dr. Michael Sundine. When you come into our office for this appointment, you will be able to ask any questions you may have and have your face examined by Dr. Sundine. He will discuss the options available and techniques he will use, and if you agree with the direction he wants to go, he will create your surgical plan. Once your plan is made, our Patient Coordinator will help you schedule your procedure date.

This is performed on an outpatient basis in a fully accredited outpatient surgery center. We recommend that patients go to an aftercare facility following the procedure for the first evening since the care is usually more than a spouse or friend can provide.

We can recommend recovery facilities or even home nursing care if you require this in the period around the operation.

What to Expect on the Day of Facelift

The procedure is done at a plastic surgery center under either general anesthesia or local anesthesia. In our center, we only utilize board-certified anesthesiologists for our patients.

In our experience, no two rhytidectomies are the same, and the procedure is customized to the particular needs of the patient. Some components are the same in all of the patients. The procedure starts with making incisions in or at the hairline and around the ear. The incisions are designed for minimal visibility after the procedure.

The skin is then elevated from the underlying fat in the cheeks and the neck. Dr. Sundine will then elevate the underlying facial tissues called the SMAS to allow us to reposition the facial fat. The SMAS flap has several effects: it repositions the soft tissues back up over the cheekbones, it repositions the jowl back up into the cheek, it provides hammock support to the neck, it allows for less tension to be placed on the skin giving fine line scars, and it provides for longevity of the lift.

After the SMAS flap has been sewn into position, the neck can be addressed. If there is excess fat in the neck, it may be removed with liposuction or direct excision. If there are bands in the neck, the muscles responsible for the bands may be divided or sutured together. Two drains are placed, and the skin is then tailored and sutured back together. We do not use any bandages, because we are concerned that the pressure from the dressing may compromise the blood supply to the skin.

A facelift in Newport Beach takes four to five hours. If more extensive procedures are performed this may add additional time. In rare cases, it may be necessary to perform the procedure in multiple stages.

Dr. Sundine getting ready for surgery

Facelift

Recovery

Patients go to the aftercare facility directly from the surgical center. They are observed overnight and then brought to the office the next afternoon. Patients generally only need minimal pain medication after their procedure, which Dr. Sundine will prescribe to you. In most patients, the drains are removed at that office visit.

You can expect to be back on your normal schedule in about a week, although sun exposure should be limited for several months after surgery. Your new face needs about three weeks to heal fully. Some small facelift scars are unavoidable, but they are normally completely hidden and continue to fade over time. There will be some bruising and swelling following the surgery. This is usually gone by about 10 days following the procedure. We advise patients to plan about two weeks of social downtime following the procedure. Patients can return to some light activity even on the first day following the operation. We encourage them to go for light walks. They may go up and downstairs. They may resume full activities at three weeks following the procedure.

We then typically see the patients on postoperative days 3, 5, 7, and 10. On postoperative day 7, the sutures around the ear are removed, and on postoperative day 10, the sutures at the hairline are removed.

Patients can expect some bruising and swelling following the procedure. Bruising is common in the areas near the outer corners of the eyes (because the skin is very thin in this area) and at the lowest point of dissection in the neck. The vast majority of the bruising is gone by about the 10th postoperative day.

For any post-operative problems, telephone: Dr. Sundine at 949-706-3100 (office)

How Much Does a Facelift Cost in Newport Beach?

Financing

The cost of a Facelift in Newport Beach or Orange County can vary. During your consultation, Dr. Sundine will go over his recommendations and pricing. These procedures are cosmetic and are not covered by insurance.

Why Choose Dr. Sundine?

Michael J. Sundine, M.D., F.A.C.S., F.A.A.P. is a renowned facial plastic surgeon, who offers a range of aesthetic procedures and reconstructive surgery options to help patients turn back the clock. In addition to specializing in facelift surgery, Dr. Sundine is a top Newport Beach rhinoplasty and chin augmentation surgeon. He also performs procedures for the upper facial features such as brow lift and eyelid surgery in Orange County.

As one of Newport Beach’s premiere facial plastic surgeons, Dr. Sundine was voted an Orange County “Physician of Excellence” by the Orange County Medical Association 17 times since he began practicing in Orange County. He has also been featured in Los Angeles Magazine as a Southern California Super Doctor for Cosmetic and Reconstructive Surgery. Dr. Sundine is currently board-certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery (ABPS), a fellow of the American College of Surgeons, and an active member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS).

Schedule A Consultation

Dr. Sundine is known by his patients as the Best Orange County Facelift surgeon. To schedule a consultation and learn more about this procedure, contact the office of Dr. Sundine today at 949-706-3100 and set up your appointment.

Schedule A Consultation

Facelift FAQs

Your procedure questions answered.

Facelift Aftercare Instructions

Real Patients

Real Reviews

What I really like about Dr. Sundine is his vast experience and training. I also like the fact he did not try to sell me other procedures. He is also very down to earth and easy to talk to. I am very satisfied with the results and I highly recommend him.

After much research and multiple visits to other surgeons, I knew right away that Dr. Sundine was the perfect choice for me. I felt completely confident in his ability from the first visit to the last. I have been singing his praises to all of my friends and will recommend him to anyone searching for a plastic surgeon. Thanks, Dr. Sundine

Dr. Sundine is an excellent plastic surgeon! I have been using his services for almost 5 years. If you want to look years younger and fully refreshed I highly recommend that you use his services. Patients walk out looking naturally gorgeous, not overdone like some of the women in Orange County!

Dr. Sundine is the best plastic surgeon. Dr. Sundine’s excellent skills and knowledge has made my surgery turn out so well. But more importantly, it made me feel better about myself. Again, thank you Dr. Sundine for all you have done for me. You are the best surgeon!

I gave Dr. Sundine the highest possible review in each category because he truly deserved the highest reviews on every level. I am a very well recognized lawyer on the West Coast. My firm has spent millions of dollars on television advertising in which I appear. I could not afford to have a bad facelift or even for people to notice I had a facelift at all. I interviewed many physicians including some of the “celebrity” physicians. Ultimately, I chose Dr. Sundine.