Facelift
When it comes to looking and feeling like the best version of yourself, facelift surgery is widely considered the gold standard of treatment. A facelift is performed to address some of the most telltale signs of aging, including jowls, loose skin, wrinkles, and creases. When performed with skill and expertise, this advanced procedure will lift and reposition facial tissues to achieve a truly transformative result. Dr. Scott Miller is known for his diligent technique and naturally beautiful facelift outcomes, which are tailor-made to restore your youthful facial contours without sacrificing the character of your face.
Patient Results
Scott Miller, MD
- America’s Best Plastic Surgeon: Facelift, Newsweek
- Top Doctor’s of San Diego, Castle Connelly
- Best of La Jolla Award, Plastic Surgeon
- Best Cosmetic Surgeon in San Diego, San Diego Reader
What is a Facelift?
A facelift is the most effective and long-lasting option to reverse signs of aging in the lower third of the face. As the body’s natural production of collagen slowly diminishes, the skin and tissues of the lower face often become thinner and more relaxed. This can lead to wrinkles, jowls, smile lines, and a general loss of facial fullness. The facelifts of previous decades, which utilized more traditional approaches, were usually known for producing outcomes that looked obvious, “frozen,” or overly-pulled. Thanks to advances in technique, modern facelift results are incredibly subtle, beautiful, and elegant. Rather than producing a “tight” look that is often an obvious indication of surgery, facelifts performed by our skilled board-certified plastic surgeon simply allow men and women to reclaim a younger version of themselves.
What Can a Facelift Improve?
A facelift is a great way to restore underlying support for the face. The facial skin, fat, and internal layer of musculature are addressed and repositioned where necessary, allowing patients to powerfully improve an aged look. After facelift surgery, patients are able to achieve:
- More youthful facial angles
- Sleeker contours in the lower face and neck
- A sharper, more sculpted jawline
- A more youthful and energetic appearance overall
Modern facelift procedures offer extremely natural-looking results and we invite patients to explore our before-and-after photos to see the types of results possible with rhytidectomy. Depending on your wishes for the outcome, Dr. Miller can combine techniques to develop the best plan for facial rejuvenation.
How is the Facelift Procedure Performed?
The nature of facelift surgery varies from patient to patient, but the procedure is usually an outpatient surgery performed using TIVA general anesthesia. Starting with an incision that begins at the temple and curves along the front of the ear and behind the earlobe, Dr. Miller lifts and repositions the descended muscle. The skin is then redraped while any excess tissue is removed. The neck is rejuvenated through this incision and a small incision under the chin, allowing Dr. Miller to tighten tissues, remove excess skin, and extract fat deposits if necessary. All incisions are then closed in layers along the different facial planes to minimize scarring as much as possible. The procedure takes approximately three to five hours. Incisions and techniques may differ according to your facial plastic surgery plan.
What Can I Expect From the Facelift Recovery Period?
Recovery instructions will be given based on your individual treatment plan, but the post-operative period typically calls for downtime, certain activity restrictions, and regular follow-up appointments with Dr. Miller and his nursing staff to monitor your healing. Dressings will be placed after your procedure to reduce swelling and protect your incisions. The head should also remain elevated to improve blood flow, which Dr. Miller and his team will explain further in person. Feelings of discomfort, swelling, numbness, bruising, or weakness are normal following surgery and should subside as your recovery progresses. Over-the-counter or prescribed pain medications, as well as ice packs, are generally enough to manage symptoms in the meantime. Most patients feel well enough to return to non-strenuous work within two weeks. Exercise, bending over past the knees, and strenuous activity should be avoided until Dr. Miller advises otherwise.
Follow our patient’s facelift journey from her first consultation through recovery to her naturally refreshed results. This video highlights the thoughtful planning, meaningful emotional moments, and refined outcomes that reflect Dr. Miller’s approach. Our patients’ experiences show how modern facial plastic surgery can help you age gracefully while restoring confidence, comfort, and joy in your appearance.
Will I Have Noticeable Facelift Scars?
Every surgical procedure where an incision is made will result in a scar to some extent, but your facelift incisions are discreetly placed and meticulously closed to provide the least visible scar possible. This helps ensure your results look natural and harmonious. Patients are not typically concerned with scarring after their facelift thanks to Dr. Miller’s careful technique, but if necessary, there are further measures that can be taken to lighten visible scars, such as using scar gels and laser treatments.
What’s the Best Age for a Facelift?
There is no perfect age for a facelift. While the most common age range for patients pursuing a facelift is between 45 and 65, this time frame varies from patient to patient. Everyone ages at a different rate based on genetics, lifestyle habits, diet, skin care, and other personal factors unique to each individual. Therefore, candidates for facelift surgery are assessed based on the signs of aging they seek to treat — not their age. If you only show relatively minor facial aging, a mini facelift or midface lift may benefit you more than a full facelift procedure. Dr. Miller will be able to recommend an ideal plan when your concerns are evaluated during a consultation.
How Much Does a Facelift Cost?
Our office will be able to provide you with a personalized cost estimate when you visit our practice and Dr. Miller gains a better sense of your needs and goals. Factors that may influence facelift costs include:
- The technique utilized
- The type of facelift procedure chosen
- The complexity of your surgery
It’s important to note that a facelift is a long-term investment into your appearance and confidence; therefore, the quality of your facelift surgeon should be prioritized over the potential costs of the procedure. That said, Dr. Miller offers financing options through CareCredit®, a leading healthcare lending institution often utilized for cosmetic and elective procedures. With CareCredit®, qualified patients can make the costs of surgery more economical by choosing from a selection of low- to no-interest payment plans. If you have any questions or concerns, our team would be more than happy to speak with you about our payment options or the cost of a facelift.
Is a Non-Surgical Facelift Possible?
While a facelift cannot be performed without surgery, there are several non-surgical treatments that can rejuvenate the face and reduce wrinkles, as well as improve skin tone and texture. For patients interested in replenishing lost volume, various dermal fillers — including JUVÉDERM®, the RHA® collection, and VOLUMA® — can be combined to provide a “liquid facelift.” While not capable of recreating the same results as a facelift, a liquid facelift can help soften your facial contours and smooth deep creases. The outcome will be temporary, but can provide noticeable improvement for approximately four to six months depending on the products chosen. If your concerns include a rough, dull, or uneven complexion, Dr. Miller also offers other non-invasive treatments like microneedling and aesthetic lasers. In addition, injectables like BOTOX Cosmetic® and DAXXIFY® are available to help with frown and forehead line reduction.
Keep in mind that these non-surgical alternatives to a facelift will not provide the same quality of results as a facelift performed by a qualified plastic surgeon. The enhancement achieved will also be temporary and signs of aging will eventually begin to reappear; however, touch-up treatments can be pursued as necessary to preserve your results.
What are the Limitations of a Facelift?
A facelift predominantly treats the lower face, jawline, and neck. Given that facelift surgery doesn’t necessarily enhance the entire face alone, complementary procedures to a facelift may include:
- Brow Lift: A brow lift, or “forehead lift,” can rejuvenate sagging or drooping eyebrows that have descended due to aging. The procedure can restore lax tissue to a more youthful positioning and alleviate an angry, tired, or displeased look created by drooping brows.
- Eyelid Surgery: Blepharoplasty can be an excellent choice to address signs of aging around the eyes and the upper-third of the face. Designed to smooth the contours of the upper and lower eyelids, eyelid surgery can treat puffiness and help you regain a brighter, more carefree appearance.
- Neck Lift: A neck lift is a frequent complement to facelift surgery and can further refresh the angles of the lower face and neck. Neck and jawline contouring can also utilize other techniques if desired, such as facial liposuction to reduce a “double chin.”
No matter what your aesthetic goals may be, Dr. Miller will listen to your concerns and tailor each procedure according to your hopes for the outcome. In many cases, treatments can be combined and performed simultaneously; however, more extensive surgical plans may be completed in stages depending on factors unique to each patient.
“ I’ve been having a lovely time enjoying my new look. I get funny looks from people who haven’t seen me in a while…never gets old. Then they look puzzled (like they’re trying to figure out if I really look different, or did something, or what…) and say something like “you look sooo…you look really pretty…really rested…” Depending on who it is I’ll say “thanks!” in a real perky way (like I hear such things all the time) or “well, could be the facelift!””
Additional Facelift FAQs
Will a facelift smooth wrinkles?
While a facelift is not primarily designed to target every fine line or superficial wrinkle, the procedure can smooth creases and significantly improve the appearance of aging skin. A facelift will lift and reposition the underlying facial tissues, which helps reduce the depth of wrinkles caused by sagging skin and volume loss — particularly around the cheeks, jawline, and neck. As support for the facial structure is restored, deeper folds such as the nasolabial lines and marionette creases can appear softened.
That said, it’s important to understand that a facelift does not resurface the skin or directly treat dynamic wrinkles caused by muscle activity, such as crow’s feet, wrinkles along the brow, or frown lines. For those concerns, complementary treatments like laser skin resurfacing, chemical peels, or neuromodulators (such as BOTOX® Cosmetic and DAXXIFY®) are often recommended alongside facelift surgery. These services can also work as standalone treatments to soften expression lines without surgery, downtime, or anesthesia. When performed by a skilled and meticulous aesthetic surgeon like Dr. Miller, a facelift can offer results that look natural while restoring a more youthful look.Is a facelift for men different from a facelift for women?
While the fundamental surgical techniques behind a facelift are similar for both men and women, the approach is customized to suit the unique structural differences and aesthetic goals of each gender. In men, facial anatomy tends to include beard growth patterns, thicker skin, stronger ligaments, and more prominent features such as a square jawline or a heavier neck — factors that should be considered when developing your surgical plan. Additionally, preserving a masculine appearance is key during male plastic surgery. This often means avoiding an overly tight or “pulled” look while maintaining natural beard lines, sideburns, etc.
Strategic incision placement is especially important in male patients to minimize visible scarring, particularly due to shorter hairstyles or the presence of facial hair. On the other hand, women may seek a more delicate refinement of the jawline and neck, with a focus on softening contours and restoring volume. Regardless of gender, the goal of a facelift is always to achieve a refreshed, natural result that harmonizes with each person’s surrounding features. As a fellowship-trained plastic surgeon, Dr. Miller tailors the procedure to ensure balance and rejuvenation that reflects a patient’s personal aesthetic vision.
Dr. Scott Miller performs a wide range of facelift techniques to help San Diego patients find the best approach to age more gracefully. Contact Miller Cosmetic Surgery today to book an appointment with our board-certified and fellowship-trained plastic surgeon, or to speak with a friendly member of our team.