Facelift
A facelift refreshes the lower face and neck by repositioning the deeper tissues, not just tightening the skin. Done conservatively, it gives back the jawline and neck definition of an earlier decade without changing who you are.
The dated reputation of the facelift, the wind-tunnel, surprised, operated look, came from procedures that pulled tightly on the skin without addressing the deeper support layer underneath. Modern facelift surgery, including the technique Dr. Boxrud uses, works at the level of the SMAS (the superficial muscular aponeurotic system), the connective layer that gives the face its structural shape. The SMAS is repositioned upward and slightly inward; the skin is then redraped over the new contour, never pulled.
The result restores the jawline, softens the marionette lines, and tightens the neck, while leaving the face looking like itself. Dr. Boxrud’s approach is conservative by training and by temperament: her practice is built on the principle that the best result is one that does not announce itself. Patients should look like a rested version of the same person, not a different person. Every face is asymmetric and surgeon must be focused on this in order to have a successful outcome.
A facelift addresses the lower face and neck. Around the eyes (the brow, the upper eyelids, the under-eye area) a different set of procedures applies, and these can be combined in the same operation when appropriate. The right plan is the one matched to the specific anatomy at consultation, not a default package. Patients across Los Angeles see Dr. Boxrud for facelift surgery specifically when they want the conservative, anatomic version of the procedure.
- Procedure
- Outpatient, typically 3 to 4 hours.
- Anesthesia
- General anesthesia or deep sedation.
- Recovery
- Most patients are comfortable being out in public around two weeks; final settling takes several months.
- Often combined with
- Upper blepharoplasty, lower blepharoplasty, or brow lift.
What does a facelift fix?
A facelift addresses descent of the deeper tissues of the lower face and neck, including jowling, loss of jawline definition, and neck banding. It does not address the eyes, brow, or forehead, which are handled by separate procedures.
How long does a facelift last?
A well-performed facelift typically lasts 10 to 15 years. The face continues to age normally afterward; the procedure repositions tissue rather than freezing it in place.
What is the difference between a facelift and a mini facelift?
A mini facelift (also called a ponytail lift or short-scar facelift) uses smaller, hidden incisions in the hairline and addresses mild to moderate laxity of the cheek, brow tail, and upper jawline. A full facelift addresses more significant lower-face and neck laxity through more extensive incisions.
How long is facelift recovery?
Most patients are comfortable in public around two weeks. Final settling of the result takes several months.
Will I look pulled or operated on?
Not when the procedure addresses the deeper support layer (SMAS) rather than pulling on the skin. The wind-tunnel, surprised, operated look comes from old-school technique. Modern, anatomic facelift surgery, like Dr. Boxrud’s, produces a refreshed result that looks like the patient, rested.
At what age should I consider a facelift?
There is no fixed age. Most patients are in their fifties through seventies, though some begin earlier. The right time is when the issue is meaningfully present in your face, not when a calendar says it should be.
Can a facelift be combined with eyelid surgery?
Yes, often. As an oculofacial plastic surgeon, Dr. Boxrud frequently plans facelift surgery together with upper or lower blepharoplasty, brow lifting, or midface elevation when the face is being addressed as a whole.