Facelift in Austin, Tx

Board-certified plastic and reconstructive surgeon Dr. Andre Y. Levesque offers a full variety of facial cosmetic procedures at his practice in Austin, TX. One of the most common surgeries at Levesque Plastic Surgery is a facelift. This treatment concentrates on precise sections of the face to correct loose skin and enhance your features. It accomplishes this by creating a smoother, youthful appearance. Depending on your aesthetic goals, a facelift can focus on the areas around the eyes, the cheeks and mid-face, or the bottom section including the jowls, mouth, neck, and more for an all-around youthful look. The type of facelift performed depends on your goals, the condition of your skin, the amount of laxity present, lifestyle, age, and other factors. Some men and women may desire a full facelift, while others may only require a mid-face lift. Dr. Levesque is an experienced surgeon who has a complete understanding of the anatomy and complex intricacies of a facelift surgery. The objective is to create a natural look that's smooth and appealing.

Ideal candidates for a facelift have noticeable facial wrinkles and lines, whether it be on the entire face or a specific section (such as the mid-face and lower face). Facelift surgery can address various sections depending on your unique signs of aging. It is important to understand that age does not necessarily define the timing to have a facelift. There are so many unique concerns and reasons to have a facelift, as well as numerous lift types depending on what needs to be addressed. The treatment chosen will vary for patients who are in their 30s versus those who are over 60. Skin laxity is one of the most important components in the planning process. Facelift patients should be in good physical health and refrain from smoking. It is also important that potential candidates have realistic expectations.  Many of our facelift patients have pulled their face up and back with their fingers in the mirror to describe what they would like to achieve.  If you find yourself doing this in the mirror chances are you will likely like the results of a facelift compared to non surgical type treatments.

Dr. Levesque has specialized in performing deep plane facelifts in awake patients.  This is a technique he has refined since 2018 and continues to refine the technique to incorporate additional techniques such as the hemostatic net, bullhorn upper lip lift, upper or lower eyelid surgery, and gliding brow lifts. Across the nation, a surgeon performing full face and necklifts in the deep plane, or below the SMAS (superficial musculoaponeurotic system) under local anesthesia is rare.  The majority of surgeons performing deep plane facelift with intravenous or general anesthesia.  Performing the procedure under local anesthesia and mild oral sedation allows for swift recovery and completing the surgery with maximal safety.

Regardless of your aesthetic concerns, there are numerous facelifts to consider. Some facelifts treat the upper portion of the face, while others focus on the middle and lower. Moreover, some techniques are slightly more invasive and intricate than others. It is also common for some individuals to have a brow lift, fillers, or BOTOX to complement their outcomes. A few of the more common facelift techniques include:

• Full Facelift
  Considered the gold standard, the full facelift usually places an incision near the hairline, extends from temple region and following the side burn and natural creases of the ear, reaching the base of the ears, and then continuing behind the ear and into the neck hairline. The underlying facial tissues and muscles are delicately pulled and securely tightened to produce a lifted appearance, which diminishes excessive wrinkles and sagging. A full facelift is reserved for patients that have descent of the facial and neck tissues. With this lift, several techniques may be combined, including an eyelid lift to enhance the eyes or a deep neck lift for the lower region.
• Mid-Facelift
  Incorporating a similar method to the mini lift, the cheek lift (known as a mid-facelift) focuses on the droopy features around the cheekbones. This lift works great for those who desire improvement in lower eyelid cheek junction but do not have signficiant jowls or neck concerns.
• Lower Facelift
  A lower facelift addresses the neck region, chin, and, in many cases, the jowls. Nonsurgical methods could also be used for chin augmentation to attain a younger-looking neck.
• Mini Facelift
  Honestly a mini facelift is more of a marketing term than an actual surgical technique.  Many different surgical techniques could be lumped into a mini facelift but the mini part of it has more to do with the length of the scar needed to complete the surgical maneuvers.  But with anything mini or short or less invasive, the results will also be less impressive.

In almost all cases, Dr. Levesque combines a fat grafting procedure with facelift surgery to restore lost volume in the cheeks, around the eyes, lips, nasolabial folds, and chin.

After surgery, you will be monitored before you are released to go home for recovery. Before your surgery, Dr. Levesque or a member of his team will plan your follow-up appointments and give you tips that will allow you to heal faster. You should expect to have bruising, swelling, possible drainage, some moderate soreness, and discomfort, which can be helped by pain prescription medication. You should start to look and feel normal after about a month, after which you will begin to see a smoother and younger-looking facial appearance. In all, your face will look rejuvenated and fresh. See our Before and After photos . 

The pain from a facelift in our patients typically requires narcotic pain medication on the first night after surgery only.  In the next days over the counter pain medications such as tylenol is typically all that is needed.  The first week after surgery there is swelling and the face and neck can look distorted.  It is in this time that many patients get a little down and sometimes question their decision to have surgery.  Patience however is rewarded as by the second week onward our patients make rapid improvements and see the younger version of themselves.

How much does a facelift cost?
The cost of your facelift will vary based on the technique used. During your consultation, Dr. Levesque will develop your custom treatment plan based on your needs and goals. Once this is established, he can discuss cost estimates. To avoid results that look unnatural, it's best to focus on finding an experienced surgeon, like Dr. Levesque, instead of the cheapest price. Levesque Plastic Surgery can help you find low-interest financing that will make your surgery easier to afford.

Which technique is best for me?
The best technique for you will depend on your needs, goals, degree of skin laxity, which areas are being addressed, and more. To produce the results you want, Dr. Levesque will explain the different techniques during your consultation. He will then help you decide which technique is best for you.

Should I get a surgical or nonsurgical facelift?
While there are many great nonsurgical skin tightening procedures, these can only produce mild improvements. If you have moderate to severe skin sagging, a surgical facelift is the best choice to improve your appearance. During your consultation, Dr. Levesque will discuss your options, including nonsurgical treatments, to help you choose what is best for your goals.

What about wrinkle fillers and relaxers over facelift surgery?
Injectable wrinkle fillers and relaxers, like Juvéderm and BOTOX, have become very popular to refresh the face. Sometimes known as a liquid facelift, injectable wrinkle treatments usually help with early signs of aging, but the results are temporary. A facelift can produce more dramatic improvements than injectables with results that can last for a long time. Ask Dr. Levesque about injectable treatments during your consultation.

Will my results look natural?
Dr. Levesque uses techniques customized to your bone structure, muscle support, fat distribution, and skin quality to restore the tissues to their correct anatomic location. He then closes all incisions without any additional tension. This avoids the operated-on appearance unfortunately popularized by older techniques involving tight skin redraping that relied on the skin giving the lifted appearance.

How long will my facelift results last?
It's often observed that having a facelift can take 7 – 10 years off of someone's appearance. However, having a facelift does not prevent the aging process, and volume loss in the bone, fat, skin and sagging continue to occur as you age even after a face lift.  Taking good care of yourself and your skin and reasonable treatments such as medical grade skin care products, peels, microneedling, botox, IPL, etc will help prolong your results and lengthen the enjoyment of your facelift results.

A facelift treatment can take years off your appearance and provide you a fresh look. Today, there are many options for surgery based on your individual concerns and goals. This procedure is designed to help you look younger but still natural. To hear more about this treatment, we invite you to contact Levesque Plastic Surgery in Austin, TX to set up your consultation with board-certified plastic and reconstructive surgeon Dr. Levesque.