Restore youthful contours and soften signs of aging with a thoughtfully performed facelift. At Leader Plastic Surgery in Palo Alto, Dr. Brittany Leader, our double board-certified facial plastic surgeon, lifts sagging cheeks, smooths jowls, and refines the jawline with an artistic touch. Silicon Valley patients trust her artistic eye for results that look natural and authentic.
What is a Facelift?
Lift Sagging Tissues and Redefine
Facial Contours
A facelift addresses structural changes that occur as the face ages. Over time, the deeper facial support system, known as the SMAS (superficial musculoaponeurotic system), weakens, while ligaments loosen and fat pads shift downward. This leads to sagging along the jawline, folds around the mouth, jowls, and a loss of youthful contour through the midface and lower face.
During a facelift, these deeper layers are carefully repositioned and tightened to restore facial support. Excess skin is gently redraped and refined without creating tension. By correcting the underlying anatomy rather than simply pulling the skin, modern facelifts restore smoother contours and a more defined jawline while maintaining natural facial movement.
Quick Glance
Treatment Time
3 - 4 Hours
Patient Downtime
10 - 14 Days
Treatment Series
Single Surgical Procedure
Procedure Type
Outpatient Facial Surgery
Concerns Treated
- Sagging skin along the lower face
- Jowls and loss of jawline definition
- Deep nasolabial folds
- Marionette lines
- Loss of facial volume
- Midface descent
- Loose skin around the cheeks
- An aged or tired facial appearance
Dr. Leader’s Approach
Artful Surgery. Naturally Balanced Results.
At Leader Plastic Surgery, Dr. Leader approaches facial surgery with a simple yet enduring belief: the best results never look obvious. Your face tells your story, and any procedure should honor that. During your consultation, she spends time understanding what you see in the mirror, what feels out of balance, and what outcome would help you feel most like yourself again.
Her philosophy involves leveraging her meticulous surgical precision with an artist’s eye for aesthetic harmony. Rather than chasing a dramatic transformation, Dr. Leader restores natural structure and balance. The goal is never to make you look like someone else: only to help you recognize yourself, refreshed, confident, and truly the best version of you.
Benefits of a Facelift:
- Restoration of youthful facial contours
- Improved jawline definition with reduction of jowls
- Softening of deep folds around the nose and mouth
- Repositioning of descended midface tissues
- Removal of excess skin along the lower face
- Long-lasting facial rejuvenation compared with non-surgical options
- Natural-looking results that preserve facial expressions
- Harmonious balance between the cheeks, jawline, and neck
- Comprehensive correction of multiple signs of facial aging
- A refreshed, rested appearance that still looks like you
Your Facelift Options
Facelift
A traditional facelift restores youthful structure to the lower face and midface by lifting deeper layers beneath the skin. During surgery, underlying facial tissues are repositioned, and excess skin is redraped for a natural contour. This softens jowls, smooths deep folds, and refines the jawline. The goal isn’t to change your features, but to restore youthful facial balance.
Lower Facelift
A lower facelift focuses specifically on the jawline, jowls, and lower cheeks. Over time, tissues descend, creating heaviness around the mouth and along the jawline. This procedure lifts and repositions deeper structures in the lower face, restoring definition where it has softened. The result is a sculpted jawline and smoother lower facial contours without altering your character.
Revision Facelift
A revision facelift addresses concerns after a previous facelift, whether due to recurrent aging or an unsatisfactory result. Scar tissue, altered anatomy, and skin quality all require thoughtful planning. This procedure carefully releases and repositions facial tissues again, often using advanced techniques to restore natural contours and enhance harmony.
Deep Plane Facelift
A deep-plane facelift operates at a deeper anatomical level than traditional techniques. Instead of tightening skin alone, the procedure lifts the facial muscles and fat layers as one unit. This allows the cheeks and midface to be repositioned more naturally while reducing tension on the skin. The result is long-lasting rejuvenation with beautifully natural facial movement.
Facelift FAQs
How Do I Know if a Facelift is Right for Me?
Many patients start considering a facelift when they notice sagging along the jawline, deepening folds around the mouth, or heaviness in the lower face that no longer responds to non-surgical treatments. A consultation with Dr. Leader helps determine whether surgery best aligns with your goals. She carefully evaluates your facial structure, skin quality, and the deeper support layers of the face before recommending a personalized plan.
What Age is Best for a Facelift?
There is no “perfect” age for a facelift. Most patients consider surgery in their 40s through 60s, when facial aging becomes more noticeable, but the skin still retains good elasticity. However, the decision is less about age and more about anatomy and timing.
How Long Do Facelift Results Last?
A facelift does not stop the aging process, but it does meaningfully reset the clock. Most patients enjoy results for 10 to 15 years, depending on skin quality, lifestyle, and genetics. You will still continue aging, but from a more youthful baseline. Because the deeper facial structures are repositioned, the improvement tends to age gracefully.
What is Recovery Like After a Facelift?
Most patients plan for about 10 to 14 days of social downtime. During the first week, swelling and bruising gradually settle while the tissues begin to heal. By the second week, many patients feel comfortable returning to normal daily activities. Dr. Leader and her team guide you carefully through every step so you always know what to expect.
Schedule Your Consultation
Dr. Brittany Leader is a double board-certified facial plastic surgeon known for her thoughtful, detail-oriented approach to facial rejuvenation. She takes time to listen carefully, understand your goals, and design a treatment plan that feels right for you. At Leader Plastic Surgery in Palo Alto, convenient for patients across Silicon Valley, you’ll receive personalized, attentive surgical care. Schedule your consultation to explore your facelift options.
