FACIAL SURGERY

FACELIFT

Houston Plastic Surgery Texas

Facelift in Houston, TX

Facelift
Houston, TX

Your facial appearance has a huge impact on how people perceive you. Unfortunately, many people have aging-related lines and wrinkles on the face and neck regions. A face lift – also referred to as rhytidectomy – is a cosmetic surgery that aims to turn back the hands of time.

Plastic surgeons tighten excess tissue and get rid of loose skin in order to enhance individual features as well as restore youthfulness and balance to the face. Many men and women who have this procedure enjoy an invigorated facial appearance that improves their self image and confidence.

Houston, TX plastic surgeon Dr. Christopher Balinger offers facelift procedures to patients in Houston, Conroe, and surrounding Texas communities. The surgeon understands that your best self is connected to your self-confidence. Working with a team of experienced clinicians, Dr. Christopher goes out of his way to make sure that each patient is comfortable, safe, and happy with their procedure outcome. He uses state of the art equipment and advanced surgical methods to achieve the best result while minimizing the risk of side effects such as scarring.

Do I need facelift surgery?

Facelift surgery eliminates loose skin and smooths out wrinkles and folds in order to achieve an enhanced and youthful facial appearance. Aging, sun exposure, lifestyle choices, and even genetics can negatively impact our facial appearance, creating a disconnect between how you look and how you feel. As a result of these changes, your self esteem may be affected. You may feel conscious while in social situations. Furthermore, at-home creams may be unable to help with the volume loss, wrinkles, and loose skin. Facelift surgery offers a long-lasting relief for countering adverse changes and enhancing your facial beauty. You may be an ideal candidate for this procedure if:

You are in good physical and emotional health
You have sagging skin in the area around the cheeks and jawline
You have ‘folds’ or loose skin on the neck
You have jowls along the jawline
You have loss of volume in the cheeks and the area around the mouth
You have wrinkles around the mouth and nose
You have a double chin or excess fat deposits under the chin or jaws
You have a positive outlook and realistic expectations about the outcome of facelift procedure

There is no right or wrong time to have a facelift. However, Dr. Balinger recommends this procedure for individuals who are between their 40s and their mid 50s in order to attain the best results. It all depends on your specific needs and condition of your skin though. When you visit Dr. Balinger for your first Houston facelift consultation, the surgeon will listen to you and examine your face before letting you know whether this surgical treatment is for you.

Types of facelift

Dr. Balinger performs several different types of facelift to suit the needs of the patient and goals of the surgery.

Mini facelift

This is a minimalistic version of a facelift that is designed to alleviate moderate aesthetic concerns. The surgeon will create a short incision near the front of the ear. The skin will then be redraped and underlying tissue repositioned in order to attain a natural-looking outcome. Mini facelifts are the best procedure option for people who are looking to enhance mild to moderate issues in their central or lower face areas. In some cases, the surgeon may opt to integrate neck-liposuction into this treatment in order to achieve a comprehensive result.

Standard facelift

This is a conventional type of facelift that is common for people who are above the age of 45 years. The goal is to address severe aesthetic issues in the face. The surgeon will create an incision above the ear moving along the hairline. The length and pattern of this incision will be influenced by the patient’s precise needs. Once this is done, the surgeon will redrape excess skin towards the center of the face, as well as reposition the underlying connective tissue in order to achieve the desired procedure outcome.

Dr. Balinger is uniquely positioned to recommend the best type of facelift to reach your goals. The surgeon will discuss the suitability of each method, and let you know what you can expect from the surgery.

Benefits of a facelift

A facelift plastic surgery procedure offers many unique benefits:

Reverse signs of aging

Gradual decline of skin quality usually leads to loss of facial fat and thinning of dermal tissue. This may be caused by factors such as age, smoking, heredity, sun exposure, gravity, and stress. Facelift plastic surgery tightens facial tissue, removes loose skin, and redrapes the remaining skin to achieve a smoother and youthful-looking facial skin. One of the best things about this procedure is that it yields long-lasting results but without any signs of scarring.

Tighten up loose face skin

Our skin tends to become loose as we age. In many cases, over-the-counter anti-aging cream and other at-home skin care products are not effective. Facelift surgery tightens deep facial and neck muscles to allow the surgeon to ‘pull’ excess skin. This results in a youthful appearance without any tightness or tension. You will enjoy a face that looks ‘energetic’, rested, and well-balanced.

Lose jowls for good

Hanging jowls from the jawline are an undesirable feature. Facelift plastic surgery addresses this problem in order to reveal a sleeker and tighter jawline that you will be proud to show off. Dr. Balinger deals with this issue artistically so that you can reveal an enhanced, youthful, and more energetic facial appearance.

Alleviate deep creases

Deep lines and wrinkles can make you feel self-conscious about your appearance. In severe cases, your self image and sense of confidence may be adversely affected. Furthermore, aging can result in lost volume in the face and neck, giving the impression of tissues that are ‘worn’ or ‘falling’. Dr. Balinger works to restore the deep tissue structures to their right position, as well as augment volume loss to reveal a naturally younger-looking face.

Facelifts are among the top 5 cosmetic surgery procedures. The American Society of Plastic Surgeons reports that in 2019 alone, there were more than 123,000 of these procedures performed in the US. Around 95 percent of people who have this procedure are satisfied with the outcome. The key for patients is to work with a highly skilled surgeon in order to increase the likelihood of attaining an excellent outcome.

Your Initial Consultation

During your first facelift consultation, Dr. Balinger will ask questions and review your medical history to learn more about your health. The surgeon will also examine your face and neck before moving forward to the next step. This initial consultation – which is offered free of charge at Dr. Balinger’s office – is an opportunity to learn more about what this surgery entails, and what you can expect from the treatment.

Prepare for Your Facelift

Once Dr. Balinger creates a customized treatment plan for you, the surgeon will let you know how to prepare for the surgery. You will be asked to stop taking some medication and herbal supplements that can increase your risk of bleeding. Smoking is also forbidden in the weeks before the surgery because it can increase the risk of complications and impair healing. The surgeon will let you know what to do on the night before the surgery, and what supplies you need to have in place for a smooth recovery.

Your Surgical Experience

Facelift surgery is an outpatient surgery that is performed at Dr. Balinger’s in-office operating room or an accredited surgical facility. This surgery is usually performed in three steps.

Administer Anesthesia

A face lift procedure may be performed under IV sedation or general anesthesia, based on the specifics of the treatment and the surgeon’s preference. Feel free to discuss the choice of anesthesia with the surgeon during one of your pre-op consultation visits.

Create Incision

The surgeon will create an incision in the appropriate location based on the type of facelift being performed. Dr. Balinger makes sure to camouflage incisions behind the ears or along the hairline. Sagging skin will be pulled and redraped, and underlying facial tissue will be tightened to reveal a smoother facial profile.

Close Incision

After all the desired changes has been completed, the surgeon will close the incision appropriately. The treatment area will then be bandaged to protect it.

Facelift surgery takes between 2 and 4 hours to complete, depending on the specifics of the surgery. Immediately after the surgery, you will be placed in an observation room where Dr. Balinger’s team monitors your vitals before you are allowed to go home for recovery.

Recovery After a Facelift

How long it takes to recover after this plastic surgery can vary dramatically from one person to the other based on the extensiveness of the treatment, and the patient’s unique healing ability. You will be encouraged to get up and move around as soon as you are able to so as to promote proper blood flow. Swelling, bruising, and pain are common during the first week. The surgeon will provide pain medication to reduce the discomfort, and antibiotics to prevent an infection. You can expect to resume normal activities after about 2 weeks. However, you will need to avoid strenuous activities such as heavy lifting, bending over, and vigorous exercises until the surgeon allows you to do so. Make sure to adhere to the surgeon’s post-op instructions in order to ensure a speedy recovery. Dr. Balinger’s office is available to answer your questions and provide the support you need throughout the recovery duration.

Plan Your Procedure in Houston TX

The cost of a facelift can vary dramatically based on the extensiveness of the treatment. Most of Dr. Balinger’s facelift surgery patients can expect to pay between $6,000 and $18,500 for this treatment. Health insurers usually do not cover cosmetic procedures. During your consultation visit with Dr. Balinger, the surgeon will provide more info and generate a cost estimate based on a personalized treatment plan developed for you. The surgeon offers financing options for his patients in Houston, Conroe, and surrounding TX areas.

Meet the Surgeon

Christopher Balinger, MD, brings keen professionalism to the operating table. With each patient, the surgeon creates a highly customized plan to achieve the desired procedure outcome while working to eliminate or minimize the risk of scarring and other side effects. Dr. Balinger is uniquely skilled to perform this plastic surgery treatment and a host of other cosmetic surgeries. He works with a team of highly qualified support staff who are committed to the safety and well being of their patients. If you are looking for the best plastic surgeon in Houston for a facelift, get in touch with Dr. Balinger’s office today.

Average Cost

$6,000 – $18,500

Procedure Time

2 – 4 Hours

Recovery Time

2 Weeks

Insurance

Not Covered

When dermal fillers and injectables stop giving you the anti-aging benefits that you desire, it may be time to consider a facelift. Dr. Balinger offers facelift surgery for men and women in Houston, Conroe, and the surrounding areas of Texas.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a facelift?

A facelift is plastic surgery for moderate to severe wrinkles that cannot be reduced with dermal fillers, injectables, medical spa treatments, and other conservative approaches. Modern facelift techniques allow Dr. Balinger to tighten specific areas of the face or the entire face, depending on the patient’s individual anatomy and anti-aging needs.

How much does a facelift cost?

The average cost of facelift is $6,000 to $18,500. After the consultation with Dr. Balinger, we review the costs of your personalized treatment plan. We offer free initial consultations at our offices in Houston and Conroe, as well as financing options for our patients.

What are the benefits of a facelift?

Corrects moderate to severe wrinkles, creases and folds
May help you look up to 10 years younger
Can be combined with non-surgical treatments, such as dermal fillers and injectables
Results may last 10 to 15 years

What is a mini facelift?

A mini face lift is less involved than a full facelift and targets sagging and wrinkles in the lower third of the face. Dr. Balinger may recommend a mini face lift if sagging and wrinkles are primarily along the jaw, chin, neck, and other areas of the lower face.

How is a facelift performed?

The location of the incisions for your facelift is based on where you have sagging skin and wrinkles. Dr. Balinger may make incisions around your ear and along the scalp in the hairline, or he may use incisions only along the scalp. For a mini facelift, the incisions are typically made around the ears. After making the incisions, Dr. Balinger pulls the skin taut and trims any excess. For a full facelift, he may also tighten the muscles, reposition the fat, and remove small amounts of fat.

What is recovery like after a facelift?

Recovering from a full facelift may take one to two months. Patients who have mini facelifts tend to recover in less than one week. Expect to have swelling, discomfort and bruising, although these symptoms tend to be less severe with a mini face lift.

How long will facelift results last?

Each person ages differently, so it is difficult to say exactly how long the results of your facelift will last. On average, the results of a traditional facelift lasts 10 to 15 years, and results for a mini facelift tend to last around five years.

Sagging, severe wrinkles, and facial folds can be corrected with a mini or full facelift. Dr. Christopher Balinger offers facelift surgery for men and women in Houston, Conroe, and the nearby communities in Texas. Contact us today to schedule a free facelift consultation at our office in Houston or our office in Conroe.

Facelift
Houston, TX

Do I need facelift surgery?