Menu
Gallery
Location
Call
×

Orange County, CA (714) 997-5200

Call Or Text Now To Schedule Your Consultation!

Consultations available in Spanish

×

What Is a Facelift?

A facelift, or rhytidectomy, is a plastic surgery procedure that can refresh and enhance the facial appearance through:

• Skin excision
• Fat repositioning and/or removal
• Muscle tightening
Dr. Reichner is skilled and experienced in multiple facelift techniques, allowing him to customize each patient’s procedure to their facial features, the degree of facial aging present, and their aesthetic goals. During your consultation, Dr. Reichner will examine your facial structure and tissues and listen to your concerns to determine which surgical techniques will best fit your needs. Neck lift surgery is often paired with facelift surgery to achieve the most harmonious and comprehensive results possible.

 

Benefits of a Facelift

Facelift surgery offers meaningful, long-lasting improvements that non-invasive options simply cannot match.

  • • Smoother, tighter skin – Surgical skin tightening for the face removes loose, excess skin to reduce deep creases and wrinkles, giving you a cleaner, more refreshed look.
  • • Improved jawline definition – Repositioning underlying tissue and tightening weakened muscles restores clearer contours along the jaw and lower face that tend to soften with age.
  • • Natural-looking volume restoration – Fat grafting can bring back fullness lost to aging without an artificial appearance, so your face looks like a younger version of itself.
  • • Long-lasting results – Unlike injectable treatments that require repeat sessions, facelift surgery addresses the structural causes of aging. With sun protection and healthy habits, results can last a decade or more.
  • • Flexible combination options – A lower face and neck lift procedure is often performed at the same time for a more balanced outcome. Facelift surgery also pairs well with an eyelid lift or a brow lift for patients seeking more comprehensive facial improvement.

 

Am I a Candidate for a Facelift?

Candidates for facelift surgery have moderate to severe signs of facial aging, such as deep facial wrinkles and creases, sagging cheeks, and jowls. Candidates should be in good overall health, be non-smokers or willing to quit smoking for at least one month before and after surgery, and must have realistic expectations for the outcome of their procedure.

What a Facelift can achieve

  • Reduced Facial Wrinkles

    Gravity, sun damage, and lifestyle choices contribute to the development of wrinkles and lines anywhere on the face, which can make you appear tired and older than you are. Facelift surgery eliminates fine lines and wrinkles, such as marionette lines and nasolabial folds, to provide a smoother, natural-looking complexion.

  • Reduced Facial Wrinkles

    Gravity, sun damage, and lifestyle choices contribute to the development of wrinkles and lines anywhere on the face, which can make you appear tired and older than you are. Facelift surgery eliminates fine lines and wrinkles, such as marionette lines and nasolabial folds, to provide a smoother, natural-looking complexion.

  • beautiful blonde woman with a successful facelift

    Reduced Facial Wrinkles

    Gravity, sun damage, and lifestyle choices contribute to the development of wrinkles and lines anywhere on the face, which can make you appear tired and older than you are. Facelift surgery eliminates fine lines and wrinkles, such as marionette lines and nasolabial folds, to provide a smoother, natural-looking complexion.

What Happens During a Facelift?

Although facelift surgery is an outpatient procedure, it is performed under general anesthesia. After the administration of anesthesia, Dr. Reichner will make the necessary incision(s), so he can:

Remove and tighten skin

Loose, hanging skin will be excised, and the remaining skin will be gently lifted and carefully placed to create a smoother look.

Reposition facial muscles

Weakened and/or sagging muscles will be tightened and repositioned, as needed, to improve definition in the midface and along the jawline. Adjusting the facial muscles, as well as the skin, allows for more natural-looking results.

Contour the cheeks

As tissue begins to break down with age, gravity, and sun damage, we start to notice lost volume and drooping in the cheeks. Dr. Reichner can often redistribute facial fat to restore fullness. In patients who have lost a significant amount of volume, fat grafting can be used. During fat grafting, fat is harvested from another part of your body via liposuction and added to the areas of the face in need of enhancement, such as the cheeks or around the mouth.

Enhance the neck

Along with facial aging, many patients have skin laxity and vertical banding on the neck that contributes to a prematurely aged appearance. Often, a neck lift—with or without liposuction—is performed in combination with a facelift to create a more defined and youthful neck profile, restoring balance between the face and neck. Neck lift surgery requires a small incision beneath the chin, through which loose skin is trimmed and tightened. If excess fat is present in the neck area, liposuction will be employed to remove it.

When all changes have been made, Dr. Reichner will use advanced suturing techniques to close the incisions. Bandages will then be placed to protect the surgical sites and help in the healing process.

 

What to Expect After a Facelift

You will need to have someone present to drive you home after your surgery and stay with you for the first 24 hours of your facelift recovery. Following your facelift, you may experience bruising, swelling, tightness, and/or numbness. To help reduce these symptoms and to promote optimal healing, you should keep your head elevated, even when you are sleeping. Cold compresses and oral pain medication can be utilized, as directed, to minimize discomfort.

Patients typically return to work in one to two weeks, but exercise and strenuous activities should be avoided for at least three weeks. Dr. Reichner will advise you when you can safely resume all of your normal activities based on his assessment of your healing progress at your follow-up appointments.
 

Facelift Results

Swelling and bruising will subside in the weeks following your procedure, revealing your rejuvenated look. The full effect of your facelift procedure can be anticipated within six months, once the area has completely healed. Patients who adhere to healthy lifestyle habits and are diligent about protecting their face from sun exposure can enjoy their facelift results for many years.

Fortunately, with facelift surgery, Dr. Reichner can typically hide the incision within the hairline, so post-op marks will be inconspicuous. Dr. Reichner does his best to make facelift incisions as small and hidden as possible. To help minimize your chance of scarring, be sure to keep your incisions out of the sun and avoid putting any extra tension or pressure on them. All post-op marks will fade with time.
 

How Much Does a Facelift Cost?

The price of your facelift will reflect the extent of your procedure and will include applicable anesthesia and facility fees. Cost details will be reviewed with you during your consultation.
 

Why Choose Daniel Reichner Plastic Surgery for Your Facelift

Dr. Daniel Reichner is a double board-certified plastic surgeon with over 25 years of experience performing facial rejuvenation surgery in Orange County, CA. He is a graduate of Washington University School of Medicine and completed his plastic and reconstructive surgery training at the University of California, Irvine, with additional post-graduate training in minimally invasive aesthetic surgery and advanced cosmetic surgery techniques.

Dr. Reichner is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons and an assistant clinical professor of plastic surgery at UC Irvine. He takes time with every patient to understand their goals before recommending a surgical plan.
 

Schedule a Consultation

At Daniel Reichner Plastic Surgery in Orange County, CA, Dr. Reichner brings double board certification, years of experience, and a commitment to achieving natural-looking results. Whether you want to address sagging skin, restore jawline definition, or explore your facelift surgery options, our team is ready to help.

Before & After

Before & After
Before & After
Before & After
Before & After

View Before & After Images

Concerns

  • Recovery
  • Scars
  • Pain
  • Although facelift surgery is an outpatient procedure, it is performed under general anesthesia, and you are required to have a driver present to get you home and stay with you for the first 24 hours. To help reduce bruising and swelling and to promote healing, you should keep your head elevated, even when you are sleeping. Patients typically return to work in one to two weeks, but exercise and strenuous activities should be avoided for at least three weeks.
  • Scarring will form at the incision sites. Fortunately, with facelift surgery, most of the incision is hidden within the hairline so that it will be inconspicuous. Dr. Reichner does his best to make these incisions as small and hidden as possible. To help minimize your chance of scarring, be sure to keep your incisions out of the sun and avoid putting any extra tension or pressure on them. All scarring will fade with time.
  • Following your facelift, you may experience bruising, swelling, tightness, and numbness. Bandages will cover any incisions for protection and to help in the healing process. Cold compresses and oral pain medication will help minimize discomfort.

Frequently Asked Questions

While non-surgical facial rejuvenation treatments, such as injectable fillers, are a great way to postpone the need for more invasive surgery, they cannot accomplish the same level of correction offered by facelift surgery. A facelift addresses the underlying causes of facial aging and provides more dramatic and longer lasting facial enhancement.
The results of your facelift will show within six months and will be long lasting; however, no procedure can halt the further progression of aging. Factors such as heredity, bone structure, skin texture, and elasticity all contribute to the longevity of your results. To help prolong your results, it is important to lead a healthy lifestyle, avoid the sun and practice good sun protection, and follow a proper skin care regimen.
Facelift surgery targets signs of aging in the mid- and lower face. It does not address the upper portion of the face, such as the forehead and around the eyes. To achieve comprehensive and harmonious improvements, Dr. Reichner may suggest combining your facelift with an eyelid lift or brow lift. Facelifts are often combined with neck lift surgery and/or neck liposuction, as well.
A full facelift addresses moderate-to-severe aging in the mid- and lower face and typically includes a neck lift. A mini facelift is better suited for patients with milder concerns. Dr. Reichner will help determine which approach is right for you.
Dr. Reichner places incisions within the hairline and along natural skin contours to keep scarring as discreet as possible. Following post-op care instructions and protecting incisions from sun exposure support the best outcome.
Yes. Many patients complement their results with injectable fillers or laser skin resurfacing to improve skin tone and texture. Dr. Reichner can advise on the best combination for your goals.
Dr. Reichner will evaluate your facial structure, walk you through your facial rejuvenation surgery options, and outline realistic expectations. You’ll leave with a clear, confident plan.

Patient Testimonials

“Thank you for everything Doctor. I am very happy I went through with my facelift. My husband can’t stop telling me how beautiful I look, you literally turned the clock back!”

– Mrs. K.

Read More Testimonials

Schedule a Consultation

Get in touch

Orange County Location

1310 W. Stewart Drive, Suite 303
Orange, CA 92868

Call Us: (714) 997-5200

Related Procedures

Follow Us on Instagram

reichnerplasticsurgery

308

Impeccable Credentials. Exquisite Results.
🎖️ Double Board Certified
📚 25+ Years Experience
⭐️ Rated #1 Plastic Surgeon
📍 Orange, CA
📲 (714) 997-5200

reichnerplasticsurgery

View Instagram post by reichnerplasticsurgery

Aug 17

Open post by reichnerplasticsurgery with ID 17972665781760642
Look at this beautifully natural result from today’s surgery! 😍 This return patient of ours wanted more contour under her chin & jaw (submental area) and more projection of her chin. After discussing her goals with Dr. Reichner, she opted for liposuction and a chin implant! After surgery she looks transformed and beautiful. Even better - the result is natural! We are so excited to watch her heal and help her every step of the way 🤗 Schedule Your Consultation Today! 📱 714-997-5200 🌎 www.drreichner.com 📧 info@drreichner.com 📍 Orange County, CA 🗓️ Virtual Consults available Reichner Plastic Surgery Daniel Reichner M.D. F.A.C.S Double Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon #chinimplant #liposuction #submentallipo #doublechinremoval #DrReichner #plasticsurgery #doubleboardcertified #plasticsurgeon #cosmetic #reichnerplasticsurgery

...

19 0

reichnerplasticsurgery

View Instagram post by reichnerplasticsurgery

Jul 26

Open post by reichnerplasticsurgery with ID 18243930430260782
Facelift scars… where are they, and what do they look like? 🤔 In this video Dr. Reichner explains the 3 scar placement locations he uses for his deep plane facelift. 📍 He also mentions how over time, the scars become barely visible. ⏰ Are you ready for your transformation? Schedule Your Consultation with Orange’s Top Rated Plastic Surgeon Today! 📱 714-997-5200 🌎 www.drreichner.com 📧 info@drreichner.com 📍 Orange County, CA 🗓️ Virtual Consults available Reichner Plastic Surgery Daniel Reichner M.D. F.A.C.S Double Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon #facelift #scars #faceliftscars #DrReichner #plasticsurgery #doubleboardcertified #plasticsurgeon #cosmetic #reichnerplasticsurgery

...

13 1