A facelift is one of the most popular procedures in the field of plastic surgery, and it is certainly not limited to one gender or another. As innovations in facelift techniques advance and outcomes improve, more men are turning towards this procedure to amend excess skin and loosened soft tissue in the face and neck.
The board-certified plastic surgeons at the Plastic Surgery Clinic of Chicago are experts in aesthetic surgery of the face and remain on the forefront of innovative techniques. Male facelifts are most often performed to lift, fill, and correct jowls and smile lines on the cheek, jawline, and neck. The goal is to reduce the signs of aging and to give the face a rejuvenated appearance. At the Plastic Surgery Clinic of Chicago, our ambition is not to change the way you look, but to help you reach your aesthetic goals so that you look and feel like a more youthful version of yourself.
It is a common misconception among men that a facelift will “feminize” the facial features, but this is not the case when performed correctly. An expertly trained plastic surgeon understands the subtle differences between the male and female face and will ensure that the greatest amount of care and precision goes into each procedure.
AM I A GOOD CANDIDATE FOR A FACELIFT?
You may be a good candidate for a male facelift if any of the following three common problem areas of the face are familiar to you:
- Deflation: As we age, we lose facial fat volume. This is usually most noticeable as hollowness just below the cheeks or the descent of fat in the jaw, neck or other parts of the face.
- Radial Expansion: Facial ligaments weaken over time and the attached tissue separates, causing a loss of definition in the jaw line and more pronounced jowls.
- Neck Sagging: As muscles loosen, fat accumulates under the chin. At the same time, the skin loses elasticity, causing fullness around the jaw and neck.
There is no way to definitively stop the aging process; however, through facial rejuvenation, we can slow it down and restore you to a more youthful version of yourself. While it is not an anti-aging cure, a well-performed facelift can greatly rejuvenate the face and neck and give you a much younger-looking appearance.
WHAT TO EXPECT FROM A CONSULTATION
Always consult with your plastic surgeon before deciding to undergo a facelift. Make sure you understand the potential risks and recovery period associated with the procedure. If looking younger is your goal, your surgeon may be able to recommend other procedures that, when coupled with a facelift, will help restore balance and harmony to your face and body.
At the Plastic Surgery Clinic of Chicago, we thoroughly review your medical history, speak with you about your expectations, and provide you with an extensive overview of the procedure.
HOW IS A MALE FACELIFT PERFORMED?
There are several different methods for performing a facelift, which are often dictated by the desired results of the individual patient. To begin, the patient is placed under general anesthesia. Incisions are made around the front and back of the ear and along the hairline to hide any scarring that may occur. Underneath the skin, facial tissue is lifted, reshaped and re-suspended. The patient’s own fat cells are distributed in the face and neck to correct the deflation and restore facial aesthetic balance. The cheeks are elevated to a more youthful position, and additional fat transfers may be used to lift and fill the cheeks to give a younger overall appearance.
Depending on your individual needs, your plastic surgeon may also use techniques in wrinkle reduction or skin resurfacing during the procedure. Drains maybe placed depending upon the type of facelift performed. Lastly, the incisions are closed with skin sutures.
RECOVERY AFTER A FACELIFT
As an outpatient procedure, facelift patients are released the day of surgery to return home. Patients should keep their head elevated for the first night and use ice packs to reduce swelling. The face will be bandaged after a facelift, but it can be removed by your doctor within a day or two after surgery.
Some bruising and swelling is normal, and sutures can be removed within a week after surgery. It is always important to follow your doctor’s instructions after any surgical procedure and attend follow-up examinations.
Although patients can typically return to normal activity about two weeks after the procedure, the swelling of the face and neck may not completely resolve for two to three months. The full effects of a facelift may not be entirely noticeable until the swelling has gone down completely.
POTENTIAL ASSOCIATED RISKS OF A FACELIFT
There are always potential risks associated with any surgery. Potential risks of a facelift may include:
- Infection
- Hematoma (blood clot)
- Facial nerve weakness
- Fluid accumulation
- Skin discoloration
Always make sure that the surgeon performing the procedure is board-certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, and that the surgery is being carried out in an accredited surgical facility.
POTENTIAL ASSOCIATED RISKS OF A FACELIFT
The cost of this type of procedure depends largely on the location of the clinic, the surgeon, and the patient’s needs. According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, the average cost of a facelift is around $7,000, though it can easily range up to $15,000 and above.
The Plastic Surgery Clinic of Chicago provides every patient with a detailed breakdown of costs after an initial consultation. It is rare that your health insurance provider will cover any of the costs associated with a facelift.
SCHEDULE A CONSULTATION
If you would like to learn more about facelifts for men, or you have questions about the procedure, give us a call to schedule a consultation. We will make sure that you understand the entire procedure all the way through recovery, and we are always upfront about the associated costs and potential risks involved with plastic surgery. If a more youthful and natural-looking appearance is what you desire, contact the Plastic Surgery Clinic of Chicago today.
All surgical procedures by the Plastic Surgery Clinic of Chicago are performed at top hospitals in Chicago and CMS or AAAASF-certified surgical centers for safety.
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#Primaryrhinoplasty to fix the dorsal hump, droopy tip, and crooked nose. In the post-operative photos, the patient has a nice dorsal profile on side view, the tip has been lifted, and the nose is straight. To evaluate how straight the nose is, look at the dorsal aesthetic lines on bird’s eye view and follow the two light reflexes along the dorsum. Posted with permission.
#plasticsurgery #plasticsurgeon #cosmeticsurgery #rhinoplasty #rhinoplastyrevision #nosejob #chicago #chicagoplasticsurgery
Challenging #tertiaryrhinoplasty on this patient who had nasal deviation, a dorsal hump, and an under-rotated/under-projected tip. In the post-operative photos, you can see a straighter nose with more symmetric dorsal aesthetic lines and tip defining points. Posted with permission.
#plasticsurgery #plasticsurgeon #cosmeticsurgery #rhinoplasty #revisionrhinoplasty #tertiaryrhinoplasty #chicago #chicagoplasticsurgery #chicagoplasticsurgeon
Honored to be inducted into the Rhinoplasty Society. The Rhinoplasty Society was founded in 1996 by plastic surgeons who have pioneered modern rhinoplasty. The society is dedicated to the education and advancement of nasal surgery.
#plasticsurgery #plasticsurgeon #cosmeticsurgery #rhinoplasty #therhinoplastysociety #chicago #chicagoplasticsurgery
Relatively small surgeries can yield big changes. This patient wanted to improve the contour of her chin and the overall profile of her face. The patient’s lower 1/3 of the face and chin were short and set back. Additionally, the patient had asymmetries of the chin and jawline that she wanted improved. The patient underwent a #slidinggenioplasty to achieve these goals where the chin was cut and mobilized forward and downward. In the post-operative photos, you can see a more aesthetic and balanced facial profile. The advantages of a #genioplasty over a #chinimplant are that the chin can be moved in numerous planes, the advancement can be more significant, and asymmetries can be addressed. Posted with permission.
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This patient had a bilateral constricted ear deformity where the top portion of the ear folds over the rest of the ear. In this deformity, the ear appears shorter in height and there are abnormalities of the outer and inner folds of the ear. In the postoperative photos you can visualize the ear is longer in height, the helical rim or outer portion of the ear is lifted up and the antihelical fold or inner portion of the ear is more defined. Posted with permission.
#plasticsurgery #plasticsurgeon #cosmeticsurgey #otoplasty #cupear #constrictedeardeformity #earreconstruction #chicago #chicagoplasticsurgery
Challenging #breastaugmentation case where the patient had asymmetries of the breasts in terms of size, shape, and position on the chest. The patient underwent a breast augmentation with #gelimplants with a larger size in the left breast to balance the size difference. The left breast fold was also lowered to match the fold level of the right. Posted with permission.
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Plastic surgery can sometimes be subtle or dramatic. In this case, this patient’s outcome was life altering after a lipoabdominoplasty or tummy tuck. The patient can now do all of the things in life that she was limited in doing due to her body habitus. Posted with permission.
#plasticsurgery #plasticsurgeon #cosmeticsurgery #abdominoplasty #liposuction #tummytuck #chicago #chicagoplasticsurgery
Plastic surgeons pioneered microsurgery and free flaps nearly 50 years ago. The surgery involves harvesting tissue with its arteries and veins and transplanting it to another part of the body. The arteries and veins are re-attached at the new site using a microscope and sutures smaller than human hair. In this case, this patient was in a bad car accident where he had an open wound of the leg with exposed and fractured bone. Before microsurgery was invented, many of these patients would have their limb amputated. To salvage his leg, I took a muscle from his thigh and transplanted it to the lower leg to cover the exposed bone after Ortho fixed the broken bone. As you can see in the video, he is on his way to a full recovery and can walk now. After more physical therapy, he will be able to walk without a walker. Posted with permission.
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Amazing transformation for this patient who underwent a lipoabdominoplasty or tummy tuck. In this case I removed excess fat from the abdomen and flanks, removed excess abdominal skin, and rebuilt the abdominal muscles. The incision is kept low so that it is inconspicuous. Posted with permission.
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A former collegiate wrestler who developed moderate cauliflower ear of the left that resulted in a thick and more protruding ear. A cauliflower ear forms after blunt trauma to the ear where a blood clot develops. If left untreated, the ear cartilage becomes thick and hard, which makes these cases difficult to treat. After surgery, the patient now reports feeling more confident when he looks in the mirror and when he is communicating with people in social settings. Posted with permission.
#plasticsurgery #plasticsurgeon #cosmeticsurgery #otoplasty #earreconstruction #cauliflowerear #chicago #chicagoplasticsurgery
What a transformation for this patient who wanted a #snatched waist and augmentation of the buttock and hips or #BBL.
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Breast augmentation on a pro athlete who wanted a natural augmentation and to be able to still perform at a high level. We opted for a smaller implant to meet those goals. The patient is tall and lean and the implants fit her frame perfectly. Posted with permission.
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Maintaining masculinity and core features without major alterations were the plan for this patient who underwent a #revisionrhinoplasty. The patient reports that when people see him now after surgery, the comments he receives are along the lines of “you look well rested or more handsome” and not “did you have a rhinoplasty or you look completely different”. Exactly what we like to hear. Posted with permission.
#plasticsurgery #plasticsurgeon #cosmeticsurgery #rhinoplasty #revisionrhinoplasty #malerhinoplasty #chicago #chicagoplasticsurgerycenter
Check out this transformation on a mom of 2 who developed significant deflation of her breasts after pregnancy and breast feeding. Posted with permission.
#plasticsurgery #plasticsurgeon #cosmeticsurgery #breastaugmentation #breastimplants #mastopexy #chicago #chicagoplasticsurgery
Midterm follow-up on this lovely #rhinoplasty patient who wanted nasal surgery to improve her nasal breathing but also to improve the aesthetics of the nose. Fixing the crooked nose is a challenge in rhinoplasty and on the bird’s eye view, you can visualize improvement in the dorsal aesthetic lines. Dorsal aesthetic lines are two curvilinear light reflex lines that travel from the inner eyebrow to the tip of the nose on frontal view. On profile view you can see a nice profile with the dorsal hump removed. Posted with permission.
#plasticsurgery #plasticsurgeon #cosmeticsurgery #rhinoplasty #hybridrhinoplasty #septoplasty #crookednose #chicago #chicagoplasticsurgery
Honored to lead the Midwestern Association of Plastic Surgeons (MAPS) as president for 2021-2022 with this group of esteemed colleagues on the board with me. MAPS is a plastic surgery society that was founded in 1961 to foster the development of plastic surgery in the Midwest region and involves plastic surgeons and plastic surgery programs from the states of Kansas, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, and Wisconsin. We are currently planning our annual meeting which will take place in Chicago on May 20-21st. The meeting will have renowned plastic surgeons from all over the United States to share ideas and to advance our specialty forward.
#plasticsurgery #plasticsurgeon #MAPS #cosmeticsurgery #craniofacialsurgery #microsurgery #aestheticsurgery #handsurgery #pediatricsurgery #chicago #chicagoplasticsurgery #burnsurgeryspecialist
Happy for this mother of 2 who wanted to improve the contour and aesthetics of her abdomen and waist with an #abdominoplasty or #tummy tuck. After children, women can experience rectus diastasis or separation of the abdominal muscles as the uterus expands. During a tummy tuck, plastic surgeons will address this separation by stitching the muscles back together. In the post-operative photos you can visualize the muscles re-positioned more centrally. Additionally, we will perform liposuction, remove excess abdominal skin and re-set the belly button. Posted with permission.
#plasticsurgery #plasticsurgeon #cosmeticsurgery #tummytuck #abdominoplasty #rectusdiastasis #chicago #chicagoplasticsurgery
Asian upper blepharoplasty or “double eyelid surgery” is a variation of an upper eyelid lift or upper blepharoplasty procedure where the upper eyelid crease is raised and more defined. Additionally, the epicanthal fold or skin that covers the inner corner of the eye can be removed depending on the patient’s goals. The goal of this surgery is not to necessarily create an occidental appearing eye but to maintain the patient’s features and create the appearance that the eye is larger and more refreshed. Posted with permission.
#plasticsurgery #plasticsurgeon #cosmeticsurgery #blepharoplasty #eyelidlift #asianblepharoplasty #doubleeyelidsurgery #chicago #chicagoplasticsurgery
It’s amazing how a small surgery can have a large impact on a person’s facial proportions. This patient underwent a #genioplasty or chin augmentation and #neckliposuction to improve the aesthetics and balance of the lower 1/3 of the face. In the post-operative photos, the patient’s face appears less round, more angular, and the lower 1/3 more proportional with the middle and upper 1/3 of the face. Posted with permission.
#plasticsurgery #plasticsurgeon #cosmeticsurgery #genioplasty #chinaugmentation #neckliposuction #craniofacialsurgery #chicago #chicagoplasticsurgery
Six month follow-up on a natural #otoplasty procedure or #earpinning procedure. Plastic surgeons board certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery have pioneered the techniques used today for ear pinning surgery. The surgery entails improving the definition of the ears and setting the ears closer to the scalp. The patient reports feeling more confident in the size, shape, and symmetry of his ears in social and work settings. Posted with permission.
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