The Secret to Getting a Natural-Looking Facelift

Is a fake-looking facelift better than no facelift at all? We don’t think so.

Facelifts are a good solution to combat the ravages of time and nature. Facelifts can add lost facial volume, remove jowls, and raise a drooping chin and neck. But a too-tight facelift looks artificial and could make you look worse than before.

Linda Swanson, MD, with offices in Torrance and Alamitos, California, specializes in giving you a natural-looking facelift. Here’s how Dr. Swanson does it.

What is a face-lift?

During a facelift, Dr. Swanson tightens facial muscles and removes excess skin and fat, giving your face a more toned, sculpted, and youthful look.

A full facelift is a major surgery done under general anesthesia. Downtime varies with each patient, but it typically takes two weeks for swelling and bruising to resolve. Several months will pass before you see the ultimate results of the procedure. 

A traditional facelift is different from a “skin-only” lift, which is less expensive and less invasive than a full facelift. However, skin-only lifts aren’t as long-lasting as traditional lifts. Skin is lifted higher, but gravity pulls at underlying tissues, undoing results in just a few years.

The secret to a natural-looking facelift

Dr. Swanson lifts your tissue both horizontally and vertically, which mimics the way younger faces are formed. Scars, which fade over time, are hidden in ear creases and can easily be covered by hair. 

You might consider pairing a facelift with an eyelid lift, brow lift, neck lift, and skin peel. That way, your entire face looks restored and rejuvenated. Also, performing more than one rejuvenating surgery saves you money, multiple anesthesias, and recovery time. 

How to find the right surgeon

Don’t bargain hunt when looking for a plastic surgeon. Here’s what you should do to find a competent surgeon you can trust:

• Seek recommendations from friends who have had natural-looking facelifts
• Read internet interviews
• Interview more than one surgeon
• Look at before-and-after photos on surgeon websites
• Make sure you don’t feel rushed during interviews with prospective surgeons

More face-lift tips

Here are more things for you to consider that will help ensure a successful face-lift:

• Make sure you arrange for someone to drive you home after surgery
• Take your facelift to the next level by adding other rejuvenating therapies like microneedling and laser resurfacing
• Avoid bending down while healing to prevent excessive swelling and bruising
• Be sure to follow pre- and post-surgery instructions, like avoiding blood thinners before your face-lift

If you’re thinking about a facelift, discuss the procedure and typical results with Dr. Swanson. Call our Torrance office at (310) 517-0931, our Los Alamitos office at (310) 517-0931, or use our online booking tool.