As you age, your face changes. What were once youthful features begin to lose definition. A facelift can refresh your appearance – restoring a naturally younger version of you.
What is a facelift?
A facelift restores a younger appearance to the mid and lower face, including the neck. The procedure restores youthful facial contours with a result that usually offers a 10-year age improvement. In addition, a facelift with Dr. Ringler can:
- Minimize heavy facial folds
- Remove excess, sagging skin
- Reposition sagging tissues throughout the face
- Smooth away creases and lines
- Define a jawline or neck that has been hidden by sagging jowls
- Smooth sagging neck skin
Why choose Dr. Ringler?
As a leading Grand Rapids plastic surgeon, Dr. Ringler has focused on natural facelift procedures for over 35 years. His experience, knowledge and artistic judgement will be customized to help you achieve your own beautiful result. Dr. Ringler performed the very first MACS facelift in Grand Rapids MI and has been improving facelift techniques for many years. Facelifts are a particular specialty of Dr. Ringler’s and many patients from around the country seek his beautiful, natural facelift results.
When performing facelift surgery for his patients, Dr. Ringler focuses not on erasing all signs of the aging process – but on subtly smoothing and firming the skin so that you can age with grace. With Dr. Ringler, nothing looks pulled, tight or operated. Rather, you look like a young, restored, and beautiful version of you. Dr. Ringler often combines a facelift procedure with a neck lift, blepharoplasty (eye-lift), and fat grafting for beautiful results customized just for you.
Grand Rapids Plastic Surgeon
“Dr. Ringler and staff are very professional and easy to work with. Dr. Ringler is very experienced and has the confidence and surgical technique and expertise to deliver an exceptional result. I highly recommend him.”
Grand Rapids Plastic Surgeon
“Amazing Experience. I am 5 days post op from a MACS Plus facelift with Facial Fat Grafting. What an incredible experience this has been. Dr. Ringler and his staff have been extremely kind and caring! I had tons of questions both pre and post surgery all of which have been thoroughly answered and explained. I would definitely encourage anyone considering a facelift to seek out the expertise of Dr. Ringler. He is outstanding.”
Grand Rapids Plastic Surgeon
“I have been a patient of Dr. Ringler for the past six years. This week he performed five procedures to remove the signs of aging. He performed a facelift, neck lift, upper and lower eye lifts and fat grafting to fill in areas where needed. The procedures were beautifully executed. He is truly an artist in human anatomy. The best plastic surgery is when you are refreshed to a more vibrant you! That is what Dr. Ringler did for me! I would highly recommend him for a facial procedure…and your face is your billboard to the world…no room for error! He delivers the desired results!”
Grand Rapids Plastic Surgeon
“I did my research and had met with 4 plastic surgeons before Dr. Ringler. I felt the connection and trust immediately! He is very caring and compassionate. I am very happy I chose Dr. Ringler as he is a very skilled surgeon who takes the time to listen. My results of my facial procedures, upper, lower lids, lower face and neck lift as well as fat grafting, are beyond my expectations! I had minimal pain and swelling which surprised me. Recovery has gone well no doubt related to Dr. Ringler’s skill and techniques.”
Am I a candidate for a facelift?
Age does not define candidates for facial rejuvenation. Grand Rapids women and men of various ages choose facial rejuvenation to delay or improve visible indications of facial aging. These factors generally define good candidates for facelift procedures:
- Sagging skin in your midface and/or jawline
- Deep creases extending from your nose to the corners of your mouth (nasolabial folds)
- Lines extending from each corner of your mouth down your chin (marionette lines)
- Facial fat (volume) that has fallen or is displaced
- Sagging and loss of muscle tone in the lower face, resulting in jowls
- A double chin, resulting from loose skin and excess fatty deposits under the chin and jaw
- Creased and sagging skin in your neck
If you are in good general health, have a positive attitude and realistic expectations, you are most likely a good candidate for this procedure.
The procedure What to expect
Facelifts are performed on an outpatient basis. The procedure is done under local anesthesia with sedation and does not require general anesthesia. There are various techniques that Dr. Ringler may use, depending on the specific signs of aging you’d like to address:
- Incisions for a full facelift begin hidden just below the sideburn, often inside the ear. They continue in front of, under and behind the earlobe, and extend just below the hairline and behind the ear if more neck skin removal is required.
- A smaller incision limited to just in front of the ear may be used to improve the mid-face alone.
- A small incision beneath the chin may be added to improve a double chin or a sagging neck or perform liposuction of the neck.
Through your facelift openings, Dr. Ringler will gently redistribute fat and tissue throughout the face and trim away excess skin to restore your youthful contours. To complete the procedure, he will close the incisions with sutures.
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Steven L. Ringler, MD, FACS
Contact UsRecovery
You will need a capable adult with you for 24 hours after your surgery. Facelift recovery ranges from one to two weeks, depending on the specific procedure you had performed. However, most of our Grand Rapids patients are able to return to light, normal daily activities the day after surgery. The techniques used by Dr. Ringler are proven to shorten recovery, and patients are often surprised by how quickly they are able to resume normal social activities.
Maintaining your youthful results
Facelift results are long-lasting, but maintaining your youth is a lifestyle choice. Proper skincare is essential after surgery. Although a facelift improves the contour of your face and neck more than any other facial procedure, it will not improve the quality of your skin. Many of our non-surgical procedures such as SkinPen, Forever Young BBL, HALO, and an excellent skin care regimen can dramatically improve the results of your facelift. We typically recommend that patients begin improving the quality of their skin prior to a facelift for best results.
Facelift FAQ's
Why might a facelift be recommended for me?
Looking younger and improving your facial appearance may be attained through facial rejuvenating procedures such as a facelift.
What are the risks?
All surgeries carry the potential for risks. Though facelift risks are rare when the procedure is performed by a board-certified plastic surgeon, like Dr. Ringler, they may include a poor reaction to the anesthesia, infection, facial nerve injury, sensation changes and more. During your consultation, all potential risks will be thoroughly discussed.
What will my scars look like?
Scars are a normal outcome of surgery and will be concealed within the hairline and natural contours of the face. The location and pattern of your incisions and the resulting scars will be discussed during your consultation.
How much does a facelift cost?
A facelift in Michigan can be one of the most intricate plastic surgery procedures of the bunch. At the Center for Aesthetics and Plastic Surgery, our facelifts range between $5,000 and $26,000 depending upon your needs.
How long will it take to heal after a facelift?
While each patient is different, you should plan to take two weeks off for recovery. Within 10 to 14 days, most patients have healed enough to return to work and resume their usual social activities. Within three months, most patients are fully recovered and can enjoy the results for years to come.
Can I drive myself home after a facelift?
Facelifts are typically performed with general anesthesia, and patients cannot drive themselves home as the drugs have a lingering effect. You should plan on a family member or friend to drive you home and help you for the first day or two.
How should I best prepare for my facelift surgery?
Dr. Ringler will provide you with detailed instructions to prepare, but you can expect to stop smoking and taking any drugs, supplements, or herbs that can increase the risk of excess bleeding.
Can I get the same results with a non-surgical facelift?
While there are many effective non-surgical facelifts available, none will provide the level of results available with surgery. If you’re looking for dramatic results now and a significant improvement in your face, nothing can beat a real facelift.
Steven L. Ringler, MD, FACS
Contact
Call Us 616-328-8800
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