Facelift in Boston

Reduce the signs of aging with the most specialized, natural-looking results.

Deep Plane Facelift Preservation Facelift

Natural-Looking Facelifts by Dr. Ahn

At Ahn Point Facial Plastic Surgery in the Boston area, Dr. Ahn specializes in facelifts and facial rejuvenation. Using the latest, most effective techniques, he creates results that are subtle, natural, and long-lasting. A facelift with Dr. Ahn can do more than refresh your appearance. It can restore confidence, enhance your self-image, and help you feel more like yourself.

What is a Facelift?

A facelift, also known as a rhytidectomy, is a cosmetic surgical procedure designed to address visible signs of aging in the face and neck. As we age, factors like gravity, sun exposure, and lifestyle can lead to sagging skin, deepening folds, and loss of facial volume. A facelift aims to rejuvenate the face by tightening underlying muscles, removing excess fat, and redraping the skin to restore a more youthful and refreshed appearance.

During the procedure, a skilled facial plastic surgeon makes discreet incisions, typically around the hairline, ears, and sometimes under the chin. The underlying tissues are repositioned, and excess skin is removed to smooth out deep lines and lift sagging areas. Depending on individual needs, a facelift may be combined with other procedures, such as a neck lift or eyelid surgery, to achieve comprehensive facial rejuvenation.

What Causes the Face to Age?

The primary reasons are as follows:

Loss of skin elasticity because of sun damage and the natural aging process

Loss of soft tissue facial volume

Gravity that makes the skin and soft tissue fall

The combination of these three factors contributes to the telltale signs of the aging face and neck, which include the following:

Marionette lines
Jowls hanging over the jawline

Extra neck skin with wrinkles
Vertical bands down the front of the neck

Excess fullness/fat in the neck
Loss of the neck angle from the side view

Who Is a Candidate for a Facelift?

A facelift can be a transformative procedure for those looking to rejuvenate their appearance and restore confidence. While every patient is unique, ideal candidates typically share the following characteristics:

Good overall health – Candidates should be physically healthy and able to safely undergo surgery and anesthesia.
Signs of aging in the lower face and neck – Common concerns include sagging jowls, deepened folds around the mouth, and loose skin in the neck.
Ages 40 to 70 – This is often the stage when signs of aging in the face and neck become more noticeable, though candidates outside this range may also benefit.
Realistic expectations – A facelift can enhance your natural appearance and restore youthful contours, but it does not stop the aging process.
Commitment to long-term results – Candidates should be committed to maintaining healthy skin and a balanced lifestyle to prolong the benefits of surgery.

Facelift Before & After

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Mastering the Deep Plane Facelift

During his facial plastic surgery training in San Francisco, Dr. Ahn learned from the most talented facelift surgeons in the world. Over the years, he combined their best ideas with his own aesthetic sensibility to develop his personal technique. Dr. Ahn’s technique for facelifting is the gold standard, known as the “deep plane lift.”

He uses this method of lifting the jowls for both the mini lift and for the lower facelift. This technique is highly technical and requires a deep understanding of the anatomy. During the procedure, the SMAS “muscle” layer is mobilized by carefully and precisely releasing multiple microscopic attachments. The advantages of the deep plane lift include the following:

The most effective technique for lifting jowls
The most natural-looking results of any lifting technique
No reliance on pulling the skin to achieve a lift
Other techniques rely somewhat on skin pull to get their results
No chance of a “pulled” or tight look
No tension on the skin edges, so the incisions heal better

Similarly, in the neck lift, Dr. Ahn addressed the muscle layer by reattaching the vertical bands through a technique called “corset platsymaplasty.” This results in a significant neck improvement that looks natural.

Deep Plane Facelift

Restore your youthful contours with our advanced deep plane facelift treatments, expertly designed to lift deeper facial tissues and achieve natural, long-lasting rejuvenation with minimal downtime.

Preservation Facelift

Revitalize your natural beauty with our preservation facelift, expertly designed to lift and tighten sagging skin while maintaining your unique facial expressions for a refreshed and harmonious appearance.

Anesthesia

All procedures at Ahn Point Facial Plastic Surgery are performed under intravenous sedation, also known as “twilight anesthesia.” We feel that procedures performed under twilight anesthesia are safer (without the risks of general anesthesia) and lead to a quicker and easier recovery.

Recovery After Facelift

Immediately after surgery, you will have a loose dressing around the neck and head. After spending the night at home or in a local hotel (we will make arrangements for out of town patients) you will return to the office the next day to remove the dressing. We will also clean your sutures and wash your hair. For the next week, you will do little but rest at home with your head elevated. During this time, most patients describe mild to moderate soreness in the front of the neck and behind the ears.

This discomfort is controlled with oral pain medication such as Vicodin. You will return to the office seven days after surgery to remove the sutures. At ten days, most, if not all, of the bruising has resolved. With a little bit of make-up, most patients are presentable in public after approximately ten days. With normal healing, the total recovery from facelifting surgery involves 10 to 14 days of rest with minimal activity. If you have a special event planned, Dr. Ahn advises that you allow at least 3-4 weeks of recovery before the event.

Facelift Costs

We are often asked what a facelift, also known as a rhytidectomy, costs. The reality is that it varies from person to person. The overall cost associated with this surgical procedure depends on how much work will need to be done. Because most facelifts are primarily performed to improve the visible signs of aging on the face and neck, insurance companies consider it an elective cosmetic procedure. As a result, they are not covered by insurance. At Ahn Point Facial Plastic Surgery, our costs for a mini or lower facelift involve three separate components:

The surgeon’s fee

The anesthesia fee

The cost of the facility

The actual price for prospective patients will ultimately depend on a few factors:

How much work the surgeon will need to perform to create the desired look
Does the facelift include other areas of the face (the neck, eyes, or brows) which increase the cost
The surgeon’s experience, qualifications, and skill level
Geographical location

Facelift Price Estimates at Ahn Point Facial Plastic Surgery
Here at Ahn Point, we like to provide patients with all of the costs associated with a facelift at the time of consultation.

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Face & Neck Lift Procedures

Meet Dr. Min S. Ahn

Factors to Consider When Choosing a Facial Plastic Surgeon

You may be able to find doctors who will perform the surgery at a cheaper price, but make sure you understand why. As the saying goes, “You get what you pay for.” When you find a procedure at an unusually low rate, err on the side of caution. Before considering any life-changing surgery, it is important to look at the following:

Experience

How many years a doctor has been in practice will impact the price you pay. Obviously, a doctor who has performed thousands of facelifts will likely cost you more than a doctor who has only performed a handful.

Credentials

Make sure you know what schools your doctor attended as well as the certifications they attained. Where a surgeon receives his medical training can also impact the cost of the desired medical procedure.

Location

Different parts of the country have different costs, and the quality of the facility can command higher pricing.

Reviews

When looking for a qualified doctor, reviews can be extremely helpful. This, too, can factor into surgery costs.

Anesthetists

As with your surgeon, make sure you know their credentials, experience, and educational background.

PATIENT TESTIMONIALS

Transformative is the first word that comes to mind. My experience with Dr. Ahn was absolutely transformative! I had a deep plane face, neck, and brow lift. Every one of my friends has said it is the most natural, incredible facelift result they have ever seen. Everything about the experience was perfect. Dr. Ahn's skill, artistry, kindness, and attention to detail was amazing, and his staff is absolutely wonderful. I am 70 and I now look like I did in my 50's. I look in the mirror and see my younger self, and it is just such a wonderful feeling! Thank you Dr. Ahn and everyone at the AWC!!

E.E.

Dr. Ahn is a truly Exceptional Surgeon and an Outstanding Doctor. He has made me feel so much better about myself and given me back my confidence. I look in the mirror and am Very Happy with the results. I had a lower face lift done and it has taken years off my look. I will be going back to Dr. Ahn for an upper and lower eyelid surgery. Also, Dr. Ahn is not just a Brilliant surgeon, he has excellent soft skills as well. He has a pleasant personality, is engaging and really cares for his patients. Dr. Ahn is simply The Best Facial Plastic Surgeon in this area! Rebecca, Nurse Practitioner, and the entire Staff at the Aesthetic Wellness Center are professional, polite, positive and always helpful. They, all, provide an A+ experience.

Greg H.

Excellent results! So happy with facelift, eye surgery, and would refer Dr. Ahn and his nurse, Rebecca, for injections as well. Wonderful team very nice people!

Finley N.

Why Choose Dr. Ahn for Facelift in Boston?

Dr. Min S. Ahn, a double board-certified facial plastic surgeon, specializes in facelifts and facial rejuvenation, providing personalized care to achieve natural, refreshed results. With his artistic eye, surgical expertise, and extensive experience, he guides patients through the facelift process with precision, enhancing natural beauty while preserving individual expression.

At Ahn Point, the patient experience combines white-glove service with a warm, welcoming environment. Recognized as one of Castle Connolly’s Top Doctors and a Boston Magazine Top Doctor from 2019 to 2024, Dr. Ahn has earned a reputation as one of New England’s leading surgeons. Using the latest techniques in facial rejuvenation, his team delivers results that patients love, making Ahn Point the preferred choice for those seeking an expert facelift in Boston.

Facelift FAQs

What types of facelift procedures are available?

The most common types of face-lifting procedures are the full facelift, the lower facelift, the mini lift, also known as the mini facelift and the neck lift.

What is the difference between different facelift procedures?

The full facelift is a term that is not often used these days. It includes a brow lift, upper eyelid lift and lower eyelid lift, lower face and neck lift. The lower facelift improves the jawline through a slightly longer incision than the mini lift when there is more extra skin to remove. The mini lift lifts the jowls through a shorter incision than the lower facelift. The neck lift improves the neck by improving the vertical bands, removing extra fat and tightening the skin.

What is the recovery time for a facelift procedure?

The recovery time is approximately two weeks of social downtime.

What are the risks associated with a facelift?

The most commonly discussed risks associated with a facelift are bleeding, infection and nerve damage. Bleeding is also known as a hematoma and if small can be corrected fairly easily. If it is large, it needs to be corrected surgically. Both are rare. Infection is also rare because a number of anti-infection steps are taken: cleaning the skin with hibiclens (a powerful disinfectant) at home, oral antibiotics, IV antibiotics at the time of surgery and sterile surgical technique. Sensory nerves are always affected but recover within a year. The nerve that moves the face is called the facial nerve. By identifying it and protecting it during surgery, the surgeon can avoid facial nerve injury.

When will I fully see the results of my facelift?

You will look presentable in public with a little makeup in 2-3 weeks. Your best results will be seen from then all the way up to a year after surgery.

Will a facelift produce visible scars?

If the incisions are designed to hide within creases and behind the tragus (the cartilage in front of the ear opening) and the skin is put together with no tension, then the scars will be very difficult, if not impossible, to see.