Two people of the same age can look in the mirror and see very different kinds of aging. One may notice the first softening along the jawline while the cheeks still sit high, while another sees deeper folds beside the mouth, heavier jowls, and a neck that has lost its definition. Both may ask for a facelift, yet the surgery that suits one face may not suit the other. Understanding the main types of facelifts, and how each one relates to a particular pattern of aging, is one of the most useful steps a patient in Newport Beach or anywhere in OC can take before a consultation.
At Dr. Ghazizadeh Facial Plastic Surgery, we begin every facelift conversation with the face in front of us rather than with a procedure name. Dr. Shabnam Ghazizadeh, a double board-certified, fellowship-trained facial plastic surgeon, focuses her practice on surgery of the face and neck, and she selects the technique according to where laxity has developed, how deep it runs, and what the patient hopes to achieve. The goal is always a rested, natural appearance that still looks like you, not a pulled or windswept look that announces surgery.
What a Facelift Does and Why Technique Matters
A facelift, known medically as a rhytidectomy, is surgery that lifts and repositions sagging tissues of the lower face and, in many cases, the mid-face and neck. Early techniques relied mainly on pulling the skin tighter, which could look unnatural and fade quickly. Modern approaches work beneath the skin, on a supportive layer called the superficial musculoaponeurotic system, or SMAS. This fibrous, muscular layer connects facial fat and muscle, and as it loosens with age, the cheeks descend, jowls form, and the jawline blurs.
The main types of facelifts differ in how they treat the SMAS. Some techniques fold or suture the layer from above to tighten it, while others release it from its deeper attachments and move it as a single unit. Avashia and colleagues, in a 2023 evidence-based review in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery that analyzed 65 published studies, described these two broad groups as SMAS manipulation and SMAS elevation. They found that patient satisfaction was broadly comparable across techniques and concluded that experienced surgeons can achieve consistent results with a variety of methods when the approach is matched to the individual patient’s aesthetic needs and tissue quality.
That finding reflects how we think about facelift planning: there is no single best facelift, only the most appropriate one for a given face. Our facelift in Newport Beach page describes our deep plane technique in detail. Even so, the right recommendation for you depends on a careful assessment rather than a default choice.
Reading the Signs: Common Concerns Behind a Facelift
Patients often arrive with one specific concern, such as jowls that have begun to break the line of the jaw, a crease between the nose and mouth that makeup no longer softens, or a neck that looks fuller in photographs than it used to. Volume loss, SMAS loosening, fat pad descent, and skin changes tend to develop together at different rates in each person, influenced by genetics, weight changes, and lifestyle. Years of sun exposure along the coast can also accelerate changes in skin texture.
Many patients feel uncertain about timing, worrying either that they are too young for surgery or that they have waited too long. In our experience, candidacy depends on anatomy far more than age. A patient in her early forties with notable jowling may benefit from a lift, while someone in her sixties with strong bone structure and good skin may need less than she expects. We also recognize that facial aging carries emotional weight, and that the decision to have surgery is personal. Our role is to give clear, honest information so that each patient can decide with confidence and without pressure.
Comparing the Main Types of Facelifts
Our surgical team uses what we call our Signature Facial Rejuvenation approach, which pairs a detailed analysis of each facial zone with the technique best suited to it. Dr. Ghazizadeh uses digital photographs and image-altering software during consultation to show how the mid-face, jawline, and neck are contributing to the overall appearance, and to explain why a particular type of facelift is or is not recommended. This shared visual review helps patients weigh their options with clear expectations.
The Mini Facelift
A mini facelift addresses early to moderate aging in the lower third of the face, primarily mild jowling and early loss of jawline definition. Through shorter incisions placed around the ears and sometimes within the hairline, Dr. Ghazizadeh lifts and repositions the SMAS and surrounding tissues, then trims a modest amount of excess skin. Because the dissection is more limited, the procedure is shorter, and recovery is typically quicker. Results commonly last five to ten years, depending on skin quality, genetics, and lifestyle.
Short-scar lifts have been studied extensively. Hijkoop and colleagues, in a 2022 systematic review in the Journal of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery covering 739 patients treated with a widely used short-scar technique, reported a relatively low complication rate and high satisfaction, but also noted that the effect on the neck was limited and that additional procedures were warranted when the neck had aged significantly. That is an important point for patients weighing a mini facelift, and it is one reason we evaluate the neck carefully in every consultation.
SMAS Facelifts: Plication and Imbrication
The term SMAS facelift usually describes techniques that tighten the SMAS without fully releasing it from its deeper attachments. In SMAS plication, the surgeon folds the layer onto itself with sutures; in imbrication, a strip of SMAS is trimmed and the edges are sutured together under tension. These methods can effectively improve the jawline and lower face. Their limitation is that they work mainly on the more mobile, outer portion of the face, so they may have less influence on the mid-face and on deep folds beside the nose and mouth. In our practice, this SMAS-tightening principle is incorporated into the mini facelift for patients with earlier lower-face changes, while more advanced laxity is generally better served by releasing the deeper tissues.
The Deep Plane Facelift
The deep plane facelift releases the SMAS from the ligaments that tether it and repositions the cheek, jawline, and neck tissues together as a composite unit. Because the lift occurs beneath the SMAS rather than through the skin, tension is not carried by the skin itself, which may support a softer, more natural contour and well-concealed incisions. This is Dr. Ghazizadeh’s primary approach for moderate to advanced aging involving sagging cheeks, deep nasolabial folds, marked jowling, and neck laxity, and results commonly last ten to fifteen years. Recovery is somewhat longer than with a mini facelift.
Matching Technique to Candidacy
Choosing among these options comes down to anatomy and goals. Patients with early jowling, good skin elasticity, and a relatively well-defined neck may be well suited to a mini facelift. Those with descent that extends into the mid-face, heavier jowls, or significant neck laxity are often better served by a deep plane facelift, sometimes combined with neck work. Good candidates for any facelift are in good general health, do not smoke or are willing to stop well before and after surgery, and have realistic expectations about what surgery can achieve. Facelift surgery may not be appropriate for patients with uncontrolled high blood pressure, bleeding disorders, certain autoimmune or wound-healing conditions, or a recent major weight change, and patients whose concerns are limited to fine lines or texture may be better served by nonsurgical options.
Pairing a Facelift With Neck Rejuvenation
The neck and lower face age together, and treating only one can leave a visible mismatch. A refreshed jawline above a neck with loose skin, submental fullness, or vertical platysmal bands may look incomplete. For this reason, many of our facelift plans include some form of neck rejuvenation, chosen with the same care as the facelift technique itself.
For patients with more significant neck laxity, a neck lift can address excess skin, fat beneath the chin, and the platysma muscle, and it is frequently performed alongside a deep plane facelift so the jawline and neck are lifted as one continuous contour. For mild to moderate neck changes, Dr. Ghazizadeh developed the Instalift Mini Neck Lift, a customized outpatient procedure that may combine submental liposuction, platysmaplasty, lateral deep plane platysmal tightening, deep neck contouring, and minor skin excision. Some patients choose it on its own, while others pair it with a mini facelift for coordinated improvement along the jaw and neck.
Planning can also include treatments for volume, which a lift alone does not restore. Facial fat grafting may help restore volume lost from the cheeks and temples, and the review by Avashia and colleagues noted that fat grafting was widely applicable for restoring deep mid-face volume across facelift techniques. Eyelid surgery or a brow lift may also be considered when the upper face looks tired.
What to Expect During Facelift Recovery
Facelift surgery is performed under anesthesia, and patients typically return home the same day with detailed aftercare instructions. Swelling and bruising are most noticeable during the first week for every type of facelift, and discomfort is generally manageable with prescribed medication. Our surgical team sees patients regularly to monitor healing, and stitches are typically removed within about two weeks.
Recovery by Technique
After a mini facelift, many patients feel comfortable returning to work and social activities within one to two weeks. After a deep plane facelift, particularly when combined with a neck lift, two to three weeks is a more realistic timeframe before returning to public-facing commitments. With either approach, swelling continues to resolve over several months, tissues settle into their new position over two to three months, and incisions continue to fade for up to a year.
Combining With Skin Resurfacing
Because a facelift repositions tissue but does not change surface texture, some patients choose laser skin resurfacing to address fine lines, sun damage, and uneven tone. Wen and colleagues, in a 2026 systematic review and meta-analysis in Aesthetic Surgery Journal including 1,361 patients, found that performing laser resurfacing at the time of facelift surgery was associated with high satisfaction and low complication rates when laser settings and surgical technique were optimized, including treating undermined skin more conservatively. Dr. Ghazizadeh determines whether resurfacing should be performed at the same time or staged afterward based on skin type and the extent of the lift.
Realistic Long-Term Results
A facelift does not stop aging; it repositions tissues so that the face continues to age from a more refreshed starting point. Sun protection, consistent skincare, a stable weight, and avoiding smoking all help preserve results. Our facelift before and after gallery offers examples of the natural outcomes we aim for, while every patient’s anatomy and healing are unique.
Why Patients Choose Dr. Ghazizadeh for Facelift Surgery
Dr. Shabnam Ghazizadeh earned her medical degree at Oregon Health and Science University, trained in head and neck surgery at UCLA, and completed a facial plastic and reconstructive surgery fellowship in San Francisco. Her training is concentrated on the anatomy of the face and neck, which allows her to offer a full range of options, from the mini facelift and Instalift Mini Neck Lift to the deep plane facelift and deep plane neck lift, rather than steering every patient toward a single procedure. She has also authored peer-reviewed articles and textbook chapters and has presented at national meetings.
Patients at Dr. Ghazizadeh Facial Plastic Surgery often tell us they appreciate the time she takes to explain why one approach suits them better than another. Her philosophy centers on enhancing natural features and preserving expression, so that others notice a rested appearance without being able to identify what changed. For patients from Newport Beach, Corona del Mar, and throughout OC, that individualized planning is often the deciding factor.
Schedule a Facelift Consultation in Newport Beach
If you are noticing changes along your jawline, cheeks, or neck and are unsure which type of facelift may be appropriate, a consultation is the clearest place to start. Dr. Ghazizadeh will evaluate how your face is aging, explain the differences between a mini facelift, SMAS tightening, and a deep plane facelift as they relate to your anatomy, and discuss whether neck rejuvenation or complementary treatments should be part of your plan. We invite you to request a consultation with our surgical team at Dr. Ghazizadeh Facial Plastic Surgery in Newport Beach.
Before & Afters
