Facelift Surgery Process

Consultation

When visiting our Houston office for a facelift consultation, you will meet with Dr. Funk to discuss your concerns regarding your neck, jowls, jawline, and midface. Whether you are considering a neck lift, facelift, or mini facelift Dr. Funk will concentrate on the areas you want to focus on improving. If you are amenable, he will give recommendations regarding other procedures such as a brow lift, eyelid surgery, or laser resurfacing that may complement your facelift procedure.

Dr. Funk will then examine your face and neck and assess the best treatment option. Photographs will be taken and you and Dr. Funk will sit in his office reviewing these photographs and making digital changes to provide an approximation of what a facelift or neck lift will do for your jowls and jawline. You and Dr. Funk will review before and after photos of facelift patients who have had surgery with Dr. Funk. Once all your questions are answered, you will meet with our patient care coordinator to review the quote for a facelift, neck lift, or mini facelift.

Preoperative Appointment

Your preoperative appointment will usually occur the day prior to surgery. On this day, you will meet with Dr. Funk once more to re-discuss your goals for the surgery, review the risks of a facelift, and discuss some of the healing process. The majority of the time will be spent with the patient care coordinator who will discuss preoperative and postoperative care. They will review what you can expect after surgery, things that may cause concern, and what should appear as normal healing versus abnormal. Your final payment will also be collected at this time.

Day of Facelift Surgery/Procedure

On the day of your facelift surgery, you will check-in at the facility and then move on to the preop area. There you will change into a surgical gown and have an IV started. Consent forms will be signed and you will meet the surgical team. You will then move on to the operating room. Your facelift will be performed in Houston usually at a surgery center. Dr. Funk typically performs his facelift surgery under general anesthesia. A mini facelift or neck lift will take approximately 3 hours while a full face and neck lift will take 4 hours. You will be taken to the recovery room after surgery. Depending on how many hours of anesthesia you have and how many additional procedures you may have with your facelift, an overnight stay at the facility may be recommended.

Recovery

Recovery after a facelift depends on the extent of work that is required and which procedure is performed. A facelift is usually not painful. You may feel tightness around your neck and slight tenderness around your ears. You will have a pressure dressing the first night after surgery, which will be removed in the office the next day. A new lighter dressing will be placed which will be removed 1-2 days later. You will then wear a compression garment for 1-2 weeks after surgery and then just at night.