Facelift in Dallas, TX

In the past, the term "facelift" inferred to simply lifting the skin of the cheeks, often leaving a tight, unnatural appearance. Many doctors try to pull the face as tight as possible to make the patient look as young as possible, resulting in an artificial, operated look. As plastic surgeons better understand the science of the aging face, our surgical techniques have changed dramatically.

At the Highland Park Plastic Surgery Center in Dallas, TX, Dr. Toledo’s facelifts involve lifting and tightening the lower face and neck in two layers. The muscle and fascial layer, called the superficial musculoaponeurotic system (SMAS), is tightened separately from the skin and fat layers. This technique, today more popularly known as a Deep Plane Facelift, avoids tension on the skin, minimizing the artificial look and reducing the appearance of scars. This approach aims to achieve an elegant, angular neck with a tight jawline. In contrast, the upper face and cheek areas are not "pulled" as tightly as in the outdated approach. The area around the eyes often needs tissue volume replacement, whereas the lower face and neck should be lifted, elevated, and oftentimes, have fat reduced. To achieve this, Dr. Toledo will either gently reposition fat from the jowls and nasolabial folds to the cheeks or transfers fat from other areas of the body to the upper face, orbits and temple areas.

Dr. Toledo is a double board-certified plastic surgeon in both Plastic Surgery and Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery and Facial Plastic Surgery with over three decades of experience in aesthetic facial surgery. Dr. George A. Toledo performs facelifts using advanced SMAS and deep structural techniques tailored to each patient’s anatomy. His Dallas, Texas practice is known for delivering natural-looking facelift results with long-lasting improvement in the jawline, cheeks, and neck. 

What Is a Deep Plane Facelift?

A deep plane facelift is an advanced surgical technique that goes beneath the SMAS (Superficial Musculoaponeurotic System) layer of the face. Instead of simply tightening skin, this approach:

• Releases key facial ligaments
• Repositions deeper facial tissues as a composite unit
• Restores youthful midface volume and contour
• Improves jowls, nasolabial folds, and neck laxity

This technique is widely considered one of the most natural and comprehensive methods of facial rejuvenation because it avoids the “pulled” or overly tight appearance sometimes associated with older facelift methods. The deep plane, SMAS, facelift is not new, as it was described by Dr. Tord Skoog in 1974, and has been performed by Dr. Toledo since 1985.

With decades of experience and thousands of surgeries, Dr. Toledo has gained valuable insight to precisely refine his facelift technique. Dr. Toledo's deep plane face and neck lifts provide the most natural facial expression and movement, improved jawline definition, reduction of jowls and neck laxity, midface lifting and cheek rejuvenation, long-lasting results and a balanced facial harmony without over-tightening.

Experience matters!

At the Highland Park Plastic Surgery Center, Dr. Toledo will analyze every detail of your aging face, from your collar bone to the top of your scalp. The effects of gravity and aging can impact all aspects of your face. Dr. Toledo focuses on restoring youthful balance to the entire face rather than just tightening skin, helping patients achieve a refreshed and natural appearance. The procedure targets deeper layers of facial support to reposition sagging tissues in the midface or cheeks, jawline, and neck. By addressing structural facial aging, deep plane techniques typically provide results that last longer than traditional skin-only facelifts. Each facelift is customized based on, degree of facial aging, skin quality, neck laxity and facial bony structure.

Dr. Toledo believes that correcting one area of the face without addressing the others will leave your face appearing disproportionate. For example, lifting the cheeks without lifting the neck or performing eyelid surgery without a forehead lift may not result in a balanced, harmonious appearance.

The following areas may also need to be addressed during your procedure:

• Lifting the forehead and brow (Forehead Lift)
• Correcting extra skin and fat bags around the eyelids (Blepharoplasty)
• Removing excess skin and fat from the neck and jowls (Neck Lift)
• Fat grafting to the upper cheeks, orbital rim, and temples (Fat Transfer)
• Lifting and narrowing the nasal tip (Rhinoplasty)
• Augmenting thin lips to their more youthful fullness
• Decreasing the size and lifting earlobes
• Skin resurfacing with laser, dermabrasion, or chemical peels to address fine lines, wrinkles, or discoloration.

Fortunately, most patients do not have all these signs of aging, but a discerning plastic surgeon who is keenly aware of these issues, is able to correct them to obtain a naturally stunning, total facial rejuvenation.

Why Choose Dr. George A. Toledo for a Facelift in Dallas?

Dr. George A. Toledo is recognized as an expert, for his extensive experience in facial aesthetic surgery, including facelift, neck lift and rhinoplasty procedures. His training in both plastic surgery and head and neck surgery uniquely provides a strong foundation for complex facial rejuvenation cases.

Why patients choose Dr. Toledo:

• Decades of surgical experience
• Double-Board Certified Plastic Surgeon
• Advanced facial rejuvenation techniques
• Focus on natural, balanced results
• Reputation for safety and precision
• High patient satisfaction outcomes
• Private licensed surgical facility 

Patients choose the Highland Park Plastic Surgery Center, founded by Dr. George A. Toledo in 1996, is a state-licensed ambulatory surgery center located in Dallas, Texas. The facility is designed specifically for cosmetic surgery patients and includes advanced surgical suites and private recovery accommodations.

Patients benefit from:

• Impeccable surgical safety standards
• Private and discreet environment
• On-site surgical and recovery care
• High-level anesthesiology support
• Personalized patient experience
• Extremely low rate of infections

Ideal candidates for a deep plane facelift in Dallas include men and women in good health that are non-nicotine users who experience sagging skin in the lower face and neck, loss of jawline definition, jowls or facial drooping, deep nasolabial folds and a tired or aged facial appearance. The average age of Dr. Toledo’s facelift patients is in their mid-50s, but genetics often play a big factor. Dr. Toledo’s patients may range in age from 40 – 80 years old. Younger patients may benefit from a neck lift, BOTOX, fillers, chemical peels, lasers, and other noninvasive procedures to achieve satisfactory results. However, if the younger patient has lost a significant amount of weight or has unfavorable genetic characteristics, the skin may lose elasticity, and a facelift may better help the patient to achieve his or her goals. There is no upper age limit to candidates for this procedure; however, an older patient will require medical clearance from his or her primary care physician. Our goal is to achieve a rested, refreshed, and more youthful look at any age.

During your initial facelift consultation at the Highland Park Plastic Surgery Center, Dr. Toledo will specifically ask you which areas of your face are a concern. He will then carefully evaluate your entire face and neck to determine the optimal technique to achieve your goals. Every face is different, and Dr. Toledo has performed thousands of procedures from which to draw his vast experience. Dr. Toledo knows his limitations and will ensure your expectations are realistic. Bringing photographs of yourself from 10 – 20 years ago will also help Dr. Toledo plan your surgery.

Dr. Toledo will review your medical history, including past surgeries. Safety is our number one concern so medical clearance from your primary care physician is mandatory. Smoking or nicotine addiction and caffeine consumption will impair wound healing and may cause Dr. Toledo to deny your surgery. At the end of your initial consultation, Dr. Toledo will give you his recommendations and the office manager will explain the procedure costs.

Dr. Toledo will not schedule surgery unless he feels you are in good physical and emotional health and your expectations are realistic. He must also feel confident that he can come close to delivering your desired results. Once your surgery is scheduled, you must obtain medical clearance, including laboratory blood work and an EKG. Following these procedures, there will be a second preoperative consultation with Dr. Toledo and his staff. At your preoperative visit, details of the surgery, permits, photographs, and written pre and post operative instructions about your procedures will be discussed.

Depending on your individual needs, there are several facelifts available. Some facelifts rejuvenate the upper portion of the face while others focus on the midface and jowls. Furthermore, some procedures are slightly more invasive and intricate than others. 

Considered the gold standard, the deep plane or SMAS facelift generally makes an incision along the hairline, then extends down to the temples, reaching the base of the ears. The underlying facial tissues and muscles are gently repositioned to produce a more youthful and refreshed look. Along with your facelift other procedures may need to be combined, including upper or lower blepharoplasty to enhance the eyes, a deep plane neck lift, a brow/forehead lift and even a chin implant.

Your facelift procedure will be performed at the Highland Park Plastic Surgery Center. Most surgeries start at seven o'clock in the morning and require 3 to 4 hours. More complex procedures will require longer surgical times, especially if you add forehead, eyelids, or other surgeries. You will have general anesthesia administered by a board-certified anesthesiologist. For your convenience and comfort, we will arrange for you to stay at our facility the night following your surgery. You will have a private nurse to administer antibiotics, pain, or nausea medicine if needed. Your blood pressure will be monitored, and care is taken to help prevent blood clots from forming in your legs by encouraging and assisting you with ambulation and wearing SCDs (sequential compression device) while in bed.

Surgery Instructions

Day 1
The next morning, Dr. Toledo will change your dressings. You will go home in the care of a family member or other caregiver. Written postoperative instructions will again be reviewed. You should spend the next 4 to 5 days resting to facilitate the healing process.

Days 5 – 6
You will return to the Highland Park Plastic Surgery Center to have your eyelid sutures, half of the facelift sutures, and your drains removed. The next day, you can shower, fix your hair, and apply light makeup to your face. Sunglasses are advisable if you plan to leave home.

Days 10 – 11
Your remaining sutures, usually in the hair, are removed. There may be some slight residual bruising and swelling, but you should be able to return to work and other low-key pursuits. Continue to avoid strenuous exercise.

Weeks 3 – 4
You will need to return to the Highland Park Plastic Surgery Center for a follow-up visit. Your incisions will be examined with additional skin care instructions provided as needed. You should be able to resume all normal activities and exercises at this time.

Months 3 – 4
Dr. Toledo and the staff of the Highland Park Plastic Surgery Center will examine you to ensure you are healing as expected. Oftentimes, we will take postoperative photographs if the swelling has subsided. If you are traveling a long distance to Dallas, you will return for your follow-up when it is convenient for you.

Annually
Dr. Toledo would like to see you, at no charge, every few years to follow the results of your surgery. This allows Dr. Toledo and his staff to better evaluate patient outcomes and continue to refine techniques in the future.

Am I a Good Candidate for a Facelift?

Ideal candidates for a deep plane facelift in Dallas include individuals who experience:

• Sagging skin in the lower face and neck
• Loss of jawline definition
• Jowls or facial drooping
• Deep nasolabial folds
• Healthy nonsmokers

How Long Do Facelift Results Last?

A deep plane facelift can provide long-lasting results, with many patients enjoying a more youthful appearance for 10 to 15 years or longer. While the natural aging process continues, maintaining a healthy lifestyle and good skincare routine can help extend your results.

For example, if you are 65 years old and after a facelift you look 20 years younger- say 45, the clock keeps ticking but most of the 20 years of age I took off your face will persist for the rest of your life. Therefore, when you are 85, hopefully you'll look closer to 65. 

What Is Facelift Recovery Like?

Recovery varies by patient, but typical milestones include:

• Swelling and bruising during the first 1–2 weeks
• Gradual return to nonstrenuous normal activities within 10–14 days
• Continued healing and refinement over several months
• Final results visible as swelling fully resolves
• Review Dr. Toledo's pre and post operative instructions

What Areas Does a Facelift Improve?

A deep plane facelift performed by an experienced surgeon like Dr. George A. Toledo may provide:

• More natural facial expression and movement
• Improved jawline definition
• Reduction of jowls and neck laxity
• Midface lifting and cheek rejuvenation
• Balanced facial harmony without over-tightening

• Improve a tired or aged facial appearance

What Is the Difference Between a Facelift and Fillers?

A facelift is a surgical procedure which requires anesthesia and an experienced board-certified plastic surgeon, like Dr. Toledo. A facelift will produce more dramatic improvements than injectables with results that can last for a long time. 

Injectable wrinkle fillers, like Juvéderm, have become very popular in recent years to refresh the face. Sometimes known as a liquid facelift, injectable wrinkle treatments can help with early signs of aging, but the results are temporary and the filler can migrate to other areas of the face. Injectable fillers are often done by injectors that are not doctors leading to complications and overfilling.

Fillers do not lift your face, they only ballon out your cheeks. It does tighten the loose cheek skin but distorts the natural balance of your face. You will end up with fat cheeks, a saggy neck, and droopy eyelids and brows. This deformity is difficult, but possible, to correct with plastic surgery. 

What Is the Cost of Facelift?

The cost of a facelift depends on your individual goals, the complexity of the procedure, and the surgeon's experience. During your consultation, you'll receive a personalized treatment plan and detailed cost estimate based on your unique needs. Check out Pricing on our website.

Facelift surgery can take years off your face and help create a fresh look. Today, there are many options for surgery based on your personal needs and goals. This treatment is designed to help you look younger but still natural. To learn more, we invite you to call our facility in Dallas, TX to set up your private consultation with Dr. Toledo.