Facelift

As we age, the effects of gravity become more noticeable on our faces. Our facial support structure weakens as well, and we lose facial fat. We begin to look older than we feel. Does your appearance no longer reflect your youthful, vibrant personality? If not, then an awake mini facelift or facelift procedure might be a good option for you.

The top aesthetic destination of the south, Carolina Facial Plastics is led by double board-certified facial plastic surgeon Dr. Jonathan Kulbersh. With his team of cosmetic experts, a fully accredited surgery center, and a private recovery retreat all located in the heart of Charlotte, NC, Carolina Facial Plastics is known for unparalleled and natural looking results exclusively for the face.

As a top plastic surgeon in Charlotte, Dr. Kulbersh can help you achieve your facial rejuvenation goals. He provides patients with advanced facelift techniques that restore their youthful appearance and their self-confidence. Because he focuses solely on the face in his practice, he is uniquely qualified to provide you with the highest level of expertise and care throughout your facelift experience.

A facelift, also known as a rhytidectomy, can provide the following improvements:

• Remove excess fat in the neck and jowls
• Tighten underlying muscles
• Reposition underlying tissue that has fallen over time
• Elevate cheeks to a higher, more youthful position
• Remove excess, loose skin for a smoother appearance

A rhytidectomy is an effective way to address multiple aging concerns in a single procedure. Because Dr. Kulbersh has the experience and expertise to customize your treatment to your precise needs and goals, you will achieve a look that is both natural and beautiful.

Although a facelift is an excellent way to turn back the clock on your appearance, it is not for everyone. You are a candidate for a facelift procedure if you are in good physical and mental health and are looking to restore your facial appearance to address signs of aging like deep wrinkles and sagging skin.

You might also be a candidate if you want to have your unique features and beauty enhanced by a personalized facelift that could involve a combination of various techniques and procedures to give you the most refreshed, youthful appearance. The best way to know for sure is to schedule a consultation with Dr. Kulbersh so he can answer your questions, address your concerns, and learn your goals before developing the best treatment plan possible.

Dr. Kulbersh wants your facelift experience to be safe, comfortable, and successful. He opened Fairview Surgical Suites, a state-of-the-art specialty surgical facility designed to provide cosmetic surgery patients with the best possible care and results. By offering this all-inclusive aesthetic destination, Dr. Kulbersh’s patients can get their treatments and enjoy a portion of their recovery in a luxurious, private setting. The suites are located in the same building as Carolina Facial Plastics.

The procedure can be performed under local or general anesthesia and begins with a small incision hidden beneath the chin. Next, Dr. Kulbersh removes excess fat from the neck and tightens neck muscles to give the area underneath the chin more definition. This part of the procedure, called a platysmaplasty, helps remove platysma (neck) bands. Only patients with these bands or a turkey wattle at the front of the neck will need this portion of the facelift.

Dr. Kulbersh then creates incisions in the temple and hairline, which are carried to the ear area and hidden inside the ear or in a natural crease of the skin. The superficial muscular aponeurotic system (SMAS), consisting of layers of deep fascia tissue and muscle, is identified and then lifted upward in the cheek and outward in the neck for a natural-looking result. This tissue is secured with sutures, and the excess skin is removed.

The deep sutures allow Dr. Kulbersh to close the incision with no tension, allowing the incisions to heal to the point of being nearly invisible. The final step is to apply a protective dressing to the face, which will be removed the morning after the facelift.

Traditionally, a longer recovery process is required to get more dramatic before and after results from a facelift surgery. However, with Dr. Kulbersh’s skill, experience, and advanced techniques, downtime and recovery are reduced.

Immediately After a Facelift

Immediately after surgery, you will be in the recovery room with nurses. There will be a wrap around the head, and you might feel some light pressure. In the recovery room, the anesthesiologist is present and will give medications to ensure that you are not in pain or nauseous. You will stay in this area until you are awake and the nurse feels comfortable to let you go home or to a hospital room. I will see all of my patients after surgery in the recovery area to ensure everything is going well.

Facelift Recovery Process

You can choose to recover at Dr. Kulbersh’s recovery center, Fairview Recovery Retreat, a post-operative retreat designed to deliver post-surgery care in a luxurious, 5-star-hotel setting. You’ll receive VIP treatment and attentive medical care as you recover, which will help reduce downtime and get you back to your busy schedule as quickly as possible.

You can expect to have a bandage in place for a week, which you can temporarily remove to shower or run quick errands. After one week, you’ll return to our office so we can remove the bandages and clean out the incisions. Depending on how you’ve healed thus far, you may be required to continue wearing a bandage at night to facilitate quicker healing and reduce swelling and bruising that can last for up to two weeks.

After your facelift, you will be provided specific care instructions, which generally include avoiding strenuous activity for at least two weeks. You should also avoid coloring your hair for six weeks after surgery.  During your facelift recovery and healing, our staff of highly specialized cosmetic surgery experts will be on call 24 hours a day to answer questions and address your concerns.

Dr. Kulbersh underwent extensive facial plastic surgery training from two renowned Beverly Hills plastic surgeons, Dr. Babak Azizzadeh and Dr. Paul Nassif. Dr. Kulbersh’s training and expertise in advanced surgical techniques ensure you will receive unparalleled facelift results. Dr. Kulbersh does not use the one-size-fits-all approach to cosmetic plastic surgery as other plastic surgeons might. He develops customized treatment plans based on your unique goals and needs.

One of the most important aspects of any surgery, particularly a facelift procedure, is the initial consultation. At this meeting, you and Dr. Kulbersh establish a channel of communication and trust while you develop a personalized facial surgery plan that will meet your facelift surgery goals.

For patients looking to optimize their facelift surgery before and after results, other procedures can be combined with a facelift to achieve these aesthetic goals.

Common recommendations include:

Chin Implant and Chin Augmentation

A small or weak chin can lead to the appearance of a blunted neckline and shorter jawline. A chin implant can angulate the neck and lengthen the jawline for a look that’s thought to be more elegant in women and more powerful in men.

Fat Transfer to the Face

A fat transfer, sometimes called fat grafting, can add the “wow” factor that raises the level of your facelift outcome. With a fat transfer from another part of the body, Dr. Kulbersh can add volume to the face and increase the lift and definition of the cheekbones.

Jaw or Neck Liposuction

Submental fat under the chin or fatty tissue in the jowls can be improved with facial liposuction, which removes the excess fat for a slimmer, tighter neck and jowl region.

Cheek Implants

Cheek implants can create high cheekbones, which highlight the mid-face and add a youthful appearance to the face. Implants are a more permanent option in cheek augmentation than fat grafting or injectable dermal fillers.

Facial Fillers, Laser Resurfacing, and Chemical Peels

Facelifts are not typically useful for improving fine facial wrinkles. However, filler injections (such as Restylane or Sculptra), laser resurfacing, chemical peels, or medical-grade skin care products can help address these fine lines after your facelift.

In the treatment of the aging face and neck, a facelift is typically one of the most popular facial plastic surgery procedures. Many men and women seek to regain the definition in their jaw and neckline when they lose it as they age. A facelift is the most effective procedure to restore the definition in the neck and jawline. As with many products and services, people need to know the cost of the procedures to plan accordingly.

What are the Components in the Cost of a Facelift?

When a patient receives a quote from a facial plastic surgeon regarding the price of a facelift, there are typically three main factors that impact the cost of the procedure:

• • Surgeon’s Fee
  • Anesthesia Fee
  • Facility Fee

What Does the Surgeon’s Fee Cover?

The surgeon’s fee is the amount collected by the surgeon who performs your procedure. It covers the time that the surgeon takes to perform the surgery. The surgery can vary from 4 to 6.5 hours. It also includes the cost of all of the appointments you have with the doctor before and after the procedures. It will typically entail 2-3 appointments before surgery and at least eight appointments for the first year after surgery.

This fee also covers the cost of the overhead it takes to run a medical practice to pay staff, supplies to care for patients, electricity, rent, and other expenses. Many costs within the surgeon’s fee do not go directly to your doctor.

What Does the Anesthesia Fee Cover?

All of Dr. Kulbersh’s patients undergo a facelift with general or local anesthesia. The anesthesia fee covers the services of the anesthesiologist or nurse anesthetist. Their supplies include expensive medications and equipment that they use during your procedure.

What Does the Facility Fee Cover?

Dr. Kulbersh uses his accredited surgical facility for his surgeries. Your facility fee varies based on the complexity of your procedure and your recovery period if it is at our suites.

What is the Main Variable that Will Determine the Range in the Cost?

The simple answer is time. The shorter the procedure, the less time a patient will need anesthesia, the facility, and the facial plastic surgeon. The time in the operating room depends on the complexity of the surgery.

What is the General Cost of a Facelift in Charlotte?

The cost ranges from the low end of $9,000 up to $14,000 for a facelift. Most patients fall somewhere in the middle of this range. The price increases as patients begin to add other procedures, including facial liposuction, platysmaplasty, eyelift, and facial fat grafting.

Why Choose Dr. Kulbersh for your Facelift?

Dr. Kulbersh trained in Beverly Hills with top plastic surgeons and specializes in procedures of the face. He is a facelift expert and takes excellent care of his patients.