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Facelift Surgery in Sarasota and Tampa

Dr. Holcomb will use the facelift technique that is most appropriate for each patient. Common concerns include skin laxity of the face and neck, heavy skin folds near the mouth, jowls, fullness under the chin, prominent neck bands, and volume loss in the midface area. A well-executed facelift procedure will address each of these concerns if present.

Please visit this page if you're considering a facelift at our Tampa location. 

Facelift Surgery | Holcomb Kreithen Plastic Surgery

Facelift Surgery | Holcomb Kreithen Plastic Surgery

Am I a Candidate?

Not everyone is a candidate for facelift surgery. Patients with early mild skin laxity may benefit from filler injections, volumization with Sculptra, collagen stimulation with hyper-dilute Radiesse, Genius Intelligent RF or Ultherapy treatments, laser skin resurfacing, etc.

woman looking in the mirror

What is a Facelift?

The facelift procedure begins with contouring of the neck, jawline, and area under the chin. Some patients may require only minimally-invasive neck contouring, requiring only a needle puncture for traditional (cold) laser-assisted or radiofrequency-assisted liposuction, while others need to have contouring of the platysma muscle (platysmaplasty) to reduce the appearance prominent bands at the front of the neck. Many patients need both liposuction and platysmaplasty to achieve the best results. Dr. Holcomb has extensive experience in radiofrequency assisted facelift and neck lift with both laser lipolysis (co-developer of AccuLift procedure) and radiofrequency assisted lipolysis (RFAL). 

Both procedures can be used as standalone neck contouring procedures, but are frequently used in conjunction with facelift surgery. Next, a vertical facelift of the mobile SMAS is performed. This is the most contemporary and effective approach that can effectively lift and sharpen the jawline while also softening the marionette and smile folds. It also mobilzes volume upwards into the mid-face while reducing volume in the lower face to bring back the heart-shaped contour reminiscent of youth. At Holcomb - Kreithen Plastic Surgery and Medspa, facelift procedures are typically performed in our AAAASF-accredited outpatient surgical facility under IV sedation. General anesthesia is not required.

Facelift Before & After

Energy assisted facelift

The radiofrequency assisted facelift (also known as AccuLift™) blends minimally invasive laser lipolysis (use of a special fiber laser that targets collagen, fat, and water to emulsify and melt fat as well as sever and tighten loose collagen bands under the skin) with traditional surgical facelift techniques. Dr. Holcomb co-developed this procedure. 

It is also known as laser assisted facial contouring (LAFC) when used to sculpt the lower face, or as laser assisted neck contouring (LANC) when used to sculpt the area under the chin and the neck. Dr. Holcomb unveiled this procedure (which was also described as “the 30-minute facelift”) on the CBS award-winning show The Doctors in 2011.

The vertical facelift

If you have jowls that are easily visible and partially obscuring your jawline when you look in the mirror while standing or sitting, try looking with a hand mirror while lying on the bed or sofa. What happens? In many people, this results in the jowls moving upwards into the lower face and backward toward the ears, so that the jawline is magically restored to a youthful state.

Guess what position patients are in during facelift surgery? If you guessed flat (supine), you are correct. So in this position, the jowls are simply not visible in many cases. They have temporarily migrated up into the face where surgeons do not perform traditional liposuction. So what happens to the jowls? If you’re having a facelift procedure that doesn’t directly address the jowls, the jawline will generally look better right after surgery but over time, and often sooner than later, the jowls will become apparent again — even if the skin is relatively tight across the jawline.

This is why Dr. Holcomb keeps the patient positioned with the head up during this part of the radiofrequency assisted facelift — so that the jowls are visible. This is what is called a “vertical facelift”. 

Holcomb - Kreithen Plastic Surgery & Medspa

Addressing Multiple Concerns

Patients undergoing facelift surgery often have other procedures done at the same time. These procedures can include:

  • Brow lift
  • Upper and/or lower eyelid lift
  • Facial implants
  • Lip enhancement
  • Laser skin resurfacing

How Much Does a Facelift Cost?

The cost of a facelift surgery can vary before factoring in the price of anesthesia and other additional expenses that may be incurred. Schedule an appointment with the doctor to discuss the details of your surgery and he will provide a customized plan and quote just for you.

Facelift Patient Testimonial

Facial Rejuvenation Patient Testimonial | Holcomb Kreithen Plastic Surgery

Tampa Bay residents: 

If you want to learn more about our Tampa office and facelift procedure, please visit this page.

Benefits of additional procedures

For the absolute best results, many of our Sarasota and Tampa area patients decide to undergo additional procedures at the same time as their radiofrequency assisted facelift. These procedures can include laser skin resurfacing, an eyelid lift, brow lift, facial implants, lip lift, dermal filler injections, or fat grafting.

Certain procedure combinations may not be recommended to be performed together in one session. Combining procedures does not necessarily lengthen the initial recovery period; however, slightly increased swelling during the first few days after surgery may occur.

Patients that undergo laser skin resurfacing may experience skin sensitivity after treatment. This varies with skin type, procedure type, and intensity. We offer several supportive measures to help our patients recover as efficiently and as quickly as possible following surgery and/or laser skin rejuvenation procedures. Dr. Holcomb will always deliver the best results while keeping safety as a priority for his Sarasota and Tampa area patients. 

Benefits of combining procedures include: 

  • Avoiding a subsequent procedure date with additional fees incurred for facility and twilight anesthesia
  • Avoiding a subsequent recovery period with additional downtime for recovery
  • Avoiding additional time off of work or away from social activities

Meet the Doctor

Dr. J. David Holcomb, M.D. is a double board-certified facial plastic and cosmetic laser surgeon (American Board of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, American Board of Otolaryngology) who has practiced in Sarasota, Florida since 2000. Dr. Holcomb is recognized as a Castle Connolly Regional Top Doctor for the specialty of plastic surgery (cosmetic and reconstructive facial surgery, laser surgery).

In addition to laser surgery, Dr. Holcomb specializes in cosmetic surgery of the face and nose including brow lifts, eyelid surgery, facelifts, neck contouring, rhinoplasty, and otoplasty. He is frequently asked to perform revision cosmetic surgery. Dr. Holcomb has more than twenty years of surgical experience. Currently a member of the Florida Medical Association, Dr. Holcomb is a past president of the Sarasota County Medical Society and of the Florida Society of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery and has received numerous accolades.

If you would like to learn more about our facelift surgery, energy assisted facelift, neck lift, and/or vertical facelift, please contact us to schedule a consultation today. 

Holcomb - Kreithen Plastic Surgery & Medspa

The Recovery Period

Recovery from facelift surgery will take approximately two weeks. Some bruising is likely and mild swelling is expected during the first week. These gradually diminish over several weeks. Dr. Holcomb and his staff have implemented various measures to help patients navigate the recovery process as quickly as possible. Temporary numbness of the skin in the treatment areas is expected. Many patients feel comfortable enough with their appearance to return to work as soon as 10 to 14 days after surgery.

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