Facial cosmetic procedures are more popular today than ever before. As lifestyles improve and people live longer, healthier lives they want to look as good as they feel.
— Dr. Mark Anton, Newport Beach Plastic Surgeon
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Dr. Anton is the Newport Beach Facelift specialist. In 2019, Dr. Anton performed more facelifts than two times the national average, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeon (ASPS) statistics. Plastic surgeons are specialists in combining art, science and innovation and facelifts are the hallmark of a surgeon’s abilities.
Your face is your calling card to the world. Selecting the correct surgeon is a critical step in achieving your desired outcome. In addition to being Board Certified by the American Board of Medical Specialties, Dr. Anton received advanced training by completing a Facial Fellowship. This training provides him with an unrivaled understanding of the anatomy and aesthetics of the face, qualities that are essential for creating facelifts with natural results.
Newport Beach Plastic Surgery
Dr. Anton’s signature Enhanced Deep Plane Facelift addresses lifting the skin, repositioning the SMAS, tucking the cheek, removing excess volume and restoring lost volume.
A Deep Plane facelift requires the surgeon to be comfortable operating in and around the facial nerve, which branches out from the ear across the face and varies slightly with each patient. Dr. Anton is one of a few surgeons nationwide qualified and comfortable enough to perform a true deep plane facelift because of his Facial Fellowship training, which furthered his extensive study of facial anatomy.
Dr. Anton’s Enchanced Deep Plane Facelift is customized for each patient depending on his or her facial anatomy and aging process and includes the following:
A Deep Plane Facelift is achieved with a thorough SMAS (submuscular aponeurotic system) dissection. The SMAS is a thick, fibrous tissue beneath the top layer of skin that is repositioned during the procedure to produce the most natural, youthful, and long-lasting facelift results. The Enhanced Deep Plane Facelift procedure addresses aging in the neck, jawline, and midface. Additional procedures might include:
There are several major differences between Dr. Anton’s Enhanced Deep Plane Facelift and other types of more superficial facelifts:
Unlike other more superficial facelifts that employ the skin to create the lift and can result in the unwanted, unnatural appearance of being pulled too tight or uneven, the Enhanced Deep Plane Facelift procedure relies on the SMAS to produce the lift. During the procedure, the SMAS is dissected in a rectangular pattern from just above the cheekbone, down in front of the ear to the back of the neck muscle, below the jawline and toward the edge of the nasal labial fold, depending on the position of the facial nerve which varies slightly in everyone.
The SMAS is then lifted and anchored behind the ear to tighten the neck, jawline, and lower lateral face. This allows for a more natural and youthful, longer-lasting result than other types of facelifts. After dissecting, lifting, and suturing the SMAS behind the ear, Dr. Anton gently re-drapes, trims, and sutures the skin into position. The incisions are well hidden in the hairline, inside and behind the ear (tragus) so that patients can wear their hair in a ponytail, up-do, or shorter hairstyles. This is especially important for male patients who can’t hide incisions behind long hair.
Another key difference between Dr. Anton’s Enhanced Deep Plane Facelift and other facelifts like the SMAS-plication lift is that his eliminates the need for a medial platysmaplasty (incision under the chin). Instead, the deep plane SMAS layer dissection addresses tightening the neck and jawline as one anatomical unit. In fact, Dr. Anton refers to a medial platysmaplasty as evidence of an “old-style” facelift that “assists gravity rather than fighting against it” (gravity being the most significant aging force on the body). Plus, the scar from a medial platysmaplasty can contract and pull downward, leaving the unwanted appearance of a “witch's chin.”
While most other facelifts do not address mid-face aging, the Enhanced Deep Plane Facelift involves a cheek tuck. As part of the procedure, Dr. Anton sutures the fibrofatty layer that rests between the skin and the SMAS. This signature tuck serves to reshape and define the cheekbones to create a more youthful, heart-shaped face.
It is important to understand the techniques involved in the Enhanced Deep Plane Facelift but also know that each facelift is, in essence, customized to the particular facial anatomy of the patient, the integrity of the skin, and the patient's aging process. Some patients present with very full faces, for example, while others appear hollow and gaunt. Dr. Anton uses liposuction to remove excess fat in the nasal labial fold, neck, and jawline and transfers fat to cheeks, temples, and lips that lose volume with age. Liposuction and fat transfer help to customize and further balance the results of an Enhanced Deep Plane Facelift.
Facelift Surgery in Newport Beach
Patients who seek to improve the youthfulness of their appearance also inquire about their eyes, forehead, lips, and skin texture. Very often Dr. Anton performs an upper and lower Blepharoplasty (eye lift), a Lip Lift, and his signature Skin Stacking with PRF procedure for skin rejuvenation and retexturing along with an Enhanced Deep Plane Facelift.
A Blepharoplasty addresses lower eye bags, which may entail repositioning the fat pads under the eyes to improve hollowness and remove excess skin. It is not uncommon in an Enhanced Deep Plane Facelift to require removing a pinch of skin from the lower eyes to accommodate the overall natural result of the lift. Upper eyes involve removing the excess skin that causes hooding of the lids, resulting in a more tired appearance.
In some instances, patients will require a Brow lift, also known as a forehead lift, to remove excess, sagging skin in the forehead and raise and reposition the underlying muscle and tissue.
Brow lifts correct heavy, sagging, uneven brows and eliminate or diminish deep forehead furrows. However, they do not address the "elevens," the lines that form between the brows. These are easily remedied with Botox.
Because balance is key to a youthful appearance, the importance of the lips cannot be understated. In aging, lips lose volume and shape and become thinner. The space between the bottom of the nose and the top of the lip lengthens, and the philtrum columns flatten. Fillers like Juvederm Ultra Plus add volume to the lips, but they do not lift the lip. When filler is applied where surgery is required, it begins to distort the shape of the lip and creates an imbalance in the face.
A Lip Lift corrects the lips by placing a small incision along the base of the nose. The skin is lifted to shorten the distance from nose to lip, reveal more of the tubercles (the pink, fleshy area), and restore the Cupid's Bow. Once the shape of the lip has been surgically restored, fillers can enhance volume, diminish vertical "smoker's lines," and further define the philtrum columns.
Dr. Anton refers to his signature procedure, Skin Stacking, as the "cherry on top" of his Enhanced Deep Plane Facelift. As a pioneer of combining RF microneedling with C02 laser at the time of facelift surgery, Dr. Anton and his patients marvel at the results. Patients describe their skin post-surgically as "glowing," "flawless," and "twenty years younger." Dr. Anton describes Skin Stacking as a dermal/epidermal treatment that allows thermal penetration in the deeper tissues where collagen and elastin are stimulated without harming the more delicate pigment cells just below the skin's surface. Skin Stacking safely and effectively retextures skin by diminishing fine lines, wrinkles, pore size and helps to even skin tone.
Many people might answer with the 50s or early 60s. Truth is, there is no perfect age for a facelift, but the trend now is for more women and men to have a facelift in their 40s and early 50s. There are many factors for this, with social media being a prominent one, but so is staying competitive in the job and dating market. As people take better care of their health with proper nutrition, exercise, supplements, bio-identical hormones, and mindfulness we are extending the youthfulness of our bodies by decades. Naturally, people want to look as good as they feel. Unfortunately, gravity does not always cooperate. A facelift restores youthfulness by removing sags and bags that cannot be addressed with non-surgical tightening devices or injectables.
Whatever age you decide is right for you to have a facelift, it is important to keep in mind that the more youthful your tissues are the better and longer lasting result you will achieve. Tissues can maintain their youth with monthly collagen building treatments like SkinPen or IPL combined witth medical grade skin care products like our signature CORE line. Every person concerned with facial aging should be using a medical grade retinol, vitamin C and sunscreen.
Pain is difficult to determine due to individual pain thresholds being different. There does appear to be a misnomer that a facelift hurts significantly, and that is simply not the case for Dr. Anton’s patients. Many patients don’t need any pain meds after the first night.
A realistic expectation is that pain will be mild to moderate 4 to 5 days after surgery. By following the pre and post instructions and administering pain medications as directed or as needed, most Newport Beach facelift patients report little discomfort. The most common complaint is pain behind the ears. Dr. Anton has created a signature intra-operative pain management technique that significantly reduces his patients’ ear pain.
In general, most facelifts last anywhere from 10-12 years. The younger and healthier your tissues are the longer the results of your Enhanced Deep Plane facelift will last. A facelift does not stop the aging process, and aging is determined by so many factors including
Dr. Anton has patients that are still happy with their facelift results 16 years after their surgery. These patients maintained their results with regular treatments and a superior home skincare routine like CORE products.
Another misnomer – a facelift takes 6 months to “relax” and look normal. Not a quality facelift! Dr. Anton’s patients return to work and their normal social calendar within 2-4 weeks without anyone suspecting they have had a facelift. Dr. Anton’s patients experience considerably less swelling and minimal bruising during the post-operative period, which expedites the overall healing process. It can take up to 3 months for most of the swelling and numbness to subside but up to a year for all of it to subside.
One patient had her mother come and stay with her when she was just three weeks post-op and her own mother could not that she had a facelift. She believed her daughter had changed her hair or lost weight or got some much-needed rest. Most patients report returning to their normal social calendars within 2-4 weeks of having an Enhanced Deep Plane facelift.
It can be unnerving thinking about having a facelift or more specifically thinking about what you are going to look like after a facelift. Let’s face it there are many inferior facelifts out there.
Dr. Anton’s facelift patients not only look like themselves, but they also look like the best version of themselves. Sure, they look noticeably younger, but it is still their own unique beauty that shines through.
Rather than focus on a specific age, Dr. Anton tells his patients that they will look like a youthful version of whatever age they are. It sets an unrealistic expectation when you tell a patient they will appear 10, 15, or 20 years younger. Numbers can be arbitrary and subjective. Youthfulness is ageless. Many patients combine facelift surgery with other procedures to further enhance their appearance including:
Dr. Anton’s answer to this is simple: As many as you like as long as you don’t have a faulty one. It can be difficult to correct poor results from a facelift like skin being pulled too tight, a Joker’s smile or unnatural facial movements when animated.
Dr. Anton tells every one of his patients no one should ever know you’ve had a facelift. He conceals incisions inside and behind the ear so that women can wear their hair up or men can wear their hair short without revealing any obvious signs of facelift scars. One patient who combined the skin stacking with her facelift told her family that she had a laser but didn’t mention the facelift. One week after surgery she got together with her family and not one of them suspected she had had a facelift. She had no bruising, minimal swelling (what you might expect from a laser) and her face moved and looked natural.
Facelift for Men Newport Beach
Plastic surgery procedures should be carefully customized to suit the needs of every patient individually.
Certain techniques may not be ideal for everyone, conditions vary from patient to patient. This is especially true for men and women since they tend to age slightly differently and have different aesthetic concerns.
To address this, we ensure a facelift for men is catered to suit the unique facial structure and problem areas for each patient. In particular, we understand male patients may wish for a more chiseled or sharp jawline or facial contour as compared to women, who may opt for a softer facial shape. To address this, we use a slightly different approach for facelifts for men.
A facelift addresses what Dr. Anton refers to as sags and bags. This is skin laxity caused by the natural progression of age, gravity, or extreme weight loss. It does not address:
When applicable, Dr. Anton includes skin rejuvenation in his facelift surgery with a combination of Morpheus 8 radiofrequency skin tightening, CO2 laser resurfacing, and PRF (platelet rich fribrin) that he calls Skin Stacking.This signature dermal/epidermal procedure delivers a combination of modalities in a safe way that reduces any risk of demarcation, hyper, and hypo-pigmentation.
When applicable, Dr. Anton includes skin rejuvenation in his facelift surgery with a combination of Fractora, Morpheus 8 radiofrequency skin tightening and CO2 laser resurfacing. He delivers a combination of modalities in a safe way that reduces any risk of demarcation, hyper, and hypo-pigmentation.
For a more youthful appearance and to maintain the results of a facelift for years to come, Dr. Anton recommends monthly collagen building treatments, which is why he created The Beauty Bank, a monthly membership. As you age, collagen production declines. Collagen and elastin are the foundation of your skin’s youth. They maintain supple, tight tissues. Our Beauty Bank includes multiple modalities for collagen and elastin building treatments like SkinPen (microneedling), IPL, Chemical Peels, Geneo, LaseMD, and more. The Beauty Bank also offers discounts on Injectables like Botox and dermal fillers that address fine lines, deep wrinkles and loss of volume. Botox works by freezing the muscle that causes the wrinkle.
Some deep lines and wrinkles will improve with a facelift, but injectables like Voluma and Juvederm help create volume in the cheeks, lips, and temples. It’s hardly fair, but as we age, the only place we seem to lose fat is in our face! We also lose bone density and fillers can help build a jawline, treat “smoker’s” lines or redefine cheekbones. We created the Beauty Bank to make monthly treatments affordable. Our memberships include a monthly collagen building treatment. The Brilliant and Beyond also include FREE Botox and discounts up to 20% off on all injectables and other skincare treatments. All Dr. Anton’s facelift patients receive a 3-month Basic Beauty Bank membership with their surgery.
Each year thousands of women and men undergo successful facelift procedures, experience no major problems and are delighted with the results. Significant complications from facelift surgery are infrequent. However, make sure you understand what surgery involves, including possible risks, complications and follow-up care.
Dr. Anton reviews facelift risks at your consultation as well as the steps he takes to mitigate those risks both in surgery and with his pre and post-op care instructions. It is important to accurately report your health history including all current medications, vitamins, and supplements that you are taking; any past surgeries and any complications from those surgeries; plus any life circumstances that might be causing excessive stress.
You can help minimize certain risks by following the advice and instructions of your surgeon, both before and after your facelift surgery including:
Dr. Anton emphasizes the importance of allowing your body the time and energy it needs to heal. Proper nutrition, rest, avoiding alcohol, and drinking plenty of water helps your body in its recovery process.
Facelift Surgery in Newport
You made the decision to have a facelift. What happens next? The first step is selecting your surgery date. At this time you will be asked to pay a non-refundable surgery deposit. Dr. Anton requires that facelift patients spend at least one night at an aftercare facility. Our office is happy to assist with arranging an overnight stay with a caregiver or aftercare facility.
The balance of your surgery payment is due at the time of your facelift preoperative appointment. All pre-op appointments are scheduled 4-6 weeks before surgery in our Newport Beach office with one of Dr. Anton's surgical patient coordinators.
The pre-op is an important step in the success of your surgery. You will review and sign consents, go over pre and post-op instructions, and receive lab orders. All facelift patients require a basic blood test. The majority also require an EKG. Our office issues the lab orders but going through a primary care physician for lab work is also an option.
Planning a convenient time to have a facelift is usually the most difficult part of the surgery for the patient. It is ideal to plan this procedure 8 weeks or more (the more time the better) before an important social event, such as a wedding or reunion. You will have a pre-op appointment in the office one month prior to the surgery to review essential medical information.
Preparing for Your Facelift Consultation
Make a list of important questions you would like to ask Dr. Anton – There is a lot of information available on the internet, some good and some bad. Dr. Anton is happy to answer any question about something you may have read or heard. His goal in the facelift consultation is to educate you on the surgical procedure.
Have a good idea of your desired outcome – Dr. Anton will talk to you about your areas of concern and your options. The more specific you are during your consultation with the areas you would like to change, the more realistic your expectations, and therefore, the happier you will be with your facelift results.
Be receptive and keep an open mind – It’s Dr. Anton’s goal to create a positive relationship to achieve the most beautiful, natural results possible. Today, there are surgical and non-surgical facial rejuvenation options available. Dr. Anton is prepared to discuss all potential options to achieve the best results.
Facelift Surgery
Dr. Anton requires his Newport Beach Facelift patients to spend their first night in an after-care, overnight facility. After surgery, an appointed caregiver picks you up at the facility and drives you to a private recovery center.
Your head will be loosely wrapped with two small drains placed behind the ears. Drains are removed the next morning by your caregiver or in our office at your first post-op. At that time a smaller neck wrap replaces the head wrap.
You can expect some swelling and minimal bruising. Dr. Anton’s surgical techniques for handling tissue dramatically reduce both swelling and bruising, though each patient is unique. It is important that you follow all post-op instructions. Do not engage in any activities that raise heart rate or blood pressure including exercise, sex, lifting, bending, stress, and other forms of emotional excitement for a minimum of two weeks after surgery to reduce the risk of hematoma and other complications.
Most sutures are removed in the office 7 days after surgery. At that time, you may be allowed to reduce the number of hours required to wear the neck wrap. Minimal swelling can last for several weeks. Facial nerves are numb following surgery and slowly return to normal over three to six months post-op. Most patients return to work and their normal social schedule two weeks after surgery.
Generally, scars from the incisions are hidden within your hair and in concealed skin creases. During your facelift Newport Beach plastic surgeon Dr. Anton designs his scars so that women can wear their hair up or in a ponytail and men can wear short haircuts. Scars can remain pink for a few months and will fade over the next 6 months. Concealing makeup is usually permitted after the first week.
The results of your natural-looking facelift will last for many years. However, the aging process continues. Eating well, reducing alcohol consumption, moderate forms of exercise, sleeping a minimum of 7 hours a night, bio-identical hormones, and a positive mental attitude will enhance the results of your surgery and slow down the aging process. Dr. Anton recommends monthly treatments like Microneedling and IPL to stimulate collagen and elastin for longer-lasting facelift results.
Facelift Procedure Recovery Schedule
Get a private and personalized consultation with Dr. Anton in his beautiful practice in Newport Beach, CA.
20331 Irvine Avenue Suite E6, Newport Beach, CA 92660
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