Facelift (Rhytidectomy)

A facelift — medically termed rhytidectomy — addresses the most visible signs of facial aging: loose skin along the cheeks, jawline, and neck, diminished muscle tone, and loss of facial volume. At USA Plastic Surgery in Dallas, Dr. Steven J. White approaches facelifts as a comprehensive rejuvenation, not simply a skin-tightening exercise, integrating muscle repositioning and fat management to achieve results that look naturally refreshed rather than…

Dr. White's facelift technique begins with carefully planned incisions positioned in locations that leverage natural skin creases and hairline contours to conceal healing scars — typically near the ears and along the hairline at the temple and behind the ear, with extension along the jaw when addressing the neck. Through these incisions, he lifts and re-secures the underlying facial musculature (SMAS layer) with sutures, then removes redundant skin and…

Ideal candidates for facelift surgery are in good overall health with meaningful laxity in the lower face, cheeks, jawline, or neck. Dr. White notes that patients can begin to see meaningful benefit from the procedure in their late thirties to mid-forties when moderate looseness is present, though facelifts are performed across a wide age range.