Dr. Roland is a leading plastic surgeon who performs Facelift surgery in New York City (NYC) in the Manhattan borough. In addition to the work he completes at his cosmetic surgical practice, Dr. Roland teaches the intricacies and art of plastic surgery to residents at the NY Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai.
Related Procedure: Chin Augmentation, Chemical Peels, Facial Fat Transfer.
In this article
Facelift Photos
The Facelift Procedure
Facelift procedures are best for men and women who are looking to rejuvenate their appearance and address aging changes like sagging skin. Other cosmetic surgical procedures may be combined with the facelift to create the look that the client desires, including brow lift, eyelid surgery, rhinoplasty and more. The facelift will provide lasting results as it actively turns back the hands of time, but it can’t stop the aging process from continuing and a future facelift could be considered again in approximately 8 to 10 years.
The Aging Process
The skin’s elasticity decreases with age. Age, changes in weight, smoking, health conditions, emotional stress and sun damage can cause increased wrinkles, atrophy and loose skin.
Natural Facial Aging by Decade
- Age 30 – 40: Aging begins to cause atrophy. The development of extra skin on the upper eyelids changes the appearance of the eyes, and wrinkles known as crow’s feet develop and begin to form at the eyes’ outer edges.
- Age 40 – 50: The nasolabial folds near the nose become more defined and prominent, lines begin to crease the forehead and the area between the eyebrows begins to display creases.
- Ages 50 – 60: Lines develop and become more prominent on the neck, the jaw line loses its distinct shape, jowls form and the nose’s tip starts to droop.
- Ages 60, 70 – 80: The skin displays an increase of wrinkles and sagging facial skin as the fat in the skin continues to atrophy and loses more elasticity and shape.
The facelift can turn back the hands of time and restore younger looking skin as it erases indications of aging.
I am so lucky to have Dr. Roland as my surgeon. He is a real gentleman and astonishing plastic surgeon. I could not have asked for a better experience with him. He made sure that I felt comfortable every step of the way. In a surgeon, there truly isn't any more you could ask for. He is polite, kind, understanding, patient, and unbelievably talented. I would recommend Dr. Roland 100 times over.
Facelift Results
The facelift can rejuvenate the face by:
- Elevating the cheeks
- Smoothing and flattening folds of skin
- Tightening drooping jowls and redefining the jaw line
- Lifting and re-draping the neck’s skin
- Removing excess, sagging skin
After facelift surgery, the facial skin appears uplifted, rejuvenated and refreshed, and the appearance of youth is restored to the skin’s surface. A facelift may be maintained and updated with follow-up procedures, but they are not required.
Frequently Asked Questions about Facelift
Rhytidectomy, also known as facelift, is a popular cosmetic surgery procedure that is used to reverse or remove signs of facial aging by surgically elevating the cheeks, lifting jowls, reshaping the neck and removing excess, loose skin. Different types of rhytidectomy are available, and Dr. Roland will suggest the option that will best meet your desired outcome.
Dr. Roland will determine which facelift treatment will provide you with the results that you are seeking. Each facelift technique is commonly completed as an outpatient procedure
Skin-only facelifts were once a popular choice, and Dr. Roland uses this technique to smooth and tighten the skin in appropriate situations when excess skin and tissue do not need to be removed. Intermediate depth facelifts are used by Dr. Roland to smooth the skin, remove excess skin and to elevate the layer of tissue that lies just above the facial muscles.
Deep plane facelifts are used by Dr. Roland to elevate all of the soft tissue that lies just above the facial skeleton. Variations of facelift procedures are used by Dr. Roland and will be chosen based on the client’s anatomy and desired results.
Most activities can be resumed within one week, and most of the swelling and other signs of the treatment will completely resolve within three weeks. Incisions are commonly created in front of and around the back of the ear and along the hairline where they are hidden by the hair or in natural crevices. Common incisions techniques used by Dr. Roland include the traditional, limited and neck lift and are described in further detail below.
Traditional Facelift – The traditional facelift is a full lift that is used to rejuvenate the face and neck. This procedure includes the re-positioning of fat, along with skin re-draping. An inconspicuous incision is created by Dr. Roland beginning at the temple, traveling in front of and around the lower earlobe and then behind the ear and descending to the lower scalp at the hairline. An additional incision may also be made under the chin when work is needed in that area.
Limited-incision Facelift – When limited rejuvenation is requested around the eyes, mouth and nose, including nasolabial creases and folds, short incisions are created at the temples, around the ear and in the lower eyelids.
Dr. Roland closes all incisions with sutures and hides any potential scarring in the hairline and in the natural contours of the face.
After the rhytidectomy, Dr. Roland wraps the incisions in bandages and may add drainage tubes. Drains are removed within two days, and the sutures are removed within one-and-a-half weeks.
After-surgical symptoms resolve gradually over three to six weeks and may include facial weakness, numbness, swelling, bruising, and a sensation of tightness or tension in the face and neck. The facial features may initially appear uneven and the muscles may feel stiff. The incisions will naturally heal, and the redness and itching will resolve gradually.
Patients typically return to work within two weeks postoperatively. Camouflage cosmetics may be used initially to minimize redness or bruising. Gentle care of the skin and hair is important during recovery.
Facelifts provide pleasing results to men and women who want to tighten, smooth and uplift the skin on their face. It will not rejuvenate the brow, eyelids, nose, and some areas on the mid-face. Patients who want to treat these areas of the face should consider additional treatments.
Facial implants, injectables, soft-tissue fillers and skin resurfacing are non-surgical rejuvenating options that Dr. Roland uses to enhance the results that are achieved by a facelift. Additional cosmetic surgical treatments can also be completed during a facelift and may be recommended by Dr. Roland in a private consultation.
The best candidates for a rhytidectomy procedure are men and women who are in good health, still have some skin elasticity, do not smoke and have realistic surgical and post-surgery expectations. Dr. Roland individually evaluates each client’s eligibility for facial surgery.
Risks of rhytidectomy are rare but may include bleeding, bruising, infection, an allergic response to the anesthesia, uneven swelling, discoloration, blistering (usually only experienced by smokers) and a temporary or permanent loss of movement/sensation in an area of the face. Dr. Roland will thoroughly discuss your health history along with the risks and benefits with you prior to surgery.
Gravity is a constant and steady force that pulls on the tissues in the face and body. You may want to re-tighten your facelift in seven to ten years to keep the tight and smooth look that you have achieved. However, the results of the facelift will have turned back time.
The gallery of beautiful photos, seen below, boldly display Dr. Roland’s workmanship and the careful attention that he gives to detail as he sculpts and rejuvenates his client’s skin and facial features.
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Contact the NYC office today at (212) 744-9400 to request a consultation with Dr. Roland and to request the look that you desire.