Facelift San Diego

Older blonde woman smiling wearing yellow shirt

Refined & Natural Facial Rejuvenation with a Facelift

At Ranch & Coast Plastic Surgery, our facelift procedures do more than tighten skin; they reposition and restore deeper facial structures to achieve natural, long-lasting rejuvenation. This advanced approach can help patients look 10 to 15 years younger, depending on their individual anatomy and goals.

We offer both traditional facelifts and our signature “Petit Lift”, a mini facelift designed for patients in their 40s or 50s with early signs of aging. This less invasive option targets jowls, neck laxity, and sagging in the lower face, with a faster recovery.

Thanks to modern techniques, downtime is minimal, with most patients returning to normal activities in about a week and feeling ready for social outings within two.

If you're looking for refined, natural results from a facelift in San Diego or Del Mar, our skilled team delivers care rooted in precision, experience, and artistry.

Facelift: Table of Contents

Facelift Transformation

Facelift Before & Afters

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Dr. Chasan Talks About Facelifts Facelift Terminology

Facelift Terminology

All About Facelifts!

The Evolution of Facelifts

Perfecting Facelift Technique

3 Signs of Facial Aging

What is a Petit or Mini Facelift?

The Petit Lift, otherwise known as a mini facelift or lower facelift, is a modified form of the facelift procedure that requires less dissection and is often accompanied by liposuction and fat transfer. Patients who want a more youthful facial appearance and who are not ready for a full facelift will see a great benefit from this facial plastic surgery procedure. The mini facelift still requires the same level of artistry and is also long-lasting, but the recovery time is much less than a full facelift. Candidates for a Petit Lift are based on an individual’s facial anatomy.

Who is a Good Fit for a Mini Facelift?

There are certain cases in which certain facial anatomy is not suited for a mini facelift. That is not to say, however, that a full facelift is out of the question. Much like any other surgery, cosmetic or otherwise, it is good to have adequate research and information before deciding something as important as a facelift procedure. A consultation with our surgeons will determine if either a Mini / Petit Lift or a traditional facelift procedure is appropriate for you.

How Long is Recovery from a Mini Petit Facelift?

The mini facelift procedure performed in San Diego by the doctors at Ranch and Coast Plastic Surgery is a surgical procedure. The staff at our practice reviews the recovery information prior to surgery so there’s less anticipation and puts the patients at ease. Any potential side effects, such as swelling or bruising (which are common), will diminish over the course of a few days. The patient can then return to their normal routine while enjoying a rejuvenated facial appearance.

Ultimately, a personal consultation with the surgeons at Ranch & Coast will reveal your candidacy for a facelift or Petit Lift treatment. Call our office today to set up an appointment.

My second time back ! Years later, I just had a full face lift and more! He listens and goes above and beyond your expectations! He’s the best!! Wouldn’t go anywhere else!

Types of Facelifts

Since the inception of the facelift more than 100 years ago, cosmetic surgeons around the world have contributed to its development as one of the most versatile and enduring procedures available. There are nearly a dozen facelifts available from Traditional to QuickLift, Mid-Facelift, Mini-Facelift, and Liquid facelift to name but a few. The possibilities are truly endless. If there is something you are less than totally satisfied with about your face or any part of it, there is a facelift that can help you, and a cosmetic surgeon standing by to help you get there.

Facelift Incisions

Facelift incisions are intentionally placed behind the ear canal and within the hairline, making them essentially imperceptible. The incisions are also curved as opposed to straight, making them even less likely to stand out among the face’s many natural curves. These scars fade naturally over time, and in 6 months have usually become invisible.

More on Facelifts with Dr. Chasan

3 Signs of Facial Aging

Dr. Chasan Discusses Mini Facelift Choices on the Wellness Hour

Dr. Chasan Discusses the Deep Plane Facelift on The Wellness Hour

Deep Plane Facelift Explained: Procedure, Benefits, and Recovery

Other Facial Rejuventation Procedures

Non-Surgical Facelift: For patients who don’t feel quite ready for a surgical facelift yet want to turn back the clock on their facial features, Dr. Chasan has perfected a number of non-surgical facelift alternatives including the delicate and meticulous use of facial fillers; laser rejuvenation that reduces wrinkles, fine lines and blemishes; and the IPL and BBL photofacials that safely deliver pulses of light energy deep into the skin to rejuvenate and replenish it.

Eyelid surgery: Eyelid surgery is another option for dramatic localized improvement to the face. It can be performed on the upper lids, lower lids, or both, to remove excess sagging skin, restore the contour, and remove the bags beneath the eyelids. The eyes being such a center of focus and one of the earliest hit areas of aging, well-done eyelid surgery alone can make one look years younger.

Brow lift: A traditional brow lift improves the appearance of the face overall by tightening the brow, smoothing wrinkles, and reducing skin laxity. The face presents more youthfully as the obvious signs of aging are reversed and removed. The brow lift is often done in combination with other procedures, including dermal fillers and an eyelift.

Facelift FAQ

What exactly does a facelift accomplish?

A facelift has the ability to remove years from your face. Some of the key benefits that a facelift can accomplish include: - Tightening sagging skin of the mid-face - Lessening creases around the eyes - Removing loose skin under the chin - Creating smoother facial contours - Tightening the muscles of the face - Restoring a defined jowl/jawline area - Smoothing lines and folds of the face and neck - Providing a refreshed, more youthful and attractive appearance

What is the average age to get a facelift?

To be honest, there isn’t an “average” age to undergo a facelift. The average age range is the 40s to the 70s, but the actual age will be determined by multiple factors, including the severity of the patient’s areas of concern and the level of invasiveness that they want. The best way to know if a facelift is right for you is to visit us for a consultation.

What is the best way to prepare for my facelift?

Stop using tobacco products for at least six weeks before surgery. Wear a strong sunscreen on your face for two weeks before surgery. Stop taking anti-inflammatories and herbal supplements a week before surgery. Avoid drinking alcohol for 3-5 days before surgery. Arrange your ride to and from surgery. Arrange for someone to stay with you during the first few days after surgery. Fill the pain medications that you are prescribed so that they are ready for you immediately after surgery. Wash your hair the night before your surgery to help avoid infection.

Will I look “pulled” or unnatural after surgery?

Not with us. Dr. Chasan focus on deep tissue repositioning, not just skin tightening. This advanced technique creates results that are smooth, youthful, and undetectably surgical. You’ll look refreshed, not altered.

How soon will I see results?

While early results will become visible at approximately two weeks, you will see final results from a facelift at 3-4 months. These results will be long-lasting for patients who take good care of their skin.

What is the Cost of a Facelift?

Undergoing a cosmetic procedure can be daunting emotionally, and when you add the financial aspect into the mix, you may feel overwhelmed. Rest assured our team is here for you. We want to make the process of paying for your facelift as stress-free and easy as possible. We offer convenient financing options through trusted healthcare lenders and provide you the flexibility to move forward with your treatment when you want it.

Pricing may include surgeon’s fees, facility fees, and anesthesia fees, among others. Note that in the long run, a surgical facelift may prove more cost-effective than undergoing multiple procedures with fillers and injectables. We can discuss your choices for payment in depth during your initial consultation with Dr. Chasan.

You can also look through our financing options to see what would be right for you.

Dr. Paul Chasan: The Surgeon’s Surgeon

At Ranch & Coast Plastic Surgery, our surgeons bring over 20 years of experience in delivering refined, natural-looking facelift results. Dr. Paul Chasan, a nationally recognized leader in aesthetic surgery and often called a "surgeon’s surgeon," is known for his innovative techniques and exceptional outcomes, even performing surgery on fellow plastic surgeons.

Our team specializes in advanced facial rejuvenation, including techniques few surgeons offer, such as digastric muscle and submandibular gland modification, to enhance jawline definition and facial harmony. These cutting-edge methods, paired with artistic precision, can help patients look up to 15 years younger.

Beyond technical expertise, we pride ourselves on creating a welcoming, informative environment. From consultation to recovery, our goal is to ensure every patient feels confident, supported, and understood. If you’re considering a facelift in San Diego or Del Mar, trust the skilled hands and compassionate care of the experts at Ranch & Coast Plastic Surgery.

Transcript of the discussion

Interviewer: Facelifting, big part of what you do.

Dr. Chasan: Yeah.

Interviewer: At what point does somebody need a facelift?

Dr. Chasan: Well, I’m gonna put facelift as one of my many tools for facial rejuvenation, okay? And a facelift, people make that mistake of facelift versus a full facelift. A facelift is really a neck and jaw lift, very reliable and reproducible, remove the gel and the turkey neck, okay? So that’s what a facelift does. It does this part of the face, the lower third. And, you know, when I first started practicing, I kind of had one facelift. And now, over all these years, I’ve been in practice 20 years, I have like five different facelifts. So I try to match that facelift with the patient’s anatomy.

So I would say I do a lot of mini-facelifts. We call it “the petite lift.” And the difference between a mini-facelift and, you know, a very aggressive facelift is dissection, how much skin you undermine. In a mini-facelift, it would be less. The less you undermine, the quicker the recovery. There are some people who come with bowl-shaped necks, and they have big submandibular glands and a thick neck. But you can’t do a mini-lift on them. And if you do, you’re really wasting their time and your time. So the spectrum is from mini-lift to actually full-neck contouring with removal of what we call the platysmal fat and, underneath the platysma fat, removal of these glands called submandibular glands. There are these big, thick muscles called digastric muscles.

So, on some people, I’ll actually remove part of the digastric muscle, remove part of the submandibular gland, remove part of that submandibular fat, and then suture this platysmal muscle. And they can go from kind of a bowl-shaped neck where the chin meets their chest to a very contoured, defined neck.

Interviewer: So what are the age ranges of these… like these mini-lifts?

Dr. Chasan: Yeah, most people, I would say in the late 40s is when they start doing mini-lifts. Usually, eyelids and brow lifts are in the late 30s and early 40s and then mini-lifts, in the late 40s, 50s, 60s, even into the 70s.

Interviewer: Okay. And how many years younger can you make somebody look with some of these?

Dr. Chasan: It really depends on…

Interviewer: What do you hear?

Dr. Chasan: It depends on your anatomy.

Interviewer: Like 10 years younger, 15 years younger?

Dr. Chasan: I would say 10 to 15. And it really depends on how fit they are. I always tell patients the best thing for your skin is cardio, avoiding sun, avoiding smoking. So if somebody does that and lives a healthy lifestyle, yeah, they can look 15 years younger. You know, funny you should mention that. I just did a lady. And it surprised me how good she did. She’s actually my age. She was a heavy smoker. She was a patient of mine, I don’t know, 12 years ago. And she came back for a facelift. And she looked pretty bad, a lot of sun damage, a lot of smoking. And I just did her facelift about three weeks ago. And, honest to God, now, this is unusual, but she looks about 20 years younger.

Interviewer: Is that right?

Dr. Chasan: Yeah. It’s actually quite impressive transformation.

Interviewer: Now, what are the fears patients have, because I feel like I could spot a facelift 20 yards away?

Dr. Chasan: That’s their fear. So for brow lifts, every one of them says, “I don’t wanna look like a deer in the headlights,” okay, and that, you know, if I had patients that looked like that, it wouldn’t be very good for business. But we don’t see that. But, you know, you do see it. You see it.

Interviewer: That done look.

Dr. Chasan: That done look.

Interviewer: That tight done look.

Dr. Chasan: And all you have to do is see one of them, and it negates 100. The same thing with the facelift is “I don’t wanna look windblown,” right? “I don’t wanna look like that tight, windblown look.” And I usually tell people that that windblown, tight look is either one of two things, an expert surgery…so if you’re a pro at it and you are detail-oriented on how the earlobe insets, where the sideburn is, how you treat the posterior hairline so they can wear their hair up, that you’re not pulling on the skin, because skin will stretch. You’re pulling on what we call the SMAS layer, which is the superficial covering in the muscle. It’s very fibrous. It doesn’t stretch like the skin. If you do the right things, you won’t get that look. The other way is some people, you know, they’ve had five, six facelifts.

Interviewer: Really?

Dr. Chasan: After five, six facelifts, you’ll have that look. So I try to caution my patients to have a life plan on how many they’re gonna have, how long facelifts last. And if it’s done expertly, you should not be able to tell that they had a facelift.

Interviewer: Are there women out there in San Diego, they’re 60, 55, that look years younger, nobody knows they had a facelift, not even their friends, that you’ve done?

Dr. Chasan: Most of my patients. Yeah.