Name: Audubon Facial Plastic Surgery
Address: 6001 Magazine St, Suite D, New Orleans, LA, 70118
Telephone: 504-264-7833
Price range: $$

What Is a Facelift?

More formally known as a rhytidectomy, a facelift is a well-known surgical procedure that targets sagging skin in your face and neck to reduce wrinkles and smooth skin. During a deep plane facelift procedure, the deeper tissues underneath the skin are also repositioned, including the underlying muscles and fat pockets, in order to treat the root of the issue, which is gravitational descent of these deeper tissues. Subsequently, after the deep tissues are repositioned in an anti-gravity fashion, excess skin is then removed in a tension-free fashion, restoring definition to the lower face and neck.

This approach focuses on restoring natural balance rather than altering your features. By refining areas such as the jawline, jowls, and double chin, a facelift can help reduce wrinkles and reverse signs of aging caused by time, sun damage, and loss of facial volume.

Benefits of a Facelift

The primary benefit of a facelift is that it is meant to reverse signs of aging caused by gravitational descent that may make you appear older than you feel. By repositioning and sometimes trimming deeper tissues and removing excess skin, the procedure can improve both contour and proportion. Facelift goals may be to:

Reposition deeper structures that have fallen, causing heaviness in the face and neck
Improve sagging skin and loose skin along the jawline and neck
Soften wrinkles and deeper folds, such as nasolabial folds, by releasing heaviness
Address turkey neck, double chin, and fullness under the chin
Restore a more balanced facial volume
Create natural results that highlight your natural features

Many patients in the New Orleans area choose this procedure as part of a long-term approach to maintaining their appearance rather than making dramatic changes.

“Now, when I look in the mirror, I see the person that I am, not that tired person who was looking back at me.” - A satisfied patient following a facelift with Dr. Melancon.

What Can a Facelift Address?

Our New Orleans facelift procedure is used to improve visible changes that happen with aging, especially in the lower face and neck. It focuses on areas where skin has loosened, tissue has shifted, and facial contours have become heavier or less defined.

Sagging Skin

A facelift can improve sagging skin in the cheeks, jawline, and neck by lifting and repositioning tissue that has descended over time.

Jowls

As the lower face changes with age, jowls can develop along the jawline. A facelift helps restore a smoother, firmer contour in this area by elevating tissue in an anti-gravity fashion.

Loose Skin and Excess Skin

When loose skin or excess skin builds up around the face and neck, it can create a tired or heavy appearance. A facelift is designed to remove excess tissue and reshape these areas.

Double Chin and Neck Fullness

A facelift and necklift may help improve the appearance of a double chin or fullness beneath the chin, especially when it is related to skin laxity or excess fat.

Turkey Neck

A facelift with a necklift can also address turkey neck, improving laxity and creating a more defined transition between the jawline and neck. The skin of the neck is connected to the skin of the face, so with elevation, both areas are improved.

Wrinkles and Deep Folds

A facelift can soften deeper wrinkles and folds that form with age, especially around the mouth and lower face.

Loss of Facial Volume

Some patients also experience a loss of facial volume with age. In these cases, Dr. Melancon may recommend combining a facelift with fat transfer for a more balanced result.

Overall Signs of Aging

A facelift is often chosen to address several signs of aging at once, including heaviness in the lower face, skin laxity, and changes in contour that affect the face and neck.

Am I a Candidate for a Facelift in New Orleans?

A good candidate for a facelift in New Orleans is typically someone experiencing visible signs of aging in the lower face and neck, including sagging skin, deep folds, and loss of jawline definition. You may benefit from this surgical procedure if you have:

Noticeable jowls or heaviness in the lower face
A double chin or excess fat beneath the chin
Loose skin along the neck or early turkey neck

During your consultation, Dr. Melancon, a double board-certified and fellowship-trained specialist in facial plastic surgery and head and neck surgery, will evaluate your anatomy, skin quality, and goals to determine if this is the right approach.

The Facelift Procedure

A facelift procedure is an outpatient surgery where you go home the same day. Generally, it takes about 5 or 6 hours, depending on if it's combined with other procedures, such as a brow lift or work around the eyelids.

Dr. Melancon focuses on the deep plane facelift, which repositions deeper facial structures rather than relying on skin tightening alone. This technique allows the underlying muscles and connective tissues to be lifted as a unit, creating more stable support and a more natural contour. Incisions are carefully placed along the hairline and around the ear, following natural creases to keep them as discreet as possible. Through these discreet incisions, deeper layers are repositioned, excess skin is removed, and the skin is redraped without tension.

Deep Plane Facelift

The deep plane facelift is the primary technique used at Audubon Facial Plastic Surgery. Rather than separating the skin from deeper structures, this method lifts the muscles and connective tissue together.

By working at a deeper level, the deep plane facelift can improve the transition between the lower face and neck, soften nasolabial folds, and restore support where aging has caused descent. This approach also reduces tension on the skin, which supports more natural-looking outcomes and increases longevity.

Facelift with Fat Grafting

In some cases, a facelift is combined with fat transfer to address volume loss that occurs with aging. While a facelift repositions tissue and removes excess skin, facial fat loss can leave certain areas appearing hollow or less supported.

With fat grafting, a small amount of fat is taken from another area of the body, such as the belly, processed, and carefully placed into areas that need volume. This may include the cheeks, temples, or folds around the mouth. Combining these two procedures allows Dr. Melancon to address both structural descent and volume loss at the same time. This can help improve overall contour and contribute to more balanced, long-lasting facelift results.

New Orleans facelift model with brown hair

Results from a Facelift

After a facelift New Orleans patients will notice changes in contour right away, though swelling and bruising will initially affect how results appear. As healing progresses, the face and neck settle into a more defined, natural, and refreshed shape. The final outcome develops gradually as tissues stabilize and the healing process continues. Depending on where the patient is in the aging process, results can vary from subtle to dramatic. Results are also influenced by factors such as overall skin quality and degree of laxity, favorable vs unfavorable anatomy, and lifestyle habits, including ongoing sun damage exposure, history of tobacco use, etc.

Recovery from a Facelift

The recovery process after a facelift does involve downtime. Dr. Melancon recommends three weeks of initial downtime and recovery, after which, for most, you can return to most regular functions. You can expect swelling, bruising, and a feeling of tightness in the skin during this time.

Sometimes, depending on your overall health and the length of the procedure, you may spend the night in the hospital for closer, more intense care. But the vast majority of patients go home the same day. For the first night, you will be encouraged to stay in a nearby hotel room with your own personal concierge nurse to ensure your recovery is seamless. You will be seen during the first week for follow-up visits to monitor how you heal and to assess your incisions. Most patients are ready to return to light normal activities within three weeks, though residual swelling will persist longer. In general, plan your recovery at least three months before any big events. However, complete healing often takes a full year. Strenuous activity, lifting, and exercise should be avoided for at least six weeks to support proper healing.

Your New Orleans Facelift Consultation

Your consultation is an opportunity to discuss your goals and understand how a facelift fits into your overall treatment plan. Dr. Melancon will evaluate your facial structure, skin quality, and degree of aging, and explain which surgical procedures may be appropriate. Patients in the New Orleans area and surrounding areas can expect a thoughtful, individualized approach that prioritizes safety, anatomy, and realistic expectations.

Facelift Surgery FAQ

When should I get a facelift?

There is no age cutoff for a facelift. The first decision point, according to Dr. Melancon, is whether or not there are anatomical gravity changes in the mid and lower face. If there are these signs of aging, then the second question to ask is the degree to which these signs of aging are distressing to the patient. If the patient is very bothered by the signs of aging in the face, then the third decision point is whether the benefits of a facelift outweigh any risks or downtime.

What doesn't change from a facelift?

A facelift improves the lower face and neck but does not directly treat skin surface issues like pigmentation or fine lines around the nose and eyes.

Does a facelift leave scars?

Yes… and no. All surgical procedures involve incisions, so scars can be unavoidable. However, the way that Dr. Melancon designs her incisions is to be as hidden as possible. You will also be followed closely after surgery to ensure that your incisions heal well. Once they are healed, they are barely visible, if at all, to the eye.

How much does a facelift in New Orleans cost?

Facelift prices vary according to which procedure you choose and whether you combine a facelift with other cosmetic procedures, such as a brow lift or blepharoplasty. Since facelifts are normally cosmetic treatments, they are not covered by insurance providers, so you will be responsible for payment. If needed, you can also apply for financing.

We Welcome You For a Consultation (and in the most beautiful way!)

At Audubon Facial Plastic Surgery, we know one of the most challenging parts of this process is the first step. We are a welcoming, restful place for you to come and learn about all the ways you can live life to the fullest and be the most beautiful you. Call or click to schedule a consultation to learn how you can breathe easy at Audubon Facial Plastic Surgery.

Audubon Facial Plastic Surgery
6001 Magazine Street, Ste D, New Orleans LA 70118

Audubon Facial Plastic Surgery - Northshore Location 1090 W. Causeway Approach, Mandeville LA 70471

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504-264-7833

Facelift In New Orleans