Facelift surgery is the gold standard of facial rejuvenation and one of the most popular plastic surgery procedures performed today. It is well known for its ability to reduce visible signs of aging and give patients a more youthful, attractive expression.
Dr. Robert Galiano is a Chicago facelift surgeon frequently sought after for his beautiful results and friendly demeanor. He will customize your facelift procedure to your specific area or areas of concern and help you look years younger. Dr. Galiano would be happy to discuss your facelift options (as well as other procedures that may benefit you) during an in-person consultation.
Facelift Candidates
You may be a suitable candidate for a facelift if you are bothered by any of the following age-related concerns:
- Sagging skin from the cheeks to the jawline
- Jowls (i.e., sagging tissue along the jawline)
- Volume loss or displaced fat in the cheek area
- Wrinkles and creases around the nose and mouth
- Loose or sagging neck skin
- Horizontal wrinkles on the neck
You should be in good physical health, not smoke, and not have any medical disorders that could impair your body’s ability to heal properly. You should have specific, reasonable goals for surgery and be able to communicate them clearly to Dr. Galiano.
During your consultation with Dr. Galiano, he will perform a physical examination of your facial skin and features, noting skin laxity, wrinkles, and jowling. He will ask you to describe what you hope to achieve from surgery and will develop a plan of treatment to address your concerns.
The Facelift Procedure, Step by Step
A facelift is usually performed on an outpatient basis under anesthesia.
Dr. Galiano begins by creating an incision at the temples that extends along the hairline and in front of the ear, ending behind the earlobe. Through the incision, he separates the skin from the underlying muscle and tissue.
Dr. Galiano then modifies the superficial musculo-aponeurotic system (SMAS), or deeper facial layer. He can reposition fat and lift and tighten the tissue and muscle as needed to recreate more youthful-looking facial contours.
When Dr. Galiano is finished making the necessary modifications, he re-drapes the facial skin more tightly over the tissue and trims excess skin. He closes the incisions with small sutures.
Facelift Recovery
After a facelift, you will receive specific instructions on caring for your incisions. You will also receive a prescription for medication to take to manage any discomfort. Swelling and bruising are common after a facelift and will mostly subside after about two weeks. Any residual bruising can be concealed with cosmetics.
You should keep your head elevated as much as possible (even while sleeping) in the weeks following your surgery. Dr. Galiano will advise you as to when you can resume work, exercise and other normal activities, and see you regularly to ensure you are healing properly. Most people resume work within 10 to 14 days and can ease back into an exercise routine within three to four weeks.
You will see improvements from surgery almost immediately, and your facelift results will continue to improve as the bruising and swelling subsides.
Why Choose Dr. Galiano for a Facelift
Dr. Robert Galiano is a board-certified plastic surgeon known for delivering natural-looking facelift results that refresh your appearance while preserving your unique features. Trained at the prestigious Institute of Reconstructive Plastic Surgery at New York University Medical Center, he combines advanced surgical expertise with an artistic eye to create personalized treatment plans tailored to each patient’s goals.
Patients choose Dr. Galiano for his commitment to exceptional care, surgical precision, and patient satisfaction. From your initial consultation through recovery, he and his experienced team provide attentive support every step of the way. With access to advanced surgical facilities at Northwestern Memorial Hospital and a philosophy centered on natural, long-lasting results, Dr. Galiano helps patients achieve a more youthful appearance with confidence.
Frequently Asked Questions
Although it is one of the oldest plastic surgery procedures, a facelift still has few rivals when it comes to the goal of providing dramatic changes in the tone, texture, smoothness, and integrity of facial skin. Over the decades, the surgical technique has been significantly improved, allowing patients to achieve a more natural look with less inconvenience, downtime, and scarring. By tightening the skin and underlying muscles, a facelift eliminates wrinkles, fine lines, furrows, and sagging skin. The improvement is especially noticeable along the jowls and jawline, but its benefits extend all the way to the cheeks and lower eyelids.
This is another benefit of a facelift, one that patients especially prize. Unlike injectables and some other newer options, a facelift is long-lasting, enduring 10 years or more. In addition to tightening skin, the procedure adds a degree of resiliency to the skin, slowing the pace of future sagging. Time and gravity will continue to impact facial tissue and structures, of course, but a facelift resets the clock on this natural process. The permanence of a facelift depends in part on your own genetic inheritance; specifically, the relative laxity of your skin. Inflexible skin will droop and appear older sooner. Lifestyle choices will also have an effect. Smokers speed up the process of aging with each puff, and patients who spend excessive amounts of time in the sun without protective sunscreen will also see changes in the skin, including loss of natural texture and the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, and imperfections. Facelift revisions tend to provide a revitalized look for about seven years, and patients who choose the so-called “mini facelift” may see a benefit of up to four years.
Although patients sometimes do choose an additional facelift after a decade or so, there are alternatives to a repeat procedure. Many of these options are also very effective ways to “touch up” a facelift after a few years, extending and magnifying the benefits of the surgery. Dermal fillers can smooth skin, build volume, and stimulate your body’s production of collagen and elastin. Neuromodulators such as Botox relax facial muscles that may be producing lines and furrows. Laser skin resurfacing tightens skin, smoothing out wrinkles. New radiofrequency (RF) energy treatments use a wider band of the electromagnetic spectrum to agitate subdermal layers, adding strength, tone, and collagen to target areas.
Whenever a prospective patient has second thoughts about choosing a facelift, it is usually because of the unnatural outcomes they have seen from celebrities who went too far with one or more procedures. The names we apply to this type of result are dryly humorous and sometimes derisive: “Open cockpit,” “pulled,” “windswept,” and “done” all describe outcomes that can often be traced to a deficiency in the experience, judgment, or artistry of the surgeon. That is why it is so important to choose a premier board-certified plastic surgeon who has performed thousands of procedures and has a thick album of before-and-after case studies to prove it. The best surgeons realize that it is essential to stretch not only facial skin, but also the subdermal muscles that animate the face. Without this harmony of technique, the result will, in fact, look “pulled.” Conversely, removing excessive amounts of tissue below the surface can produce a skeletal appearance. Dr. Galiano’s eye for balance and beauty, along with his extraordinary skill and judgment, are your assurance that your result will be at once subtle and dramatic, matching your expectations and amazing your friends.
There is no single “right” age for facelift surgery. Most patients seek a facelift between their late 40s and early 70s, when skin laxity, jowling, and deeper facial folds become more pronounced. Candidacy depends less on age and more on facial anatomy, skin quality, and overall health. Dr. Galiano carefully evaluates these factors to determine whether facelift surgery—or another approach—best meets a patient’s goals.
Yes. While a facelift primarily addresses the lower face, it often improves the jawline and upper neck area as well. For patients with more advanced neck laxity, a facelift may be combined with a neck lift to achieve optimal contour and definition. Dr. Galiano customizes each plan to ensure a smooth, cohesive result between the face and neck.
A traditional facelift addresses more extensive aging changes in the mid- and lower face, including deeper tissue repositioning. A mini facelift is a more limited procedure that targets early jowling and mild skin laxity with shorter incisions. While recovery may be faster with a mini facelift, results are generally less dramatic and shorter-lasting. Dr. Galiano helps patients choose the approach that aligns with their anatomy and expectations.
Absolutely. Facelift surgery is increasingly popular among men who want to maintain a competitive, refreshed appearance without looking overdone. Male facelift techniques are adapted to preserve masculine facial structure, hairline placement, and natural contours. Dr. Galiano takes special care to avoid feminization while restoring firmness and definition.
Yes. One of the primary goals of facelift surgery is to help patients look like a younger version of themselves—not like someone else. By repositioning deeper facial structures rather than simply tightening the skin, Dr. Galiano creates results that appear natural, balanced, and appropriate for the patient’s features.
Most patients feel comfortable attending social gatherings within two to three weeks after surgery, depending on how quickly bruising and swelling resolve. While early improvements are visible sooner, subtle swelling may persist for several weeks. Dr. Galiano provides guidance on when it’s appropriate to return to public activities based on individual healing.
Preparation typically includes stopping smoking, avoiding blood-thinning medications, arranging post-operative support, and following specific pre-surgical instructions. Dr. Galiano and his team provide a detailed checklist so that patients feel confident and prepared on the day of surgery.
Facelift incisions are placed strategically along the hairline and natural contours around the ears, where they are well concealed. As healing progresses, scars usually fade significantly. Dr. Galiano uses meticulous closure techniques to promote optimal healing and minimize visibility.
Protecting the skin from sun exposure, maintaining a healthy lifestyle, avoiding smoking, and following a consistent skincare regimen can help extend the results of a facelift. Many patients also choose non-surgical treatments such as Botox, fillers, or laser therapy to maintain a refreshed appearance over time.
Turn Back the Clock with a Facelift in Chicago, IL
To learn more about facelifts and schedule your personal consultation with Chicago plastic surgeon Dr. Robert Galiano, please call (312) 926-4382 or request an appointment online today.
