Before and After Gallery: Facelift and Neck Lift

Asian female in her 70s underwent an awake facelift and neck lift to address facial sagging in the lower face (jowls and jawline), loose skin in the neck, deepened nasolabial folds around the nose, and marionette lines at the corners of the mouth. With age, the skin, fat, and muscles descend, causing the lower face to appear more rounded or square-shaped, which alters the overall facial shape.

Dr. Kim performed an awake extended deep plane facelift and neck lift using local anesthesia only, without general anesthesia or IV sedation. The patient remained fully awake and able to breathe safely on her own, without being intubated or sedated. This approach avoids the risks associated with general anesthesia and twilight (IV) sedation including blood clots, prolonged recovery, and cognitive decline (memory loss and dementia).

Traditional facelifts often rely on pulling the skin, leading to an unnatural, stretched appearance that does not last. Dr. Kim’s technique involves releasing more facial ligaments and re-draping and repositioning (not pulling) the deeper layers of the facial muscle for long-lasting, natural-looking rejuvenation. His minimal bleeding method further promotes faster recovery and optimal healing. Another key component of his facelift approach is midface elevation, which restores cheek volume without the need for fat grafting.

The patient achieved a sculpted, smooth jawline, tightened neck, lifted midface, and an overall refreshed, youthful appearance. Her facial shape transitioned from square to a more refined, slender oval contour. The results appear very natural and balanced, with no signs of pulling or an overdone look.

Male patient in his 70s underwent an awake facelift and neck lift, which improved signs of aging in the midface, lower face, and neck. Dr. Kim uses local anesthesia (no general anesthesia or intravenous/twilight sedation) for these procedures, which is the safest way to have surgery and produces the most optimal results. A lesser-discussed yet significant anesthetic risk associated with general anesthesia and IV sedation is cognitive dysfunction (memory loss), to which older individuals are more susceptible. By opting for an awake anesthesia facelift and neck lift, our patient avoided this anesthetic risk. A key differentiator of Dr. Kim’s face and neck lifts is that he performs a bloodless dissection. His no-bleeding technique leads to a faster recovery, the most effective facial elevation, and the most natural-looking, long-lasting results. He dissects further than traditional facelifts and neck lifts, so that the face is fully redraped and lifted without any tension, thus avoiding a pulled, unnatural appearance. This patient’s facelift corrected sagging in the jowls, created a smooth and defined jawline, and elevated the cheeks. The neck lift significantly improved skin laxity (loose skin) and tightened the underlying neck muscles. Patients often combine these procedures for a more comprehensive facial rejuvenation.

Awake facelift and awake lower blepharoplasty results for a female patient in her 60s. The areas of concern were the jowls, marionette lines, lower eyelids, and midface. A well-executed facelift can effectively improve the effects of aging: skin laxity (sagging, loose skin), lines, and volume loss in the lower face and midface. Dr. Kim performed a bloodless, deep plane facelift using only local anesthesia (without general anesthesia) which is the safest way to have surgery. His minimal bleeding technique significantly minimizes internal inflammation and blood vessel damage, which can compromise post-op recovery and long term results. Dr. Kim’s facelift repositions and re-elevates the lower and mid face without pulling, which can otherwise produce an unnatural appearance. The lower eyelid surgery smoothed and tightened the under-eye region. The patient was fully awake during her procedure. Note the transformation in the before-and-after (3 months post-op), where she achieved a sculpted, smooth jawline, elevated cheeks, and tightened under-eyes. The youthful glow and facial rejuvenation are highlighted in the after photos.

A sub-brow lift, mini mid-facelift, and lateral canthoplasty procedures were performed on a patient in her late 30s. The sub-brow lift helped lift the eyes by removing the thick, heavy skin and fat just above the eyelids. The mini facelift was non-invasive and targeted the midface. It is often for those with mild to moderate signs of aging. The lateral canthoplasty reshaped the outer corners of the eyes for brighter and larger eyes. The subtle, delicate changes from eyelid lift surgery helped the patient achieve a very natural and youthful appearance.

Female patient in her 70s after awake facelift surgery using only local anesthesia for a safer, painless procedure and fast recovery. In the after photos, note the more defined jawline, smooth neckline, and lifted midface region with no visible scarring. The awake surgery restored a more youthful and rejuvenated appearance.

Female patient in her 40s after an awake facelift. The awake procedure is the safest method with the quickest recovery and avoids the risks associated with general anesthesia. The facelift tightened the mid and lower face and improved the nasolabial folds and marionette lines. The patient healed quickly and looks years younger after her procedure.

Before and after photos of awake Asian facelift for a female patient in her 40s. The postoperative results show improved symmetry and definition of her jawline by tightening the drooping skin and treating the marionette lines. No general anesthesia was used, only local anesthetic, increasing the safety of the surgery and significantly shortening the recovery period.

Awake facelift results for a female patient in her 50s, focusing on tightening of loose and sagging facial skin. The postoperative photo was taken one week after surgery. Awake surgery without general anesthesia is the safest way to have a facelift with significantly faster recovery. Note the smoother neck, defined jawline, and restored volume in the cheeks. The facelift resulted in firmer, youthful, and natural-looking results and enhanced the patient’s beauty.

Postoperative results of an awake deep plane facelift for a female patient in her 50s. Awake surgery under local anesthesia allows for the quickest recovery with minimal downtime. Note the tightened and sculpted jawline, lifted midface, and improved nasolabial folds. The facelift effectively tightened the loose skin and created a smoother, more youthful facial appearance.