Facelift
Looking in the mirror should bring a sense of joy, yet the natural aging process can sometimes cloud that feeling. Over time, the supportive structural layers of our face begin to drift downward. This shifting leads to sagging skin, softened jawlines, and deeper folds around the mouth. Many people look for ways to help their outward appearance match the vibrant energy they feel on the inside.
Dr. Paige Kennedy's approach to facial rejuvenation focuses on subtle harmony and restoring your unique facial structure. By focusing exclusively on cosmetic surgery of the face and neck, our Breaux Bridge practice provides a rare level of clinical precision and aesthetic artistry. Dr. Kennedy understands that achieving natural, graceful results requires a highly personalized treatment plan tailored to your specific facial structure. We invite you to schedule a consultation with Dr. Kennedy to discuss your goals and learn more about our boutique approach to complete facial rejuvenation.
Elevates the jawline, smooths deep wrinkles, and eliminates jowls.
Most patients require 10-14 days of initial recovery at home.
Outpatient surgery focused on deep structural rejuvenation
Provides a long-lasting, naturally refreshed appearance for 10 years or more.
A facelift, or rhytidectomy, is a specialized facial plastic surgery designed to counteract structural changes in the lower two-thirds of the aging face. While a traditional facelift primarily pulls the surface skin, modern facial plastic surgery addresses the deeper tissues to achieve a superior outcome. This procedure provides the most comprehensive and effective approach to correcting heavy jowls, deep nasolabial folds, and a softened jawline.
Dr. Kennedy customizes every facelift procedure to the patient's specific facial anatomy, skin quality, and aesthetic concerns. For younger patients in their 40s and 50s with mild excess skin, a limited-incision lower facelift (also known as a mini facelift) may be the best approach. For patients with more significant signs of facial aging, a comprehensive deep-plane facelift offers maximum structural restoration. During your initial facelift consultation, Dr. Kennedy will evaluate your skin quality and facial anatomy to determine the ideal surgical option for your goals.
On the day of your facelift procedure, our surgical team prioritizes your safety, comfort, and peace of mind. The procedure is performed under general anesthesia or deep sedation to ensure you remain entirely comfortable throughout the process. A facelift surgery usually takes 2 to 5 hours to complete. Once sedation is administered, Dr. Kennedy makes carefully concealed incisions within the natural contours of the hairline and around the ear structure. This precise placement is designed to minimize visible scarring.
During a deep plane facelift, Dr. Kennedy releases and elevates the superficial musculoaponeurotic system, which is the underlying muscle and tissue layer of the face. Lifting this foundational layer releases tension from the skin surface, preventing a tight or windswept look. The deep underlying tissues are securely repositioned to a more youthful shape before the surgeon gently drapes the remaining skin. Dr. Kennedy then removes the excess skin and closes the incisions with meticulous suturing to promote smooth healing.
Facelift surgery is uniquely designed to reverse structural sagging and tissue displacement caused by gravity and time. It directly addresses the effects of facial aging by repositioning sagging tissues and reinforcing facial support.
A facelift primarily focuses on the lower two-thirds of the face. The jawline is one of the most common treatment areas, where sagging skin and displaced facial fat often gather to form heavy jowls. By elevating these tissues, the procedure brings back the crisp, clean boundary between your face and neck.
The mid-cheek area is also a common focus of a deep-place facelift. As the aging face loses volume, the cheeks can flatten and descend downward, creating deep skin folds known as nasolabial folds between the nose and mouth. A facelift lifts these fallen structures back to their proper position, restoring a naturally full and soft appearance to the cheekbones.
A facelift procedure yields significant, long-lasting improvements in facial definition. Unlike temporary cosmetic procedures, surgery targets the anatomical source of aging to deliver a beautifully polished outcome. By elevating the underlying tissues, the procedure rebuilds the natural highlights and shadows of a youthful face.
Additionally, addressing the deeper tissues helps improve the overall appearance of the remaining skin. When tension is placed on the muscle layers rather than the surface skin, incisions heal with minimal scarring, and the blood supply remains secure. Dr. Kennedy's advanced technique ensures that your expressions remain entirely natural, vibrant, and fluid. Many patients report a profound increase in confidence after their procedure.
Facelift surgery is designed for healthy adults who are unhappy with visible signs of aging along the jawline and lower face. Candidates should have realistic expectations and a clear understanding of what a surgical procedure can accomplish. While the surgery corrects loose skin and structural sagging, it does not correct sun damage or fine dynamic wrinkles on the skin surface. Dr. Kennedy can recommend complementary treatments, such as laser skin resurfacing, to restore a more youthful skin tone and texture alongside the deeper structural changes accomplished with a facelift.
Before scheduling your surgery, Dr. Kennedy will thoroughly review your medical history and lifestyle habits. It is essential that patients have well-controlled blood pressure and refrain from smoking, as nicotine impairs the blood supply needed for proper healing. During your consultation, Dr. Kennedy will listen to your aesthetic goals to design a personalized treatment plan that is safe and effective for your lifestyle.
Every stage of your facelift recovery will be fully supported by Dr. Kennedy and her clinical team. Immediately following surgery, a soft dressing is applied to the face and neck to protect the incisions and minimize swelling. In some instances, a temporary drainage tube may be placed under the skin to prevent fluid collection, which is typically removed the following morning. Most patients experience mild tightness and bruising, which can be managed comfortably with prescribed medication and proper aftercare.
The first week of recovery requires ample rest with your head elevated to help reduce bruising and swelling, which tend to peak around 2 days post-surgery. Dr. Kennedy will evaluate your healing during scheduled follow-up appointments to remove sutures and monitor your progress. Most patients feel ready to return to work and light social activities within 10-14 days. Strenuous exercise, heavy lifting, and direct sun exposure must be avoided for several weeks to protect the healing tissues.
The results of a deep plane facelift will begin to reveal themselves as residual swelling diminishes over the first few weeks. Patients enjoy a beautifully sculpted jawline, smooth cheeks, and a rested, naturally refreshed appearance. The results of a facelift are considered mature at around six months post-surgery, when the skin and deeper tissues have fully settled.
While a facelift effectively resets the clock on facial aging, the natural aging process will continue over time. You can maximize the longevity of your surgical results by protecting your skin from sun damage and utilizing medical-grade skincare. Our boutique practice remains committed to your long-term skin health, offering advanced non-surgical treatments to keep your skin looking its most radiant at every age. Most patients find that a facelift helps them look up to a decade younger and provides a more youthful baseline even as the aging process continues.
Selecting a plastic surgeon is the most important choice you will make in your facial rejuvenation journey. Dr. Paige Kennedy is a double board-certified facial surgeon who limits her practice exclusively to the face and neck, allowing her to maintain a rare level of mastery and focus. She completed a decade of highly competitive postgraduate training across major medical hubs, including Houston, Chicago, and Austin. This diversity of high-level training provides her with an impressive understanding of complex facial anatomy and advanced deep plane facelift techniques.
An Acadiana local, Dr. Kennedy has built her boutique practice on a philosophy of highly personalized, transparent care that prioritizes your safety and your goals. She combines world-class technical precision with the intuitive perspective of a female surgeon to deliver results that respect and highlight your natural beauty. Our practice welcomes patients from Breaux Bridge and beyond who choose Dr. Kennedy for her expertise, insight, and artistry.
A traditional facelift primarily tightens the surface skin and the top portion of the muscle layer, which can sometimes create a tight or pulled appearance. A deep plane facelift goes beneath the foundational muscle layer to lift the deep tissues as a single, cohesive unit. This advanced technique removes tension from the skin, resulting in an entirely natural look, less swelling, and longer-lasting results.
The overall facelift cost varies based on the specific surgical techniques required and whether other cosmetic procedures are performed at the same time. Total costs generally include the surgeon's fee, operating room costs, and anesthesia fees. We provide a comprehensive, transparent price quote during your private consultation after Dr. Kennedy designs your personalized treatment plan.
Yes, many patients choose to combine a facelift with other procedures to achieve complete facial rejuvenation. It is very common to perform a neck lift at the same time to ensure a seamless transition along the jawline. Dr. Kennedy can also incorporate an eyelid surgery, a brow lift, or facial fat transfer to address hollow areas and refresh the upper face during a single surgery.
Dr. Kennedy utilizes meticulous surgical techniques to ensure that incisions are hidden within your natural hair contours and ear structures. As the patient heals, these incision lines fade significantly and become very difficult to detect. Our team also provides detailed aftercare instructions and scar-care protocols to minimize scarring and support optimal skin quality.
Post-operative care is important for managing risks such as infection and hematoma after a facelift. The risk of long-term complications like nerve injury is significantly reduced when working with a board-certified plastic surgeon specializing in facial rejuvenation surgery.
While dermal fillers and a nonsurgical facelift can temporarily improve minor volume loss and fine wrinkles, they cannot correct advanced sagging skin or muscle laxity. Injectable treatments cannot remove excess skin or lift deep facial tissue structures. For patients with noticeable jowls and loose skin along the jawline, surgery remains the gold standard for achieving meaningful, long-lasting rejuvenation.
