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To schedule a consultation about facelift surgery, blepharoplasty, or another facial cosmetic surgery treatment, contact my Palo Alto practice today.
Lauren Greenberg, M.D.
BOARD CERTIFIED, American Board of Plastic Surgery
Member, American Society of Plastic Surgery
750 Welch Road, Suite 117
Palo Alto, CA 94304
p / 650.617.9907
f / 650.617.9909
Facelift, Blepharoplasty, and Other Facial Cosmetic Surgery Offered at my Palo Alto Practice
I offer a range of facial cosmetic surgery procedures, including eyelid surgery (blepharoplasty), browlift (including endobrow), and facelift surgery. I perform these procedures in one of two private, outpatient surgery centers in Palo Alto and Menlo Park. For longer combined procedures or a need for privacy and pampering, an overnight stay may be recommended, and is available at the Menlo Park facility. Learn more about the benefits of these cosmetic surgery treatments.
- Facelift
- Facelift Before and After Photos
- Eyelid Surgery
- Blepharoplasty Before and After Photos
- Browlift
Facelift Surgery (Rhytidectomy)
As you age, your face is stressed by gravity, sun, use, and stress. Wrinkles form, and skin loses its elasticity. The four areas helped by a facelift are: the cheek, the nasolabial fold (a deep line that runs from the corner of the nose to the corner of the mouth), the jaw line, and the neck. Be aware, however, that a facelift does not stop the natural aging process. A facelift restores a youthful appearance by removing excess skin and fat. The incisions are hidden as much as possible in the hairline and natural creases in front of and behind the ear. There is a second layer below the skin, called the "SMAS." This facial layer is the key to tightening the underlying tissue for a long lasting effect. Sometimes additional procedures will be needed in order to meet your appearance goals, so your face appears in sync and ages together. Facelift surgery is frequently combined with a browlift, eyelid surgery (blepharoplasty), soft tissue fillers around the mouth, or skin resurfacing procedures.
When choosing a surgeon for a facelift, the most important decision (other than the surgeon being a safe, board certified plastic surgeon), is to look at the before and after pictures. Do you like their aesthetic? A facelift can reverse the signs of aging to return you to a younger version of you, or a facelift can dramatically alter the way you look. This difference is dependent on the technique of the surgeon. I favor a natural aesthetic, the return to a younger version of you, so my patients do not look “operated on.” I tend to shy away from mini facelifts, necklifts, and thread lifts, as a full facelift has a longer lasting result, and there are units of the face that age together that should be treated together as a unit. Again, to achieve smooth, natural facial aging, this may require you address other areas such as the brow and eyelid. I find most of my patient base in the Bay Area and Palo Alto want this natural look.
Cosmetic facelift surgery lasts around four hours. Recovery takes from 10 days to three weeks, depending on the amount of swelling and bruising. I recommend an herbal regimen to assist with this healing. When doing multiple procedures, an overnight stay may be recommended and is available at the Menlo Park surgical facility.
Facelift Before and After Photos
To find out if you are a good candidate for a facelift or other facial cosmetic surgery, contact my Palo Alto practice to schedule a consultation.
Eyelid Surgery (Blepharoplasty)
The eye is one of the first places to show aging. You may notice your eyes look tired, sad, or older than you feel. Blepharoplasty removes fat and drooping skin of the upper eyelid, minimizes bags under the eyes, and tightens the skin of the lower eyelid. It will help "open up" the eye so the upper lid's natural crease is visible and remove loose skin and wrinkles of both lids. For the upper lid, I do remove some fat during blepharoplasty. To remove lower lid puffiness, I perform a fat sparing eyelid surgery technique to preserve the fullness and youthfulness of the lower eye.
When assessing your eye aging, the position of your eyebrow is important. Frequently your brow has fallen and is contributing to the upper eyelid fullness, so for a full correction you may need a browlift or endobrowlift. In addition to skin removal, skin resurfacing with a chemical peel is sometimes needed to help “iron” the skin around the eye for an optimal, smoother result.
Other problems with the eyelid can also be improved. In addition to the cosmetic appearance of excess skin, the lateral part of the eyelid can start to "hood" and block lateral vision. If this is severe enough, as documented through visual field testing, insurance may help pay for the procedure. Another condition, ptosis (where the muscle that lifts the eyelid is stretched), can be repaired at the same time. Extra caution needs to be taken in patients with Graves' disease, laxity of the lower eyelids, glaucoma, and dry eyes.
The scars hide in the natural creases of the upper eyelid. For the lower eye, incisions are made immediately under the lash line. When fat is removed from the lower lid, the incision can be made inside the lower eyelid through a "transconjunctival" approach.
Eyelid surgery is easily done under local anesthesia. Scars heal beautifully. The procedure lasts about two hours for all four lids. The surgery is done in an operating suite nearby, in either the Palo Alto or Menlo Park surgery center, to maintain strict sterile technique near the eye. Recovery time varies, but is about one week to 10 days.
Eyelid Surgery Before and After Photos
To find out if you are a good candidate for cosmetic eyelid surgery, known as blepharoplasty, contact my Palo Alto practice to schedule an consultation.
Browlift (Endobrow, Forehead Lift)
With time, your eyebrows tend to fall. You may notice the lines on your forehead are deepening, or you have to raise your forehead to lift your upper lid "out of the way" to see. The eyelid commonly hoods at the outside of your upper eye, making the upper eyelid seem too full. All these changes can make you look tired or sad. Frequently in my younger patients and men, there is a strong family disposition to droopy eyelids or heavy brows.
Browlifts are common procedures in men as well as women. They help "open" up the eye, lift the brow, and make eyelid look less full. An endoscopic browlift uses a camera and special tools through small incisions in the hair to help elevate the eyebrow. It lifts the brow position and can improve asymmetry of the brows, where one brow is higher than the other. A browlift also helps rid wrinkles between the eyebrows that make you appear upset or concerned. I tend to favor the endobrow technique, due to its smaller scars, particularly in men and women with thinning hair. Following a browlift, the forehead wrinkles will disappear, and the eyebrow will be repositioned. I favor a natural look, so I do not get that “surprised,” overcorrected, high arched brow. Again, most of my patients in the Bay Area want this natural look.
The procedure lasts about two hours and is done in my Palo Alto center. Recovery time is from one to two weeks, depending on additional procedures performed and the amount of swelling and bruising. Additional facial cosmetic surgery procedures frequently include blepharoplasty or facelift surgery. When we meet at my Palo Alto office, we can discuss which procedure will help you achieve your goals. When you have documented severe visual field impairment due to the overhanging skin, insurance may help pay for the procedure.
To find out if you are a good candidate for facial cosmetic surgery such as browlift or endobrow, contact my Palo Alto practice today.