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Facelift New York City

Introduction to Facelift

Creating Facial Balance & Harmony

There are dozens of songs made about being young, staying young, or feeling young, but the unfortunate truth is that every day you are getting older. Some people can maintain their youthful appearance easier than others, but it can never be fully put on hold. While the truth may be uncomfortable or undesirable, there are ways to physically turn back the clock and see some dramatic changes in your face. Fillers and injectables are great for patients who are OK with temporary solutions, but what if you could benefit from something more permanent? Through education and experience, William Samson, MD passionately works to provide some of the best Facelift results in NYC. If you are interested in this procedure, we have provided more information below.

Hand on Chin | William Samson | NYC Facelift
Touching Hair | William Samson | NYC Facelift

Before & After

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New York

Let’s start with the basics

What is Facelift?

The textbook name of a Facelift is Rhytidectomy. The anti-aging surgical procedure helps improve the visible signs of aging in both the face and neck by correcting:

  • Deepened fold lines between the nose and corner of the mouth
  • Fat that has either fallen or has disappeared
  • Jowls that have developed in the cheeks and jaw
  • Loose skin and excess fat of the neck that can appear as a double chin or “turkey neck”
  • Relaxation of the skin of the face that causes sagging

Your youthful facial contours can be lost because of a variety of factors, such as loss of facial fat, gravity, sun damage, smoking, thinning skin, and even heredity or stress.

Touching Chin | William Samson | NYC Facelift
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Main Advantages

What are the Benefits of Facelift?

William Samson, MD has seen our NYC patients enjoy the following benefits from their Facelift:

  • Creates a natural appearance
  • Gets rid of deep creases
  • Long-lasting
  • Manageable downtime
  • Pairs with many different types of procedures for a better look
  • Recontours your neck and jawline
  • Surgical scars are practically nonexistent
  • Tightens up sagging skin
  • Works for both women and men
Red Beanie | William Samson | NYC Facelift
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What to expect on the day of surgery

Your Facelift will begin by being administered anesthesia (either intravenous sedation or general anesthesia) that is discussed during your consultation. Depending on the degree of change you are trying to achieve, Dr. Samson will use either a traditional facelift, a limited incision facelift, a neck lift, or some combination.

Traditional Facelift

Traditional facelifts have an incision that begins in the hairline near your temples and continues around the ear, ending in the lower scalp. Fat can be sculpted or redistributed from your face, jowls, or neck and the underlying tissue is repositioned. It is also very common that the deeper layers of your face and muscles are also lifted. Your skin will then be redraped over your new, uplifted contours with the excess skin trimmed away. If necessary, a second incision will be made under the chin to help make your neckline look more youthful. The incisions are closed using sutures or skin adhesives.

Limited Incision (mini facelift)

In certain cases, a Limited Incision or “mini-lift” can be performed that uses shorter incisions around your template and continues around the ear. This technique is normally reserved for patients who have less skin relaxation and the results are less rejuvenating than a full facelift.

Neck Lift

A Neck Lift will help fix sagging jowls, loose neck skin, and fat accumulation under the chin. Dr. Samson will make an incision near the front of the ear lobe and wraps it around behind the ear, ending in the posterior hair behind the ear. Please read our Neck Lift page for more information.

Finally, Dr. Samson will close the incisions made with skin glue or sutures, and depending on which suture he uses, will either dissolve or need to be removed at your first follow-up appointment. Your face will also have a bandage wrapped around your face to minimize any swelling and bruising. He will also probably be leaving the cannula (small, thin tubing) in the incision temporarily to help drain any excess blood or fluid.

What’s the First Step?

If you find yourself in the NYC area and are interested in a Facelift, your first step is to contact the office of William Samson, MD, and schedule a consultation. During your appointment, you will be able to meet with Dr. Samson and explain your desires for the results of your procedure. He will examine your face and decide what is possible, as well as discuss your medical history. During this portion of your consultation, you must be open and honest with Dr. Samson. Your clarity allows him to make the best choices when crafting your surgical plan.

If you agree with the plan that Dr. Samson makes, then you will get with our Patient Coordinator and schedule your procedure date. You will be given some specific instructions that will help make your surgery as comfortable and optimal as possible.

Who are the Best Candidates for Facelift?

If you are in New York City and wondering if you are a good candidate for a Facelift, here are some characteristics that many of our patients share:

  • Has a positive outlook and realistic expectations regarding the outcome of their procedure
  • Have sufficient skin elasticity
  • Nonsmoker
  • Overall healthy with no medical conditions that impair healing

While a patient can get a Facelift at any age, our older patients tend to be able to experience more dramatic results.

Curly Hair | William Samson | NYC Facelift
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Facelift Recovery

After surgery, you can return home to rest comfortably, however, we highly recommend having a family member or friend available to give you a ride home. Dr. Samson will also provide you with a list of directions on how to treat your drains and surgical site, how to properly take your medications, and specific concerns to look out for.

Most patients can return to work within around 10 – 14 days after surgery, but you will still have some swelling, bruising, and visible scarring. It will take about 6 weeks before you can return to your regular workout as long as Dr. Samson approves of it.

How Much Does Facelift Cost in New York City?

The cost of a Facelift in New York City is based on many factors, including which type of technique is used and any other procedures added to your surgical plan. Once Dr. Samson has an idea of what he needs to do to help you reach your best appearance, our Patient Coordinator will give you a price breakdown for the full length of your procedure and recovery. We are proud to offer financing through Alphaeon for patients interested in spreading out the payment process. During your consultation, please ask about Alphaeon.

Why choose us?

Facelift Expert

Dr. William Samson has been a board-certified plastic and reconstructive surgeon for over a decade. After obtaining his medical degree at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, he completed a 5-year general surgery program at New York Presbyterian Hospital – Cornell, followed by four years of training in Plastic Surgery, which was completed at the world-renowned program at Emory University. Dr. Samson’s final year of Plastic Surgery training consisted of a Microsurgery and Breast Reconstruction Fellowship at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. He has wide clinical interests, and particularly enjoys merging his aesthetic eye and reconstructive surgery skills to help his patients find their best selves.

Dr. William Samson
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Schedule a Consultation

For our New York City patients looking to have a fresher, more youthful appearance, a Facelift could be great for you, and William Samson, MD would love to be a part of your change. To schedule your consultation, call our office at 646-956-3493 or request an appointment through our website and one of our friendly and knowledgeable team members will be in touch with you. Turn that frown upside down, or at least perk it up a bit, with a Facelift and contact us today!

Facelift

Is a Facelift painful?

Many of our NYC Facelift patients have very minimal pain during recovery, however, you may experience a deep bruised sensation as a result of the swelling. You may also feel some heaviness in your face and the bandages may take a few nights to get used to. Dr. Samson will provide you with a few temporary prescriptions to help you recover comfortably and healthily, as well as provide instructions on how to achieve optimal results.

How many appointments will I need?

The average number of appointments you will require after surgery is 3 - 6. Dr. Samson will want to see you a week post-surgery to see how you are healing and remove any stitches or bandages as well as the cannula left in your incision. He will inform you when you should return, but it’s usually a month or so later, and then again a few months after that. Bear in mind that patients who take good care of their skin and avoid sun exposure and smoking will require fewer sessions.

How long until I see results?

You should begin noticing positive changes after about a month from your procedure, with most patients seeing their final results around 6 months. Once everything has settled into place, you can expect to enjoy your results for many years to come, with 12 - 14 years being the average.  

Can I combine Facelift with other procedures?

Absolutely! Other procedures our New York City patients pair with their Facelift are Brow Lift or Eyelid Surgery to bring back some youthfulness to their eyes. If you would like to have any other aesthetic changes or enhancements, please discuss your goals with Dr. Samson during your consultation and he will be able to discuss which options could be best for you.

What are the risks associated with Facelifts?

Dr. Samson has plenty of experience performing successful Facelift surgeries, however, there are some potential risks and side effects that are associated with the procedure, including
  • Anesthesia risks
  • Bleeding
  • Deep vein thrombosis, cardiac and pulmonary complications
  • Facial nerve injury with weakness
  • Fluid accumulation
  • Infection
  • Numbness or other changes in skin sensation
  • Persistent pain
  • Poor wound healing and skin loss
  • Prolonged swelling
  • Skin irregularities and discoloration
  • Sutures may spontaneously surface through the skin, become visible or produce irritation that requires removal
  • Temporary or permanent hair loss at the incisions
  • Unfavorable scarring
  • Unsatisfactory results may include asymmetry, unsatisfactory surgical scar location, and unacceptable visible deformities at the ends of the incisions
If you do experience any concerning or long-lasting side effects or reactions during your recovery, please contact our office immediately.

Real Patients

Real Reviews

5 star reviews for William Samson, MD, FACS

Dr. Samson is amazing! I lost about 100 pounds and over the past year he has performed 3 surgical procedures to remove excess skin and transform my body!

– Lisa

5 star reviews for William Samson, MD, FACS

I opted to have a breast reduction 5 months ago with Dr. Samson and I must say the results and experience have been amazing.

– Moniefia

5 star reviews for William Samson, MD, FACS

Dr. Samson and his team treat patients with deep respect, thoughtfulness, honesty, attention to detail and great skill, all combined leading to excellent results.

– Phoebe

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Patients

Patient

Resources

We’re here to help, with a number of patient resources designed to make your experience as comfortable as possible. Read through the materials below, and don’t hesitate to reach out and set up your consultation to learn more about what we can do for you.