Facelift

Rejuvenate and Refresh Your Face in Chicago and Winnetka

Patients who are considering a facelift from the Chicago area’s Dr. John Q. Cook typically feel that their face no longer accurately represents their “true self.” Instead, over time, it has begun to send a message counter to their inner sense of well-being.

Ready to achieve a younger-looking appearance and match your outside look to your internal vitality? Positive change is possible with a facelift!

While it’s true that every face tells a story, some patients may want their own face to tell one of vigor and youth instead of age. Dr. Cook provides a wide range of options for patients seeking a facelift at his Chicago and Winnetka offices. At Whole Beauty^® Institute, each facelift procedure is customized to address the patient’s individual needs, blending decades of experience with the latest in technology and techniques. Facelift surgery has come a long way and is more advanced than ever before — and facial rejuvenation surgery has been Dr. Cook’s passion for his entire professional career. His devotion to individualized, naturalistic facelift results has won him recognition in the Chicago area, nationally, and internationally.

Facelift Video Gallery: Watch Dr. John Q. Cook’s videos that cover various topics about facelift surgery.

What Is a Facelift?

What does a facelift involve? What happens during a facelift?

A person’s overall face shape can gradually change as they get older. Collagen and elastin loss occurs due to age, so the skin becomes thinner and doesn’t snap back into place as easily over time. Sagging eventually develops around the eyes, along with the lower jawline and neck. The cheeks also begin to thin and flatten when volume is lost. Deep folds of skin may form on the lower face.

In general, the clean dynamic lines of the face lose their clarity and definition and the beautiful curves of the face flatten as facial structures settle. Corners of the mouth turn downward, and the outer brow droops, making you appear tired, sad, or angry. Aging faces lose the fat that previously provided youthful volume, leading to sagging skin, jowls, and hollowness.

All of these changes can be treated with a facelift. Also known as a rhytidectomy, a facelift is a facial rejuvenation procedure that involves lifting portions of the face while also excising redundant sagging skin. In addition to treating this laxity, muscles and fat are also repositioned.

The goal is to refresh and rejuvenate the face by restoring youthful definition and contours. A facelift will give the face a younger-looking shape and a less tired appearance. The procedure may also involve smoothing deep skin folds on the middle and lower areas of the face.

This surgery is often combined with a neck lift to address fat and sagging skin on the neck area, giving the whole region a sleeker appearance.

Who Is an Ideal Candidate for a Facelift?

How do I decide if I need a facelift? Who is a good candidate for a facelift?

If you are unsure as to whether this cosmetic surgery would be a good fit for you, here’s what you should know about what makes you eligible for a facelift: This surgery is a highly individualized treatment. In most cases, patients would be considered good candidates if they are in good health, do not have any underlying medical conditions that could delay healing, are non-smokers, and maintain a positive outlook and realistic expectations.

The procedure is ideal for individuals who have developed signs of aging—such as some sagging on the face and neck—but who still have some skin elasticity. It’s common for patients in their 40s to 70s to have a facelift, but even older patients may sometimes be candidates. There has been increased interest in facelift surgery among younger patients as well.

Patients who naturally have a strong, distinctive bone structure will usually achieve the best results from a facelift.

Which Type of Facelift Is Best?

Many patients aren’t sure which technique will be best for them. Dr. Cook will help you decide which approach is most suitable and put together a personalized plan.

Dr. Cook tailors each patient’s surgery accordingly based on their needs. At your initial consultation, he will examine your facial anatomy and determine the severity of your facial aging. He will also take your goals and medical history into account. Each patient will have final say, of course, and everyone is encouraged to ask questions and learn about their options.

There is no single facelift solution — and non-surgical solutions can only go so far

An individualized approach to each patient requires individualized solutions. One of the reasons that I find facelifts and other facial rejuvenation surgeries so captivating is that you never stop learning from your patients. The only practical limitation is one’s own perception and imagination. The face is so nuanced, you could spend a lifetime studying it and really just be at the beginning. All of the subtleties of facial contour, motion, and tone demand the surgeon’s respect.

I am helping my facial rejuvenation surgery patients the most when I have a repertoire of facelift techniques. This repertoire has grown with each passing year.

Unfortunately, we live in an era of hyper-aggressive marketing. Some surgeons insult their patients’ intelligence by placing undue emphasis on one aspect of facelift surgery technique and implying that this will be the final solution to facial rejuvenation. For example, some facelift surgeons prattle on about short scar facelifts or s-lifts, as if these are remarkable innovations. In fact, variations of these facelift operations were described in the 1920s and before. As we have already seen, skin removal is often the least important element of a facelift, so to place the entire emphasis on where incisions are made really takes the focus away from what is truly important.

The first thing that anyone who is serious about a facelift will tell you is that each patient needs an incision that is appropriate for him or her. For some patients, the facelift scar will be quite short; for others, the facelift scar will be longer. This does not lend itself to catchy phrases for marketing a facelift, but it is the truth. Remember, too, that a short facelift scar produced by an unskilled surgeon is usually much more noticeable than a longer facelift scar produced by an experienced and talented one.

As a face ages, it may present subtle miscues to those who observe it. Facelift patients often tell me during their initial consultation that even their best friends and spouses misperceive their attitudes and emotions. People ask them, “Are you feeling tired?” or “Why are you so angry with me?” when they are not feeling that way at all.

When we look at a face, our eyes naturally scan specific regions that are rich in information, so that we can determine that individual’s state of mind. These regions include the corners of the mouth and the zones around the eyes. People who are particularly good scanners of this type of facial information are often said to be gifted at reading other people’s emotions.

As facial structures drop and facial regions lose their curves and volume, the resting attitude of the face may assume a sad or angry posture. The dynamics of facial expression are also altered. It may become more difficult for the face to convey subtle nuances of emotion, and certain expressions may require greater effort than before.

It is my firm belief that when a facelift is properly performed, it moves the face closer to its unique signature or identity. This facelift results may also produce a beneficial feedback mechanism in the people who perceive that face.

What Are the Different Types of Facelifts?

Full Facelift and Neck Lift

When there is significant loss of tone in the major zones of the cheek, jaw border, and neck, the best solution is typically a full facelift and neck lift. Dr. Cook’s facelift technique emphasizes a vertical correction of the deeper structures and a rebalancing of the facial volume to correct the hollowness that often occurs in key regions, such as the upper cheek and the supporting zones around the lips.

The key with this facelift method is to avoid the distortion that so often occurs with facelifting techniques that tend to pull aggressively out to the side. The length of the facelift incisions in front of and in back of the ear will vary with each patient’s unique anatomy. Dr. Cook respects the complexity of the ear and hairline, so his facelift techniques are designed to minimize distortion of these structures.

Temporal Facelift

In select facelift patients, the key zone of concern is a settled upper cheek, which creates a look of hollowness in the area immediately beneath the lower eyelid. There may also be a mild to moderate loss of definition along the mid-cheek, but continued good definition in the neck.

For a patient with these specific changes, a temporal facelift is often a good choice. Dr. Cook gains access to the necessary tissues through incisions that follow the curve of the upper ear and sideburn or are hidden along the temporal hairline. The power of this facelift technique is enhanced when it is combined with volume rebalancing of the upper cheek with the fat transfer technique.

Facial Volume Rebalancing with Autologous Fat Transfer

For many patients, the loss of deep structural volume due to the natural atrophy of fat in key zones of the face leads to an overall hollow or gaunt appearance that cannot be corrected by lifting alone. Dr. Cook frequently combines facial fat transfer with his varied facelift and neck lift techniques in order to obtain the most natural-looking results. Fat transfer is also a wonderful “booster” technique that can restore balance to the face several years after a facelift has been performed. This can often be accomplished via a simple procedure in the office under local anesthesia.

Optimum facelift results occur when a top-tier surgeon works with a team that is totally committed to patient care.

The quality of your facial rejuvenation surgery experience is strongly influenced by the quality of the team that your surgeon has assembled to care for you before, during, and after your facelift or other procedure. During your initial consultation, you will have the opportunity to meet a number of these facial rejuvenation surgery team members. How they relate to you tells you much about the “soul” of the organization for which they work. Look for people who provide you with a sense of confidence, compassion, and service. Avoid organizations that emanate a sense of the “hard sell.”

The Preparation Phase of Facelift Surgery

The preparation phase begins with a detailed assessment of your overall state of health, nutrition, and fitness. Patients who are fit and optimally nourished recover more quickly from facelifts than those who are not. We have found that the period leading up to facial rejuvenation surgery can be an invaluable “inflection point” for our patients. The habits that we encourage in preparation for facelift surgery can stay with you after the surgery and provide as much benefit to you as the facial rejuvenation surgery itself!

During the preparation phase, we will also provide suggestions to optimize the quality of the skin prior to the facelift itself. We believe that by rejuvenating the skin structure, we can enhance the longevity of the surgical results.

A great team is able to anticipate your needs and enhances your passage through the facelift experience in ways that pertain to a particular procedure, but which also relate to your distinct needs. The simple, practical suggestions that they provide make the difference between a smooth recovery and one that can be frustrating. Look for a team of individuals who are responsive and anticipatory during the preparation phase; these are the same individuals you will need to count on during your facelift recovery.

The Surgical Phase of Facelift Surgery

The surgical phase involves the operation itself. It is the shortest and most intense phase of your facelift experience. If you have followed my suggestions, you will have selected a leading surgeon to carry out the operation effectively and with artistic inspiration. I know leading surgeons who operate in their own offices, in surgicenters, and in hospitals. Regardless of the setting, a truly leading surgeon will not allow for compromise in the quality of care.

If you prefer general or IV sedation anesthesia, the team at the surgicenter consists of recovery nurses, operating room nurses, surgical technicians, anesthesiologists, and anesthetists.

The Healing Phase of Facelift Surgery

The facelift healing phase is significantly influenced by the quality of the team that cares for you. Many of our patients spend the first night after surgery in a five-star hotel in the same building as the surgicenter and two blocks from our Chicago office. A team member can provide care that evening at the hotel or in your home if you are near where your surgery was performed. If you spend the first night at the hotel, our clinical team can visit you the next morning in the comfort of the hotel room. Our goal is to provide you with a seamless continuity of care. In the early weeks after a facelift or other facial rejuvenation surgery, you will have frequent contact with the clinical team. It is essential that every member of the team is imbued with the spirit of service and compassion.

What Is Dr. Cook’s Approach to Facelift Surgery?

Do facelifts ever look natural? Is a facelift customizable? The reason why Dr. Cook takes a customized approach to facelift surgery is because each face ages differently. For some people, aging will mainly impact one area of their face or neck—such as the jawline—which will be their primary area of focus.

For others, all areas may be affected almost equally. Dr. Cook knows that patients want to look like a more youthful version of themselves while still maintaining their natural features. Each facelift procedure is tailored to address specific goals on a unique face and achieve the most harmonious, balanced, and natural results possible.

In this video, Dr. Cook explains the 4 Dimensions of a Facelift: Tone, Volume, Expression, and Surface, and why it is so important to take these dimensions into account when consulting a patient and preparing for face lift surgery. why it is so important to take these dimensions into account when consulting a patient and preparing for face lift surgery.

Can a Facelift Be Customized for Your Specific Needs and Goals?

For facelift surgery, we believe in taking a personalized approach and assessing each patient on a case-by-case basis. Before selecting a facelift technique, Dr. Cook will spend a great deal of time analyzing the individual character of your face, along with your desired results, medical history, and lifestyle. He will analyze your face in natural light, since this provides the best understanding of your face’s contour and structure. During your initial facelift consultation, he will pay attention to your signature patterns of facial expression and how they may have been altered by the facial aging process. Part of his facelift analysis also involves a study of your face over the years. For this reason, he will ask you to provide photos of your face from different times in your life. Dr. Cook will also explore your history of exercise, weight fluctuation, and sun exposure, all of which can affect the results of facelift and other surgery.

He will review any fillers, relaxants, or other medical-grade skin treatments you have received, since these may have a bearing on an accurate analysis, as well as your treatment plan. We aim to get an in-depth understanding of each patient. Along with exploring your medical background, we are also interested in your patterns of activity such as work, social obligations, family responsibilities, and travel. These may affect our recommendations for the timing of your facelift surgery and recovery.

Debunking Common Myths or Misconceptions About Facelift Surgery

Facelift surgery can reverse the signs of aging, restoring your face to a more youthful, natural version of itself. While a facelift is the gold standard for restoring a youthful appearance, there are several common reasons why patients are hesitant to pursue facelift surgery:

Facts You Need to Know About Facelift Surgery

What Is Facelift Recovery Like?

Patients frequently ask, “How long does it take to look ‘normal’ after a facelift?” If you are curious about what to expect and how to speed up facelift recovery, this is what you should know: Patients will usually experience some minor side effects such as mild to moderate pain, drainage from incisions, swelling, bruising, and numbness. Bandages applied after the surgery provide gentle pressure to reduce swelling and bruising. It’s recommended that patients keep their head elevated when resting, take pain medication as instructed, and apply cool packs to provide some relief for discomfort and swelling.

What Does a Facelift Cost?

Every facelift procedure is highly individualized, and costs may vary greatly based on the patient’s unique goals and needs. After your consultation, you will be provided with a quote. Whole Beauty^® Institute does offer facelift payment options through Care Credit.

How Does Facelift Surgery Compare with Non-Surgical Cosmetic Treatments?

Patients who have tried to counteract signs of aging with fillers or neurotoxins may find that these treatments work well at first, but eventually may no longer be as effective as they age. When these techniques are used improperly or overused, they may create an ultimately unnatural look.

A facelift provides more dramatic rejuvenation in a way that would not be possible with injectables alone. Facelift surgery is the best option for more dramatic and severe signs of aging, such as sagging skin.

Dr. Cook has many years of experience in facial rejuvenation and strives to achieve the most dynamic, expressive, and natural-looking results, no matter the degree of facial aging.

Our entire facelift team places a great emphasis on an in-depth understanding of each patient. This includes a careful exploration of your medical history, your current state of health, and your well-being, as these impact directly the safety of your facelift surgery and the ease of your recovery.

We are also interested in your patterns of activity such as work, social obligations, family responsibilities, and travel. These may affect our recommendations for the timing of your facelift surgery and recovery.

The non-surgical facelift does not exist

I feel fortunate to practice in an unprecedented era of expanding possibilities for my facial rejuvenation patients. We now have available a wide range of non-surgical options to soften and mitigate facial appearance: everything from BOTOX^®, which selectively relaxes frown muscles, to an expanding array of fillers, to various therapies to improve the tone and texture of the skin. I use these wonderful tools every day in my practice. They fit in well with my emphasis on facial rejuvenation, particularly for patients with early facial aging or for those with more advanced changes, but who don’t want a facelift and are willing to settle for a more limited result. I also use the adjunct techniques to fine tune and embellish my surgical facelift results as part of a program of total facial rejuvenation.

It disturbs me when certain practitioners imply that these adjunctive techniques can be combined in a way that will obtain results similar to those of a facelift. Those who make this assertion lack honesty—or, at the very least, insight. Why is it that when I go to meetings in the United States and Europe and sit through hours of presentations, I never see results from these “non-surgical” approaches that obtain a fraction of the power of a skillfully performed facelift or other facial rejuvenation surgery? Unfortunately, some doctors so believe their own marketing that they will give presentations where they sing the praises of their own work while the audience can’t tell the difference between the “before” and the “after” pictures.

More Facelift Resources

Dr. Cook has assembled a thorough catalog of educational resources for patients who want more in-depth information about facelift and other facial surgery options.

Which Cosmetic Procedures Are Available to Complement a Facelift?

One of the most common misconceptions about this surgery is that it will involve the entire face. Facelift surgery is actually primarily focused on the lower two-thirds of the face. It involves enhancing the cheeks and the middle to lower regions of the face.

To rejuvenate the area around the eyes and forehead, a completely different set of techniques will be needed, since the tissues in these areas are different from the other parts of the face. To improve your overall facial rejuvenation results, you may wish to combine a facelift or neck lift technique with eyelid surgery (blepharoplasty) and surgery for the brow region (brow lift). We will explain these options during your consultation.

While a facelift can lift and tighten certain areas of the face, remember that this procedure won’t address sun damage or improve the appearance or quality of the skin itself.

Beyond a facelift, non-surgical treatments that improve the tone, texture, smoothness, and quality of the skin can also be beneficial in their own way. Neuromodulators such as BOTOX^®, Dysport^®, and Xeomin^® relax facial muscles that cause dynamic wrinkles. Juvederm^®, Restylane^®, and other injectable facial fillers add temporary volume to reduce static wrinkles that are associated with the loss of volume and elasticity.

Laser skin resurfacing and chemical peels promote collagen production for more even, vibrant, and healthy skin while addressing concerns such as uneven pigmentation, dullness, dryness, wrinkles, scars, and other blemishes.