Your facelift should bring your features back into focus. With stronger definition through your cheeks and jawline, your face can look refreshed and energized while keeping the character and expressions that make it unmistakably yours.
At Locketz Facial Plastic Surgery in Denver, CO, near Belleview Station, Dr. Garrett Locketz provides highly individualized care within a private, boutique practice devoted to the face and neck. He works beneath your skin to reposition the deeper tissues that support your face, using your facial structure to guide each part of the procedure. This precise approach allows your skin to settle into smoother contours without looking tight, pulled, or overdone.
A facelift (rhytidectomy) is a surgical procedure that lifts and repositions facial tissues affected by the natural aging process. It focuses on the cheeks, jawline, lower face, and often the neck.
During a facelift procedure, Dr. Locketz will adjust the underlying tissues and remove excess skin after the deeper support has been restored. This approach can improve jowls, deep creases, lower-face laxity, and loss of jawline definition without changing the fundamental appearance of your face. Your features remain recognizable, with firmer contours and a more rested look.
Hear from Locketz Facial Plastic Surgery patients as they discuss their consultations, recoveries, and facelift results with Dr. Locketz.
“Facelift” is the broad name for surgery that repositions aging tissues of the lower face. “Deep plane facelift” refers to a specific method of performing that surgery. They are related terms, but they do not describe two separate treatment categories.
A traditional facelift often works on the superficial musculoaponeurotic system (SMAS). Depending on the technique that you and Dr. Locketz decide on during your consultation, the SMAS may be folded, tightened, trimmed, or repositioned to support the lower face. The remaining skin is then placed over the adjusted tissues without excess tension.
A deep plane facelift releases key retaining ligaments beneath the SMAS so the skin, connective tissue, and underlying muscle layer can move together. This gives the surgeon access to deeper tissues in the cheek and jawline while limiting the amount of tension placed on facial skin.
Dr. Locketz performs the deep plane technique because it fits his approach to structural facial rejuvenation. The dedicated deep plane facelift page covers that method in greater detail. This page provides broader information about facelift candidacy, preparation, surgery, recovery, cost, and results.
A mini facelift is another term patients may encounter. It usually refers to surgery with smaller incisions or a more limited treatment area. Since the name does not identify one standard technique, candidacy depends on the extent and location of facial aging rather than the appeal of a “mini” procedure.
A facelift can create substantial improvement when sagging skin and tissue descent have begun to change the lower face. Potential benefits include:
A facelift won’t correct every sign of aging on its own. Dynamic wrinkles, sun damage, uneven texture, and lost facial volume may respond better to Botox, laser treatments, fat grafting, or injectable fillers. As part of his comprehensive approach to facial rejuvenation, Dr. Locketz can recommend complementary procedures or create a staged treatment plan that keeps your features balanced and your care cohesive.
Good candidates often have jowls, lower-face laxity, deep folds, or excess skin around the jaw and neck. They should be in stable health, have realistic expectations, and be able to follow the recovery instructions.
Skin elasticity influences how the facial skin settles after surgery, but age alone doesn’t determine candidacy. Some patients consider a facelift as early as in their 40s, while others wait until their 50s, 60s, or beyond. The pattern and degree of facial aging provide more useful information than a birth date.
People who smoke will need to stop before and after surgery because nicotine restricts blood flow and raises the risk of healing problems. Certain medical conditions or medications may also affect candidacy. Dr. Locketz reviews your medical history and completes a physical examination before recommending surgery.
Facial aging develops across several tissue layers. A facelift focuses on structural descent through the cheeks, jawline, lower face, and neck.
As underlying tissues descend over time, fullness may collect beside the chin and blur the border of the jaw. Repositioning those tissues can restore a cleaner line from the chin toward the ear.
A facelift can soften deep creases around the nose and mouth by lifting descended facial tissues. Fine surface lines may remain and can be treated through other skin rejuvenation options.
Tissue descent can flatten the upper cheek while creating heaviness lower on the face. Lifting the deeper support layer restores cheek position without relying on large amounts of filler.
A neck lift may be incorporated to address loose skin, excess fat, or visible platysmal bands beneath the chin. Treating both areas can create a smoother transition across the jawline.
Preparation begins with a detailed review of your health, medications, prior facial procedures, and aesthetic concerns. Dr. Locketz will explain which prescriptions, supplements, or over-the-counter products may need to be paused before surgery. Do not discontinue prescribed medication without approval from the appropriate medical provider.
Arrange for a reliable adult to drive you home and remain with you during the first stage of recovery. Set up a comfortable place to rest, prepare meals in advance, and keep extra pillows available so you can sleep with your head elevated. Smoking and all nicotine products must be stopped for the period specified by Dr. Locketz.
You’ll receive personalized instructions based on your surgical plan, including guidance for eating, drinking, cleansing your skin, and arriving at the surgical facility. The Locketz Facial Plastic Surgery team remains closely involved throughout this stage, helping you prepare for surgery and understand what to expect during the early days of recovery.
Facelift techniques vary, so the operation begins with an individualized plan based on facial structure and tissue position. Dr. Locketz places incisions around the ear and within the hairline, following natural creases where possible.
Through these incisions, he releases and repositions the underlying tissues of the cheek, lower face, and jawline. A neck lift may be completed through the same incisions, with an additional small incision beneath the chin when needed. Excess fat can be removed or redistributed, and fat transfer may be used to replace lost volume in select areas.
Once the deeper tissues have been secured, Dr. Locketz removes excess skin and closes the incisions with fine sutures. The skin should rest over the restored support without carrying the tension of the lift.
Swelling, bruising, tightness, and temporary numbness are expected after facelift surgery. A soft dressing may be placed around the face and neck, and small drains may be used for a short period. Dr. Locketz will provide instructions for incision care, medication, bathing, and sleeping position.
Plan to rest with your head elevated during the first week. Walking around the house supports circulation, but bending, lifting, and strenuous activity must wait. Many patients return to desk work within 10 to 14 days, though visible swelling can take longer to fade.
Follow-up visits allow Dr. Locketz to assess the healing process and remove sutures when appropriate. Exercise and heavier activity can resume in stages after he confirms that the facial tissues have healed enough to tolerate them.
Early improvement becomes visible as swelling recedes, but your face will continue to settle over several months. The jawline becomes clearer, the cheeks take on a firmer position, and the face and neck develop a smoother contour.
A facelift cannot stop the aging process. It can reposition tissues and remove lax skin, giving your face a stronger structural starting point as aging continues. Skin quality, sun exposure, smoking, weight changes, genetics, and ongoing skincare can all influence how the result ages.
Dr. Locketz aims for facial rejuvenation that looks convincing in person and in motion. You should still look like yourself, with less heaviness through the lower face and a closer match between your appearance and how you feel.
Facelift cost depends on the extent of tissue correction, the surgical technique, anesthesia, facility fees, and procedures included in the treatment plan. Combining a facelift with neck surgery, fat grafting, a brow lift, or eyelid surgery will affect the total price.
After evaluating your face and discussing your priorities, the practice will provide a detailed estimate. Because no two operations involve the same anatomy or surgical plan, an in-person or virtual consultation is required before accurate pricing can be given.
Dr. Garrett Locketz is a double board-certified facial plastic surgeon whose practice centers on the face and neck. His training includes facial plastic surgery and head and neck surgery, giving him a detailed understanding of facial muscles, retaining ligaments, soft tissue, and bone structure.
As a boutique facial plastic surgery practice, Locketz Facial Plastic Surgery offers a level of personal attention that extends far beyond the procedure itself. Your care begins with an in-depth consultation about your face, goals, health, schedule, and preferences. Dr. Locketz then develops a comprehensive plan that may include facelift surgery alone, a coordinated face and neck procedure, or complementary treatments that support balance across your features.
That same attention continues before surgery and throughout recovery. Dr. Locketz and his team provide clear guidance on preparing for time away from work, managing early swelling, protecting your incisions, and understanding how your face will change as it heals. Every stage feels private, considered, and centered on your experience.
Your private consultation with Dr. Locketz is an unhurried conversation about your face and the kind of result you want. He’ll examine your face and neck, explain your surgical options, and answer questions about recovery, cost, scarring, and long-term results. If another procedure or staged approach would create better balance, he’ll explain how each part fits into your comprehensive treatment plan.
Located along East Belleview Avenue in the Denver Tech Center, Locketz Facial Plastic Surgery welcomes patients from Cherry Creek, Wash Park, Greenwood Village, Cherry Hills Village, and communities across the Front Range and beyond. Contact the practice to schedule your boutique facelift consultation with Dr. Locketz.
Dermal fillers replace volume in areas such as the cheeks, temples, or folds around the mouth. They do not remove excess skin or lift tissues that have descended. Fillers may support a facelift result when volume loss is part of the aging pattern, but adding too much filler can make the face appear heavy.
A “nonsurgical facelift” is a marketing term used for combinations of injectable fillers, skin-tightening devices, and other minimally invasive options. These treatments may improve volume, texture, or mild laxity, but they can’t achieve the same amount of lifting as facelift surgery can.
Yes. A facelift focuses on the lower two-thirds of the face and often the neck. Blepharoplasty or a brow lift can address the upper face when the eyelids or brows also contribute to an aged or tired appearance. Combining facial procedures may allow for one anesthesia event and one coordinated recovery period.
Facelift incisions are placed within the hairline and around the natural contours of the ear. Scars are visible during early healing, then tend to fade with time. Final scar quality depends on surgical technique, skin characteristics, sun protection, nicotine use, and individual healing.
There is no universal age. Facelift candidacy depends on tissue laxity, facial structure, skin elasticity, health, and the type of change you want. Patients often begin considering surgery once nonsurgical treatments can no longer address jowls or sagging through the lower face.
The face and neck are evaluated together because a defined jawline depends on both areas. Many facelift patients benefit from an integrated neck lift, though the exact procedure depends on skin laxity, excess fat, platysmal banding, and prior surgery.
Facelift results can remain visible for many years, though the face continues to age. Genetics, skin condition, sun damage, smoking, and changes in weight can affect longevity. Good skincare and sun protection help preserve skin quality after surgery.
