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Facelift In Houston, TX
Facial aging can gradually change the way you recognize yourself in the mirror. Descending cheeks, jowls, loose skin, and loss of definition along the jawline and neck can make you appear older or more tired than you feel.
At Facial Plastic Surgery Associates in Houston, Dr. Sean Delaney specializes in facial rejuvenation surgery with an emphasis on natural-looking results. His goal with facelift surgery is not to change the way you look, but to restore more youthful facial contours while preserving the features and expressions that make you recognizable as yourself.
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What Is a Facelift?
A facelift, or rhytidectomy, is a surgical procedure designed to address visible signs of aging caused by laxity and descent of the tissues of the face. Despite its name, a facelift primarily rejuvenates the cheeks, lower face, jowls, and jawline and is frequently combined with a neck lift to create a balanced transition between the face and neck.
Facelift surgery repositions descended facial tissues and removes excess skin rather than simply pulling the skin tighter. It can improve jowling, restore definition along the jawline, and reposition tissues that have descended with age while preserving natural facial expression.
Dr. Sean Delaney primarily uses an Extended Deep Plane Facelift technique for comprehensive facial rejuvenation. This approach releases key facial retaining ligaments and repositions the deeper tissues of the face rather than relying on tension placed on the skin.
For patients interested in learning more about the anatomy, technique, and advantages of this approach, visit our Deep Plane Facelift page.
To better understand why the face ages beyond simple “volume loss,” read our guide to facial aging and structural descent.
Who is the ideal candidate for Facelift surgery?
A facelift may be appropriate for patients who are bothered by changes such as sagging of the cheeks and lower face, jowls, loss of jawline definition, loose skin, or aging of the face and neck that can no longer be adequately addressed with nonsurgical treatments.
There is no single ideal age for facelift surgery. Candidacy depends more on your anatomy, degree of facial aging, overall health, and goals than on chronological age. Good candidates should be healthy enough to undergo elective surgery, avoid nicotine, and have realistic expectations about what surgery can accomplish.
If you are actively losing a significant amount of weight, Dr. Delaney may recommend waiting until you are close to a stable goal weight before proceeding with surgery.
What are the benefits of Facelift?
A facelift can’t stop the aging process, but it can turn back the clock. After surgery, you’ll never look as old as you would have without it. With Dr. Delaney, a facelift helps you reveal a more youthful, vibrant version of yourself—never a “different” or “overly-done” look.
A well-executed facelift should never make you look like someone else. The goal is to restore what time has changed—not alter who you are. Read more about our philosophy on looking like yourself again
What Makes Dr. Delaney’s Approach to Facelift Surgery Different?
Dr. Sean Delaney is a double board-certified facial plastic surgeon whose practice focuses exclusively on surgery of the face and neck. His approach to facelift surgery combines a detailed understanding of facial anatomy with careful surgical planning and an emphasis on natural-looking results.
Dr. Delaney primarily performs an Extended Deep Plane Facelift, allowing him to reposition descended facial tissues while minimizing reliance on tension placed on the skin. Incisions are carefully designed around the natural contours of the ear and hairline with the goal of making healed scars as inconspicuous as possible.
Just as importantly, every facelift is individualized. The extent of surgery, treatment of the neck, and use of complementary procedures are determined by each patient’s anatomy, aging pattern, and goals rather than by applying the same operation to every patient.
What can I expect
from a Facelift consultation
at FPSA?
At Facial Plastic Surgery Associates, Dr. Sean Delaney is deeply committed to listening to your concerns throughout a comprehensive consultation, which typically lasts 1 to 1.5 hours. During this visit, your surgeon will perform a thorough examination to understand your goals and recommend the best approach to achieve them. All your questions will be welcomed and carefully addressed.
A member of our FPSA team will take detailed photos and use computer imaging software to help discuss potential changes and surgical goals. These images guide Dr. Delaney during surgery, reflecting your shared vision—something few surgeons do.
Our patient care concierge will support you throughout the consultation, reviewing before-and-after photos of other patients, answering questions, discussing any necessary medical clearances, outlining next steps, and providing a personalized treatment estimate. Many patients also take this opportunity to schedule their surgery.
We understand that facial rejuvenation is a significant emotional and financial commitment. At FPSA, we treat every patient like family, advocating for the highest quality of care and guiding you every step of the way.
Inside Your Facelift Consultation: What to Expect
What is a Preservation Deep Plane Facelift?
Dr. Delaney’s Facelift incisions explained
Dr. Delaney’s Deep-Plane Facelift
Choosing your Ideal Lift Procedure: Neck lift versus Facelift
How can weight loss affect your facelift outcome?
6 Essential Factors for your Facial Rejuvenation Journey
What exactly is a Facelift procedure?
5 Things you can do after a facelift to maintain and enhance your results
Why do people get facelifts?
4 signs that you’re an ideal facelift candidate
Ideal vectoring for facelift
Nasolabial Folds Explained
Facelift After Weight Loss Expert Advice!
Buccal Fat Reduction during Deep Plane Facelift
Why Jowls Happen—and What You Can Do About Them
Post-operative garment following Facelift
The biggest misconception about facial aging
How a Male Facelift Differs from a Female Facelift
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When is my pre-operative appointment?
When Is My Pre-Operative Appointment?
Your pre-operative appointment is typically scheduled approximately two weeks before surgery. During this visit, our team will review your surgical plan, medications and supplements, pre- and post-operative instructions, and any remaining questions you may have.
Depending on your age and medical history, medical clearance or additional testing may be required before surgery. You will also receive detailed instructions regarding medications, eating and drinking before surgery, and what to expect on the day of your procedure.
This appointment is an important opportunity to make sure you feel informed, prepared, and comfortable with the plan before surgery.
What do I need to do before surgery?
With any surgical procedure, it is necessary to avoid any medications or supplements that may thin the blood two weeks before and two weeks after your surgery. Our clinical staff will review instructions relating to medications and supplements at your pre-operative appointment.
Dr. Delaney does not operate on patients who smoke, chew tobacco, vape or take illicit drugs prior to or at the time of surgery, as these activities have a detrimental effect to the healing process. Surgery can be cancelled if drug tests prior to surgery indicate usage.
We recommend that patients avoid alcohol for two weeks prior to and after your surgery. You should maintain a healthy diet and avoid salt, fatty foods and processed sugar. Some patients eat pineapple for its naturally occurring bromelain. We recommend taking Arnica, Bromelain, and Vitamin C supplements 5 days before the surgery and 1 week following surgery. It is also very important to avoid significant sun exposure.
On the day of surgery and for the following two weeks, you should wear loose fitting or button-up tops and dresses to avoid placing unnecessary pressure or stress on the head and neck area.
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What can I expect after Facelift surgery (post-operative)?
No other cosmetic practice in Houston provides the level of pre-operative, operative, post-operative care that we do.
Immediately after surgery in our AAAHC-accredited operating room, you will relax in our recovery area where you will be monitored and prepared for release by the surgeon and the clinical team. You will have a dressing around your head to protect the surgical incisions that will remain in place until your appointment early the next morning.
For facelift surgery, Dr. Delaney requires patients to stay overnight at the nearby Hotel Chifley (Tapestry Collection by Hilton), just one block from our office, under the care of a registered nurse. The next morning, you’ll return to the office for your first post-operative appointment, where the initial dressing will be removed, Dr. Delaney will examine your results, and a smaller compressive dressing will be applied for continued support.
At the second or third day post-op visit, you will have your hair washed by our team just prior to seeing the doctor. It is a lovely respite after surgery and is one more example of the special care we provide our patients. After your hair wash you will then switch to an easy to use facial sling. The facial sling needs to be worn 24/7 for 1 week and then at nighttime only for the following 2 weeks. We will provide you with instructions on how to maintain this minimal dressing after surgery.
You will have follow-up visits with Dr. Delaney at one week and two weeks after surgery to ensure your healing is progressing smoothly. Following the personalized post-operative care plan we provide is important for achieving the best possible results.
For at least the first week after surgery, you should avoid driving to prevent unnecessary neck movement. When turning, always swivel at the waist rather than the neck to protect your sutures. During the first two weeks, it’s important to sleep on your back with your head elevated above your heart. Keep your neck flat by using a flat pillow—or no pillow at all—to avoid bending it forward.
Make-up can be worn as early as a few days following surgery, avoiding all incisions. You are able to take a shower beginning the day after your hair wash in our office.
Patients should avoid heavy lifting or activities that increase their heart rate for approximately 4-5 weeks after surgery. Over the ensuing weeks and months after your facelift surgery, you will find that numbness around the incision areas will go away.
While the longevity of facelift results varies depending on lifestyle, genetics, and ongoing skincare and sun protection, most patients enjoy their refreshed appearance for about 10 years before considering touch-ups, if desired.
Your aesthetic journey will be a rewarding experience when you go hand in hand with the best of hands, Dr. Delaney and the entire FPSA team.
How long is the recovery time?
The vast majority of patients are amazed at how quickly they recover from surgery.
We recommend taking about two weeks off work after surgery. By three weeks, most patients have returned to their normal routines and are feeling like themselves. Patients who bruise more easily may need additional time before resuming social activities. To be cautious, we suggest scheduling surgery at least five weeks before any major public event.
Patients who would like to accelerate their recovery time can also visit our Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy partner.
Can I have more than one procedure done at the same time?
It’s common for Dr. Delaney to combine Deep Plane Facelift surgery with other procedures. This approach can be very convenient, allowing patients to achieve multiple goals at once while minimizing the need for multiple recoveries and repeated anesthesia.
Many patients choose to combine a brow lift and/or eyelid surgery with their facelift to address drooping brows, excess upper eyelid skin, and under-eye bags, creating a more complete and balanced facial rejuvenation. Some patients also opt for facial fat transfer to restore lost volume and enhance overall youthful contours.
While a facelift does not get rid of fine wrinkles or creases around the mouth and eyes, Dr. Delaney can reduce them with CO2 laser skin resurfacing.
Fortunately, with our in-office fully accredited operating room, you can have multiple procedures done on the same day. Most of our patients prefer this approach because it allows you to take advantage of having just one recovery period.
Where do I have my Facelift surgery?
Dr. Sean Delaney and the entire FPSA Team provide patients with an exceptional surgical experience in our beautiful practice environment. Our patients enjoy the comfort, ease and convenience of having facelift procedures at our fully accredited AAAHC surgical center under IV Sedation. Recovery time is far shorter with IV Sedation rather than general anesthesia.
Facial Plastic Surgery Associates’ operating facility has been certified by the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC). Accreditation by this highly regarded, independent organization ensures that our in-office operating room meets the highest quality of standards and safety. This accreditation is similar to the process completed for out-patient surgical facilities associated with hospital systems.
For patients that may have underlying medical conditions that put them at greater risk with IV Sedation, our surgeons perform facelift surgery under general anesthesia at the prestigious Methodist Hospital in the Texas Medical Center.
Do you perform Facelift surgery for men?
Men want to look and feel their best too! Dr. Sean Delaney performs facelifts for the growing number of men seeking facial rejuvenation. Techniques are carefully adapted to account for men’s unique hairstyles and beard growth, ensuring natural, masculine results.
Fully Accredited
On-Site Surgical Facility
Dr, Sean Delaney and FPSA Team provide patients with an exceptional surgical experience at our AAAHC accredited on-site operating facility. Our patients enjoy the comfort, ease and convenience of having surgical and medical aesthetic procedures in our beautiful practice environment. Facial Plastic Surgery Associates’ operating room has been certified by the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC). Accreditation by this highly regarded, independent organization ensures that our in-office operating room meets the highest quality of standards and safety. This accreditation is similar to the process completed for out-patient surgical facilities associated with hospital systems.
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