The Secret to a Natural-Looking Face-Lift

It’s no secret that a surgical face-lift is the best way to get dramatic results. But to ensure those results are exactly what you envision means you have to do some research about the different procedures available, physician qualifications, and exactly what to expect.

We’ve done that legwork for you.

Frederick H. Watkins, MD, our board-certified plastic surgeon, has many years of experience performing cosmetic plastic surgery that delivers exceptionally natural-looking results. Here, he offers his expert insight into the face-lift procedure and a few tricks of the trade that will make sure you walk away from your face-lift experience looking like the best version of yourself.

Choose the right plastic surgeon

The first step in ensuring your face-lift turns out the way you want is to partner with the right plastic surgeon. Many physicians can go through the motions of plastic surgery, but that doesn’t mean they should. 

Cosmetic plastic surgery is both a skill and an art, and it takes talent and expertise to make changes to your facial features that look natural. In the wrong hands, your face can end up distorted or asymmetrical. Here are a few tips for choosing the right plastic surgeon:

• Make sure they’re board-certified — Dr. Watkins is an ABPS board-certified plastic surgeon who specializes in cosmetic plastic surgery
• Confirm their years of experience — the more, the better
• Ask about their training background
• Examine before and after photos of their past face-lift patients 
• Talk to other patients

Remember that not all plastic surgeons excel at every type of plastic surgery. For example, a surgeon who’s known for breast augmentations may offer face-lift surgery as well, but they may not be as skilled at manipulating the bones and cartilage in your face as they are with the soft tissues in breasts. Be sure to inquire about their area of expertise.

Don’t underestimate the consultation

Your initial face-lift consultation is a time to ask questions and gather some basic information, but it’s also a time to interview your plastic surgeon. During your consultation, you’ll get a feel for the office, the surgical facility, and the staff. 

Pay attention to how you’re treated, whether you feel comfortable in the place and with the people, and whether you feel a sense of trust. Do you feel rushed, pressured, or overlooked? Or do you feel seen, valued, and respected? If your gut tells you something is off, it’s probably not the right choice.

Dr. Watkins loves to discuss his surgical approach and philosophy with his patients, and he’s very open about what you can expect from your experience here. He wants to make sure he’s the right match for you as much as you do. Talk freely about your aesthetic goals and why you have them. An open and honest discussion is the best way to make sure you’ll be happy with your face-lift results.

Consider more than just a face-lift

A surgical face-lift corrects sagging cheeks and jowls, removes excess fat and skin, and eliminates deep creases and folds, but there are other issues you may want to address, as well. 

For example, you may want to smooth out a bump in your nose, remove excess skin in your eyelids, or shore up drooping earlobes. If so, talk to Dr. Watkins about rhinoplasty, blepharoplasty, and otoplasty. 

If your skin has textural issues, such as crepey fine lines and wrinkles, a face-lift won’t resolve them, but injectable dermal fillers will. We offer Restylane®, Juvéderm®, Radiesse®, and Perlane® brands to meet every possible type of facial line and wrinkle. 

We also offer Botox® and Jeuveau®, two neuromodulators with slightly different formulas that temporarily prevent certain facial muscles from contracting. This relaxes the lines that years of laughing, smiling, and frowning have etched into your face. And choosing Dr. Watkins as your administrator of these effective injectables gives you the confidence you won’t end up looking “frozen” or paralyzed.

The secret to a natural-looking face-lift is simple: choose the right surgeon. To schedule a consultation with Dr. Watkins, contact us today at either of our two locations in Rockville, Maryland, or McLean, Virginia, or request an appointment online.