Farahmand Plastic Surgery: The Fort Myers Destination for Facelifts

Choosing a facelift surgeon is a high‑stakes decision. You live with the results for years, and subtle differences in technique show up in every mirror, every video call, every photograph with family. In Fort Myers, patients who do their homework often gravitate toward Farahmand Plastic Surgery, led by Dr Audrey Farahmand. The draw is not just credentials or buzzwords, but consistent, natural‑looking results backed by methodical planning, careful anesthesia choices, detailed aftercare, and an artist’s restraint. Many of the hallmarks patients want in a modern facelift are part of the routine here: rejuvenation without tension, rejuvenation that looks like you on a well‑rested day, not a different person.

I have spent years watching outcomes from practices around the country, sitting in on pre‑op planning sessions, and listening to what patients appreciate six months and six years after surgery. Good work has patterns. So does mediocre work. The difference shows up in the hairline, around the ears, along the jaw angle, under the chin, and near the corners of the mouth. The choices made before the first incision dictate how those details age. At Farahmand Plastic Surgery, the planning is individualized, and that tends to show up in the quality and longevity of results.

Why Fort Myers patients keep asking for natural results

Most facelift consultations in this region start with a similar request: I don’t want to look pulled. People are not asking to erase time, they are asking to realign what they feel inside with what they show outwardly. Sun exposure, humidity, active lifestyles, and frequent social engagement create a specific set of needs for Southwest Florida patients. The goal is clean jawline definition, smoother neck contours, and softened folds around the mouth without flattening your character. A well‑executed facelift addresses the deep structural changes that come with aging, not just the skin on top.

Patients who choose a Facelift Surgeon in Fort Myers often search with phrases like facelift surgeon near me, Best facelift surgeon in Fort Myers, or Top facelift surgery in Fort Myers. Those searches hint at what matters: proximity for follow‑up, a proven record, and a style that matches the patient’s taste. Convenience should never outweigh safety, but easy access for pre‑op simulation, suture removal, and scar care makes a difference in the experience and the outcome.

What sets Farahmand Plastic Surgery apart

This practice takes a comprehensive approach from the first conversation. The consultation blocks are long enough for a thorough exam in upright and supine positions, because laxity reads differently when you’re lying down. If you have jowling with strong platysmal banding, the plan will include a direct approach to the neck. If you have early laxity and good skin quality, the plan is often lighter and targeted. The point is not to sell the biggest operation, but to match the operation to the anatomic issues that actually make you look tired.

Patients also respond to the way the team handles expectations. Vague promises are not helpful. A good facelift can reset the clock by 8 to 12 years on average, sometimes more for the neck. It cannot change pore size, deep etched lip lines, or pigment. Those issues respond to resurfacing, peels, energy devices, and skincare. At Farahmand Plastic Surgery, they pair facelift surgery with skin strategies and staged interventions so you do not chase everything at once. That pacing protects healing and typically improves satisfaction.

A closer look at facelift techniques that age well

There are many ways to tighten a face, and not all are equal over the long term. Techniques that pull only on the skin can look sharp for a few months, then relax and slide. Longevity comes from lifting the SMAS, the fibromuscular layer that sags with age, and from addressing the neck as a structural problem rather than a superficial one.

A classic deep plane or extended SMAS approach remains a workhorse for full lower face and neck rejuvenation. It allows repositioning of the descended tissues, release of the ligaments that tether the midface, and redraping of skin without tension. These moves create a cleaner jawline and a more natural transition from face to neck. When the platysma bands are strong or the digastric muscles contribute bulge, a submental approach with platysmaplasty refines the neck. The trick is knowing when the neck is the primary culprit. In my experience, patients often underestimate the neck and overestimate the cheeks. Surgeons who keep the neck central to planning deliver results that last.

For earlier aging, limited incision techniques or short‑scar variants can make sense. They control the jawline while preserving a minimal footprint around the hairline and ear. The decision to go shorter is not about being conservative for its own sake. It is about treating the problems you have and not the ones you do not. Good Facelift Surgery in Fort Myers strikes that balance, especially for patients in their late forties to mid‑fifties with sturdy skin and mild laxity.

Incisions, scars, and hairline preservation

Scar quality is the most visible tell of a thoughtful facelift. You should be able to wear your hair up without advertising surgery. Incisions placed within natural curves around the ear, feathered into the hairline where appropriate, and designed to avoid a step‑off at the temporal point tend to heal discreetly. Tension belongs on the deep layer, not the skin edge. When that principle is followed, scars usually soften to a faint line over a few months.

At Farahmand Plastic Surgery, I have seen consistent care taken with sideburn position and temporal hair conservation, key details for women who wear their hair back. Men need a different plan to avoid beard hair creeping onto the ear. That means deliberate incision planning and, sometimes, postoperative laser hair removal for fine‑tuning. These are small choices with a big payoff in natural appearance.

The role of fat grafting and volume balance

A facelift repositions and tightens. It does not restore fat where it has been lost. Many faces age with both descent and deflation. If you lift without replacing volume, you risk a clean but slightly hollow look. The opposite problem also exists: filling without addressing descent can leave you puffy but still lax. Strategic fat grafting to the lateral cheek, preauricular hollow, and sometimes the temples rebuilds youthful contours. The amounts are small, often 10 to 25 cc total, placed in micro‑aliquots for smooth integration. Dr Audrey Farahmand uses this judiciously, keeping an eye on how the patient carries volume in photos from their thirties and forties. Patients who cycle weight may need lighter grafting to avoid fluctuation.

Anesthesia and safety that respects recovery

Patients often ask whether a facelift requires general anesthesia. The answer depends on the scope of surgery, your health profile, and the neck work planned. Many lower face and neck lifts can be performed with deep IV sedation plus local anesthetic, which shortens grogginess and can smooth recovery. More extensive work, combined procedures, or airway considerations may favor general anesthesia. The most important safety levers are not flashy: thorough medical history, medication reconciliation, blood pressure control, VTE prevention, and an experienced anesthesia provider. These are nonnegotiable for any top Facelift Surgeon in Fort Myers.

The timeline you should expect

Recovery has rhythms. Day by day, here is the pattern most healthy patients experience after a full lower face and neck lift with platysmaplasty. Some will move faster, some slower, especially if adjuncts like eyelid surgery are combined.

Days 1 to 3: Swelling peaks. Tightness in the neck and around the ears is common. Patients sleep slightly elevated. Walking around the house helps circulation and mood. Pain is usually manageable with a combination of acetaminophen and a brief course of prescribed medication.
Days 4 to 7: Bruising shifts from purple to yellow. Sutures around the ear often come out between day 5 and day 7. Many patients feel cabin fever but still look too swollen for public settings.
Weeks 2 to 3: Swelling continues to drop. Makeup can camouflage residual discoloration. Most patients return to desk work in this window. Light exercise resumes cautiously after clearance.
Weeks 4 to 6: Numbness lingers near the ear and jawline, which is normal and fades over months. Scar management begins in earnest once incisions are sealed.
Months 3 to 6: The shape refines. The neck softens. This is when friends may comment that you look rested but cannot pinpoint why.

That arc informs scheduling. Fort Myers residents who host seasonal visitors often plan surgery in the warm months, allowing time to recover before the social calendar fills up again.

Combining procedures without overdoing it

The face is a system. If the lids are heavy or brows have drifted, a lower facelift alone will not fix tired eyes. Lower eyelid bags paired with lax cheeks often benefit from a transconjunctival approach and a midface lift, or conservative fat repositioning. Upper lids with skin excess are addressed with blepharoplasty. Laser or chemical peels handle texture and fine lines. At Farahmand Plastic Surgery, combinations are chosen on a case‑by‑case basis. The decision to stage a peel for three months after facelift, for instance, avoids compromising blood supply and reduces risk. The judgment call is always about total stress on the tissues and your ability to recover well.

Candidacy, age ranges, and health realities

Most facelift surgery patients fall between their late forties and early seventies. Biological age matters more than chronological. A 68‑year‑old with good skin quality, a healthy weight, and no vascular disease may heal better than a 55‑year‑old who smokes and has uncontrolled hypertension. Smoking and nicotine are rough on facelift results. They constrict blood flow and raise the risk of skin edge problems. The standard protocol stops nicotine for several weeks before and after surgery. Blood thinners are managed with your prescribing physician. Aspirin, certain supplements, and anti‑inflammatories are paused on a timeline designed to reduce bleeding risk without endangering your underlying health.

Diabetics can be good candidates if glucose is well controlled. Patients with significant weight fluctuations should stabilize first. Massive weight loss creates unique challenges like vertical neck laxity and excess skin that require tailored approaches. A frank conversation about your goals, finances, and recovery support ensures the plan fits your life.

Cost, value, and what is included

Pricing for Facelift Surgery in Fort Myers spans a range, influenced by technique, operating time, anesthesia type, and whether additional procedures are included. Expect an overall fee that includes surgeon’s fee, facility fees, anesthesia, garments, and standard follow‑up. Patients often ask whether a lower price is a red flag. The better question is what you are receiving for that price. A surgeon running on time, operating in an accredited facility, with a seasoned team and thorough follow‑up, often costs more. The value shows in fewer surprises and smoother recovery. A revision facelift costs more in both money and healing than a careful primary facelift done right. This is not the place to bargain hunt.

Before and afters, and how to read them wisely

Gallery photos are part of modern research, but they can mislead if you do not know what to look for. Seek consistent lighting, consistent head position, hair pulled back to reveal incisions and jawline, and views at 45 degrees where jowls and neck bands are most visible. If all you see are straight‑on photos with hair down, be cautious. Time intervals matter. Early results are puffy. Six months is honest. One year is ideal. At Farahmand Plastic Surgery, the gallery and in‑office albums show multiple angles and different skin types. Realism builds trust.

The consultation experience: questions that lead to clarity

A strong consultation feels like collaboration. The surgeon plastic surgery procedures should examine you in person, take standardized photos, and trace changes on your images to explain what a lift would and would not accomplish. Patients new to the process sometimes assume that more lift equals better lift. In practice, restraint plus precise vectoring produces a younger, calmer version of yourself.

Bring prior photos, ideally from your thirties and early forties. They are a roadmap for where your tissues used to live. If you had orthodontic work or dental changes that altered lip support, mention it. If you have TMJ issues or grinding, the masseters may be enlarged, and that affects jawline aesthetics. Good plans grow from full context.

Aftercare that protects your investment

The earliest weeks reward patience and simple habits. Sleep slightly elevated for at least a week. Walk daily. Keep salt reasonable to help swelling. Do not bend or lift heavy objects until cleared. Keep the incisions clean and dry until your surgeon transitions you to scar care. Many practices, including Farahmand Plastic Surgery, use a stepped protocol: silicone sheeting or gel once the skin is sealed, gentle massage when approved, and sun protection thereafter. Sun is the enemy of new scars and resurfaced skin. Broad‑brim hats and high SPF sunscreen are not optional in Florida. If you color or treat your hair, plan your salon appointments around incision healing to avoid irritation.

Why many patients choose Dr Audrey Farahmand

Credentials get you in the door, but patterns keep patients referring friends. The throughline I hear from those who have worked with Dr Audrey Farahmand is attentiveness. She is a Facelift Surgeon who spends time on the small things: accurate preauricular incision placement for different ear shapes, neck angles that respect each person’s anatomy, and honest pacing of adjunct procedures. These are not headline details, but they affect your daily life when you are the one in the mirror.

Patients also appreciate that she practices in the same market she serves long term. In communities like Fort Myers, word travels. If a practice overpromises, it becomes common knowledge within a season. Farahmand Plastic Surgery has built its reputation with a steady, quiet approach to facelift surgery and a consistent focus on safety.

Non‑surgical options and when they help

Fillers, neurotoxins, and devices have a place. They can maintain results after surgery or bridge the gap before you are ready. Toxins soften dynamic lines in the brow and crow’s feet, which surgery does not address. Fillers shine in the lips and chin and, used sparingly, can smooth the prejowl sulcus. Energy devices can tighten mild laxity, but they cannot replace a facelift when jowls and neck bands dominate. A common misstep is overfilling in an attempt to avoid surgery. That creates a heavy, inauthentic look. At Farahmand Plastic Surgery, non‑surgical care is used to support surgical results, not pretend they are interchangeable.

How to decide if now is the right time

A facelift is both a medical and a personal decision. If daily photos make you edit your jawline, if you dodge profile shots, if you lift the skin in the mirror and like what you see, those are clues. If you can invest a few weeks in healing, have support for the first few days, and feel ready to maintain your skin afterward, you are likely a good candidate. Meet with at least one experienced Facelift Surgeon Fort Myers patients trust, ask direct questions, and assess how the plan fits your life. The best facelift surgeon in Fort Myers for you is the one whose results match your taste and whose process makes you feel informed and safe.

A brief word on men seeking facelift surgery

Men are a growing share of facelift patients in Fort Myers. Their goals often center on a sharp jawline and clean neck that reads well on video. Incision placement must respect beard patterns and shorter hairstyles. Over‑tightening risks a windswept look that is especially visible in men. Submental work is common, and the platysma repair tends to be robust. The same principles apply: deep structural correction, restrained skin tension, and meticulous incision strategy.

The long view: what results look like five years from now

A strong facelift does not freeze time. It repositions tissues to a younger place and slows the clock by several years. Aging continues, but from a better baseline. Five years out, a patient who had a deep structural lift with neck work and volume balancing typically keeps a defined jawline and a smoother neck, especially if they maintain a stable weight, protect skin from sun, and manage health basics like blood pressure. Minor touch‑ups, like a skin pinch at the upper lid or laser maintenance, can polish results without repeating big surgery. Many patients never need another full facelift, while others opt for a lighter secondary procedure after a decade or more.

If you are comparing surgeons in Fort Myers

You will hear similar phrases from many practices: natural results, customized plans, board certification, safety. Distinguish them by looking at case breadth, how they handle the neck, incision strategy visible in up‑do hairstyles, and honest counseling about adjunct procedures. The experience at Farahmand Plastic Surgery reflects a philosophy that rewards precision over volume, candid explanations over sales language, and outcomes that let you keep your face, only fresher.

For those searching facelift surgeon near me or Facelift Surgery in Fort Myers, schedule consultations, bring questions, and pay attention to how you feel in the room. This is a partnership. When you find the right one, the process feels orderly and the result feels like you at your best.

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