• Home
• Cosmetic Surgery
• Face Lift & MACS Lift

Face Lift & MACS Lift

You can now have a VIRTUAL CONSULTATION via Doxy.me with Dr. Janssen. This encrypted telemedicine system is an easy-to-use online tool that allows you to schedule a HIPAA compliant video call with no download required. Please call the office at 920-233-1540 or email us at [email protected] for instructions on how to proceed.

Like an in-office visit, we will usually need your 1) demographics, 2) insurance information (if applicable), 3) area(s) of concern, 4) photos of the area(s) of concern, and 5) complete health history. We’re here for you more than ever.

Facial skin begins to lose elasticity, causing wrinkles and sagging as people age. Furthermore, extensive sun exposure or large weight fluctuations can greatly accelerate aging of the skin, leaving people looking much older than they actually are. The board-certified plastic surgeons at Fox Valley Plastic Surgery perform facelift surgery in Wisconsin to help women and men look naturally more youthful and rejuvenated.

Dr. David Janssen is an expert in face lifts and is helping women and men from places such as Green Bay, Appleton, Fond du Lac, Sheboygan and beyond perfect their personal Renaissance. Request your consultation using our online form or contact us at (920) 233-1540 to find out if a facelift is right for you. Consultations are available in both our Oshkosh & Appleton offices. You will pay a $100 consultation fee.

What Is a Facelift?

A facelift, or rhytidectomy, is a surgical procedure that improves visible signs of aging in the face and neck, such as:

• Sagging in the middle of your face
• Deep creases below the lower eyelids
• Deep creases along the nose extending to the corner of the mouth
• Fat that has fallen or has disappeared
• Loss of skin tone in the lower face that creates jowls
• Loose skin and excess fatty deposits under the chin and jaw can give even a person of normal weight the appearance of a double chin

Pricing

At this time, insurance does not cover facelift surgeries. In general, a full (SMAS) facelift costs $13,250, a MACS lift $11,600, a MACS lift/neck lift combination with lateral skin platysma displacement $15,250, and a MACS lift/neck lift/fat transfer to cheeks combination $17,500. The price includes the surgeon’s fee, the facility fee at the Theda Care Surgery Center, and anesthesia. The pricing is subject to change, and is different if the surgery is done at another facility, and if there are unique circumstances surrounding the surgery, etc.

Cost Breakdown

Fox Valley Plastic Surgery highly recommends the use of Strataderm® immediately after wound closure and for several weeks afterwards. Stratamed is the first film-forming silicone gel-based wound dressing approved for the use on open wounds and compromised skin. Depending on the length of the incision, a tube of Strataderm® costs $32-$54.

Additionally, FVPS offers discounts for multiple cosmetic procedures: 15% off the surgeon’s fee for the 2nd cosmetic procedure, and 30% off the surgeon’s fee for the 3rd procedure. The operating room fee is discounted 50% for the 2nd+ procedure, while anesthesia is based solely on time. Although there are zero interest financing options available through Care Credit and Alphaeon Credit, payment by cash gives an additional 5% discount. (Additional discounts not mentioned here may be available).

RealSelf Patient Reviews of David Janssen, MD, FACS

Facelift Options

The loss of youthful contours in the face can be due to a variety of factors, including heredity, gravity, environmental conditions, and stress. Nonetheless, there are multiple options for facelift procedures depending on the degree of change desired. These choices include a traditional (SMAS) facelift, a MACS (Minimal Access Cranial Suspension) lift, and a Skin Only facelift.

Traditional Facelift

In a traditional facelift, the surgeon will make an incision that begins at the hairline and temples, continues around the ear and ends in the lower scalp. The surgeon may redistribute or sculpt fat from the face, jowls and neck. Then, the underlying tissue is repositioned, and it is common for the deeper layers of the face and muscles to be lifted. Finally, the surgeon will re-drape the skin over the uplifted contours and trim excess skin away.

A second incision under the chin may be necessary to further improve an aging neck. Last but not least, your surgeon will use sutures or skin adhesives to close the incisions.

MACS Facelift

Alternatively, the MACS lift corrects the sagging facial features through a short, minimal incision, elevating them vertically by suspending them from above. There are many advantages to having a MACS facelift versus a traditional facelift, including:

• The MACS lift uses a shorter scar that is in front of the ear, instead of behind, which is much easier to hide.
• The MACS lift surgery is safer because less skin is raised. This means that there is less risk of bleeding and nerve damage.
• The operation takes less time, lasting 2.5 hours instead of the 3.5 hours that the traditional facelift requires.
• There is also a shorter recovery period, 2-3 weeks instead of 3-4 weeks.
• The results of the MACS lift are very natural, while the traditional facelift will often result in a “windswept” look.

How is a MACS Lift Performed?

The surgeon will make an incision starting in the skin fold in front of the ear following the hairline to the sideburn. The incision is virtually invisible and blends in with the hairline due to the zig-zag pattern. Secondly, the surgeon will lift the skin to gain access to deep tissues. Depending on the patient’s needs, the surgeon will place two or three sutures into the deep facial tissues to obtain suspension of the facial features.

During the process of repositioning the facial tissues, excess skin will appear on the lower eyelid and around the sideburn, which the surgeon removes during the surgery. The surgeon will then replace the earlobe into its original position and meticulously close all incisions in the skin.

Without a doubt, the MACS Lift has become the most popular choice of facelift technique performed by FVPS. Watch Chapter 2 of the facelift videos for a visual description of this procedure, which has beautiful, natural results and a quick recovery time.

Our skilled Plastic Surgeons frequently perform other rejuvenation procedures in conjunction with a facelift: namely a brow lift, to correct a sagging or deeply furrowed brow, and eyelid surgery to enliven aging eyes to achieve a beautiful end result.

Best Candidates

It should be noted, facelift surgery is a highly individualized procedure which should be done for yourself, not to fulfill someone else’s desires. It can only be performed surgically; non-surgical rejuvenation can help delay the time when a facelift becomes appropriate and can complement the eventual facelift procedure. However, only a facelift can achieve the more profound result most patients are seeking.

Facelift surgery is a good option for patients who are physically healthy, do not smoke, have a positive outlook and have specific, but realistic, goals in mind.

Preparing for Surgery

In preparing for a facelift, patients may be asked to:

• Get lab testing or a medical evaluation
• Take certain medications or adjust current medications
• Stop smoking
• Avoid taking aspirin, anti-inflammatory drugs, and herbal supplements as they can increase bleeding

We have noticed that preparing for your surgery with a clear, complex-carb rich beverage will keep you strong and enhance your recovery. Drinking ClearFast PreOp prior to your medical procedure is a safe way to speed up recovery time, nourish your body, and reduce post-operative nausea and vomiting. It is available at Hometown Pharmacy on N. Sawyer Street, Oshkosh at $8 a bottle. The recommended dosage is one bottle the night before your surgery once you are in the fasting window, and a second bottle two hours before surgery. However, please get final clearance from your anesthesiologist before taking the beverage at all.

Special instructions will cover what to do on the night before and morning of surgery, the use of anesthesia during the facelift, and post-operative care and follow-up. At this time, a facelift may be performed in an accredited office-based surgical facility, licensed ambulatory surgical center, or a hospital. Patients need to have someone to drive them to and from surgery and to stay with them for at least the first night following surgery.

Contact Fox Valley Plastic Surgery today at (920) 233-1540 to request a consultation. Our experienced surgeons will be happy to discuss your treatment options.

Smoking Warning

Smokers are always at high risk for health troubles, but particularly so during and after surgery. Smokers face longer healing times, blood clots, wounds that break open, and greater risk of infection. For these reasons, FVPS requires that smoking cease one month before and one month after face lift surgeries. Nicotine decreases blood flow which has an adverse effect on healing. Read our comprehensive explanation of how smoking impacts healing.

FVPS will notify patients if they are affected by this policy. At the pre-operative appointment, normally two days before surgery, patients must take a cotinine test, which detects the presence of nicotine. Test results are immediately available and, if positive, surgery will be cancelled. Patient will be charged a cancellation fee in accordance with our Financial Policy included in patient paperwork. Please do not schedule surgery if you are unable to quit smoking!

Procedure

Anesthesia is always administered for the patient’s comfort during the surgical procedure. The choices include intravenous sedation and general anesthesia. The anesthesiologist will recommend the best option.

Additionally, a variety of other procedures can further enhance the outcome of a facelift. These include:

• Facial implants or fat transfer
• Soft tissue augmentation to re-contour the facial structure
• Resurfacing techniques to improve the tone and texture of facial skin
• Wrinkle reduction by injection of fat or fillers

Meet Our Surgeons

Dr. David Janssen and Dr. William Doubek combine experience, refined surgical techniques, and artistry to produce beautiful results for their plastic and reconstructive surgery patients.

Meet Dr. Janssen Meet Dr. Doubek

Request a Consultation Meet the Doctors Meet the Staff Patient Stories Videos & Media Photo Gallery Request a Consultation Upcoming Seminars

Recovery

During recovery, your surgeon will place a bandage around the face to minimize swelling and bruising once the procedure is completed. Thin tubes may be present to drain any excess blood or fluid that may collect under the skin.

The surgeon will give the patients specific instructions that include how to care for the surgical site and drains, medications to apply or take orally to aid healing and reduce the potential for infection, specific concerns to look for at the surgical site or in general health, and when to follow up with the office.

Facelift patients typically take off one week from work after surgery. Obviously, recovery from a face lift takes time. Most patients can return to work at a desk job in 5-7 days. Depending on how comfortable patients are with going out in public with bruising and swelling, the patients may be back on their feet earlier or later than the average time. Bruising and swelling typically decrease to “socially acceptable” levels in 10-20 days. Patients who are physically active will have to wait at least three weeks to resume activities. The final result is usually evident in 4-6 weeks with continued improvement over several months. In addition, it can take up to six months for incision lines to mature.

It is important that the surgical incisions are not subjected to excessive force, abrasion, or motion during the time of healing. Avoid wearing any clothing that must go over the head. Furthermore, life-long sun protection and a healthy lifestyle will help extend the results of the facelift.

Are you ready to discuss a face lift for yourself? Contact Fox Valley Plastic Surgery today at (920) 233-1540 to schedule a consultation.

Potential Risks

Patients will be asked to sign consent forms to ensure that they fully understand the procedure and any risks and potential complications. Facelift risks include:

• Anesthesia risks
• Bleeding
• Infection
• Poor wound healing and skin loss
• Facial nerve injury with weakness
• Temporary or permanent hair loss at the incisions
• Fluid accumulation
• Numbness or other changes in skin sensation
• Persistent pain
• Unfavorable scarring
• Prolonged swelling
• Skin irregularities and discoloration
• Sutures may spontaneously surface through the skin, become visible or produce irritation that require removal
• Unsatisfactory results may include: asymmetry, unsatisfactory surgical scar location and unacceptable visible deformities at the ends of the incisions, which may necessitate a revision
• Deep vein thrombosis, cardiac and pulmonary complications

Consultation

During the consultation be prepared to discuss your surgical goals, medical conditions, drug allergies, and medical treatments, current medications, and previous surgeries. The plastic surgeon will also:

• Evaluate general health status and any pre-existing health conditions or risk factors
• Discuss facelift options
• Examine and measure the face
• Take photographs
• Recommend a course of treatment
• Discuss likely outcomes of a facelift and any risks or potential complications
• Discuss the type of anesthesia that will be use

Find out how you can turn the clock back with a face lift by the talented surgeons at FVPS. Our board certified Wisconsin plastic surgeons are helping women and men from Milwaukee, the Fox Cities, Green Bay Madison and beyond perfect their personal Renaissance. Contact Fox Valley Plastic Surgery at (920) 233-1540 or request your consultation online. Apply your $100 consultation fee toward surgery cost.