Natural Youthful Results: Preservation Facelift
Awards & Certifications
A Quick Guide to the Preservation Facelift
What Is a Preservation Facelift?
A surgical technique that minimizes skin undermining to preserve the natural blood supply for enhanced facial rejuvenation.Facelifts Differ
Comprehensive pre-surgery consultation, a safe and comfortable surgical experience.Are You a Candidate?
You may be if you have signs of facial aging, are in overall good health, and have realistic expectations.Healing Timeline
With a preservation facelift, you can expect a smoother recovery and long-lasting, natural-looking results.Risks and Side Effects
Side effects include swelling and discomfort, with potential risks such as infection, profoundly reduced in Dr. Rizk’s care.Why Choose Dr. Rizk?
Double board-certified and a pioneer of advanced facelift surgery techniques for minimal scarring.What Is a Preservation Facelift?
Why a Preservation Facelift Might Be Your Best Option
- Hidden incisions blend with hairline and natural creases
- Maintains facial muscles for animated expressions, not stiffness
- Less swelling enables social downtime as short as ten days
- Results last years thanks to preserved deep support structures
- Lower complication rates than conventional SMAS or mini-lifts
How Preservation Facelifts Differ from Traditional Lifts
Dr. Sam Rizk begins with an initial consultation where he carefully assesses the patient’s facial anatomy and discusses their aesthetic goals. Based on this evaluation, he designs a personalized surgical plan that addresses the patient’s specific needs.- Preservation facelifts begin with short incisions tucked inside the hairline and natural crease, while conventional facelifts rely on longer cuts that curve around the ear to expose larger areas of skin.
- Rather than separating layers, the preservation technique lifts skin and SMAS together as one vascular sheet. Standard surgery detaches these layers, tightens muscles, and removes extra skin to create tension.
- Keeping perforating vessels intact produces far less bruising, swelling, and numbness. Broad undermining in traditional facelifts disrupts blood flow and lengthens the early recovery period.
- Limited dissection trims operating time to roughly 2-3 hours. Traditional facelifts often last longer because each layer needs separate treatment and a tighter, more complex closure.
- A preservation facelift repositions existing fat pads and gently suspends facial muscles, avoiding routine fat removal. Standard techniques often excise fat and depend on heavier muscle plication to reshape contours.
- Most patients resume social activities in about ten days after a preservation facelift. Conventional lifts typically need two or three weeks and can leave tighter, less natural contours.
Healing Timeline After a Preservation Facelift Surgery
Who Benefits Most from Preservation Facelifts?
The preservation facelift appeals to patients who want rejuvenation but wish to avoid the more aggressive dissection of traditional or deep plane techniques. You may be a candidate if you:
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Show early to moderate signs of aging, such as mild sagging along the cheeks or jawline
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Prefer to maintain your natural facial volume rather than having it removed or repositioned extensively
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Want smoother recovery with less bruising and swelling
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Are concerned about looking “overdone” or pulled and prefer subtle, natural refinement
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Have good skin elasticity and bone structure that allow for effective lifting without deep release
This procedure is especially attractive to younger facelift patients or those seeking a refreshed appearance with minimal disruption to their underlying anatomy.
Dr Rizk In The Media
Possible Risks and Side Effects
Why New York Patients Choose Dr. Rizk
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Pioneer in preservation facelift techniques that lift without over-dissection
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Uses high-definition 3D endoscopic imaging for precision and minimal trauma
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Conserves ligaments, fat pads, and skin attachments to maintain natural softness
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Complication rate under 1% across thousands of facial rejuvenation procedures
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Internationally recognized educator who demonstrates preservation surgery live to peers
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Philosophy of subtle refinement, enough to refresh, never to distort
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a preservation facelift cost?
What’s the difference between a traditional facelift and a preservation facelift?
How long do the results last?
Will I have noticeable scars?
References
1 NCBI – National Library of Medicine. Deep Plane Facelift. Available: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK545277/. 2 allure – The preservation deep plane face and neck lift. Available: https://www.allure.com/story/facelift-advancements#preservation-deep-plane-face-neck-lift. 3 Cleveland Clinic – Facelift (Rhytidectomy). Available: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/11023-facelift. 4 American Society of Plastic Surgeons. Facelift Surgery Rhytidectomy. Available: https://www.plasticsurgery.org/cosmetic-procedures/facelift/safety.By Dr. Sam S. Rizk, M.D., FACS.
Dr. Rizk is a double-board-certified facial plastic surgeon who specializes in rhinoplasty surgery and is a recognized expert on the latest advances in facial plastic surgery techniques. He performs a range of facial plastic surgeries at his New York practice.