Extraordinary Facelifts in Denver, CO with Dr. Jeffrey Schmidt

Most of our Denver facelift patients admit that they had been thinking about the procedure for years before committing to it. Once they see their jowls tightened up, skin smoothed, and nasolabial lines diminished, they regret waiting so long. Their youthful results remain natural-looking, but the years have melted away.

The facelift’s effects last 10 to 15 years, making it the most powerful facial rejuvenation procedure available. The key to long-lasting, beautiful results, however, is in choosing a surgeon who is expert at determining your skin’s condition and face’s underlying musculature.

Board-certified in both plastic surgery and otolaryngology (head and neck surgery), Dr. Jeffrey Schmidt focuses his practice on facial procedures only.  During his time as Chief Resident, he was mentored by the world’s best facial plastic surgery specialists. In his 15 years dedicated solely to facial cosmetic and reconstructive procedures, he has treated patients of all ethnicities and ages. Dermatologists and other plastic surgeons frequently refer their toughest cases to him, and Denver 5280 magazine has recognized him as a Top Doctor for three years in a row. Selecting a plastic surgeon who is a dedicated facial specialist ensures you get celebrity-level results and the utmost in safety and integrity.

Explore facelift surgery with Dr. Schmidt during your personalized consultation. Schedule yours today by contacting us online or by calling 720-443-2235.

Am I a Good Candidate for a Facelift in Denver, CO?

During facelift surgery, Dr. Schmidt does far more than tighten and trim skin. With age, facial muscles lose tone and fat moves lower on the face, two events that dull the sleek contours associated with youth. Dr. Schmidt restructures the muscles and tissues deep within the face before “re-draping” and trimming the skin.

Where people in their twenties, thirties, and forties tend to rely on minimally invasive procedures like dermal fillers or injectables or both, most of our patients in their fifties and older get the best results with a facelift. They come to us because they are tired of looking perpetually sad, angry, or tired. Rejuvenating the skin and re-placing muscle and fat beneath it brings back that fresh, ready-for-anything youthfulness.

Good candidates for the procedure do not smoke and are in good overall health. They have experienced age-related facial changes that include:

• Sagging skin on the face and neck
• Skin laxity
• Loss of facial muscle tone and definition
• Lower face sagging including the development of jowls
• Deep creases and wrinkles

If you’ve experienced these facial changes and enjoy good health, you may be a good candidate for facelift surgery. The next step in your rejuvenation journey is to come in for a consultation with Dr. Schmidt. As you meet, he’ll assess your candidacy for this procedure and help you determine if it’s a good fit for your aesthetic goals and lifestyle.

Is a Facelift Right for You?

Ideal candidates are healthy non-smokers with realistic expectations and enough skin elasticity for tissues to settle naturally after surgery. Because a facelift targets the lower face and neck, patients troubled by heavy brows or hooded eyelids may also ask about a brow lift or blepharoplasty. Dr. Schmidt tailors your surgical plan to your anatomy and goals during your consultation.

What Are the Benefits of Facelift Surgery?

While the primary benefit of the facelift is always a younger-looking appearance, our patients find they feel more confident and energized as well. Top benefits of facelift surgery in Denver, CO include:

• More youthful appearance – Turn back the clock and look 10 to 15 years younger.
• Skin ages from a new, younger point – While your skin will continue to age after a facelift, it does so from a newly rejuvenated starting point. You will always look less wrinkled and worn than friends of the same age who have not had facelifts.
• Complete customization – Based on your goals, you can include a brow lift, eyelid lift, or neck lift with your facelift. Some patients add facial fat grafting or dermal fillers to achieve fuller lips or fill in under-eye troughs. Combining procedures saves time and money because two or more get completed with one anesthesiologist and one trip to the surgical suite.
• Restored confidence – When you know you look your best, it is easier to feel confident and comfortable with your appearance.

What Other Ways Can a Facelift Can Improve Your Quality of Life?

Beyond a more youthful jawline, you may feel more at ease in photos and no longer angle away from bright lighting. Because results last for years, patients often spend less on temporary dermal fillers or heavy makeup used to mask sagging skin. Patients recovering from facial trauma or prior skin cancer removal may also see improved symmetry as an added benefit.

What Are the Limitations of a Facelift?

A facelift is transformative, but it won’t stop aging, remove sun damage, or change skin texture and tone. Patients bothered by these issues often pair surgery with skin resurfacing, a chemical peel, or a dedicated skincare routine. Because a facelift doesn’t treat the upper face, patients with heavy brows or hooded eyelids may want to ask about a brow lift or eyelid surgery separately.

What Happens During a Facelift in Denver?

While dermal fillers and skin care products only work skin-deep, a rhytidectomy’s natural-looking results begin far beneath the skin’s surface. Dr. Schmidt lifts and tightens the muscles within the face and manipulates or removes the fat that makes your face look shapeless.

Modern surgical techniques, performed by a board-certified facial plastic surgeon, produce stunning, natural results. Our patients never look windswept or overdone. They enjoy youthful radiance and ageless beauty. Skin is simply redraped over the deeper tissues that have been restored to their natural, more youthful position. Our goal is to simulate the appearance of a naturally youthful face.

Most of our facial plastic surgery procedures are performed at our in-house operating room, equipped with the latest surgical and safety equipment.

Can You Combine Your Facelift with Other Procedures?

Many patients combine their facelift with complementary procedures for fuller rejuvenation in one recovery. Popular pairings include a brow lift, blepharoplasty, or a neck lift for a more defined jawline, while others add fat transfer or dermal fillers to restore volume. Those concerned about fine lines may also benefit from laser resurfacing once healing is complete. Dr. Schmidt helps determine the best combination for your goals during your consultation.

What About My Facelift Recovery?

A rhytidectomy is an outpatient procedure. You’ll come in for surgery and return home the very same day. Since you’ll still be experiencing the effects of anesthesia, you’ll need someone to drive you home. We recommend that patients arrange to have a responsible adult at home for the first two to three days to help as needed.  We feel that allowing us to coordinate recovery with one of our Patient Care Technicians may offer the most comfortable postoperative experiences.

Initially, many patients require prescription pain medication. This medication helps ensure that you can rest comfortably and won’t experience significant discomfort. Within a few days, many patients no longer require prescription pain medication and can manage any discomfort with over-the-counter options.

You’ll feel many sensations as the face heals, one of the most notable being tightness. Tenderness, bruising, and swelling generally occurs as well. These side effects are temporary and will begin to fade a few days after your surgery with full resolution in about two to four weeks. Most patients take 10 to 14 days off from work and abstain from exercise and strenuous activities for two to three weeks.

Our team will provide extremely detailed recovery instructions.  They’re not meant to be restrictive.  Rather, they’re compiled from many years of experience and designed to optimize your results. Dr. Schmidt is always available should you have questions or concerns.

Learn more about Dr. Schmidt’s Denver facelift by calling 720-443-2235 or contacting us online to schedule a consultation.

What Is Your Facelift Recovery Timeline?

Swelling and bruising typically peak in the first few days, while most patients rest at home with their head elevated. By one week, bandages usually come off and follow-up visits begin. Sutures are removed around 10 to 14 days, when many patients return to work or light activity. By 3 to 4 weeks, most swelling has resolved and normal exercise can resume, with final results visible around 3 to 6 months.

Long-Term Results: What to Expect in the Years Ahead?

Because Dr. Schmidt repositions deeper facial muscles rather than simply pulling skin tight, results tend to age gracefully rather than look surgical. Most patients enjoy visible improvement for 10 to 15 years, aging afterward from a more rejuvenated starting point. A stable weight, sun protection, and a consistent skincare routine help preserve results, and many patients maintain their look with BOTOX^® or dermal fillers over time.

Denver Facelift FAQs

Can I Get a Facelift if I’ve Had One Previously?

If you’ve undergone a rhytidectomy in the past, and desire additional rejuvenation, you need a procedure we call a revision facelift. Facial surgery doesn’t stop aging; it just resets it. A well-timed revision procedure helps patients to keep pace with aging as it continues to occur, enjoying an age-defying appearance throughout their lifetime. Still, most patients find facelift results last 10 or more years.

What Procedures Can Enhance My Facelift Results?

When aging is advanced enough for a facelift, it is common to have other facial concerns you have. We can pair your procedure with other surgical and non-surgical cosmetic treatments including blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery), lip augmentation, facial fat transfer, and skin resurfacing. Dr. Schmidt can provide personalized recommendations to address your facial concerns during your consultation.

What Type of Anesthesia Is Used?

Dr. Schmidt typically performs rhytidectomy surgery using IV sedation. All anesthesia at our practice is administered by a qualified anesthesia provider.

Will I Have Scars After My Procedure?

Scars occur after most facial plastic surgery procedures, but the good news is in many instances they are minimally or not-at-all visible. Dr. Schmidt uses advanced suturing and skin closure techniques combined with careful incision placement to ensure that scars don’t detract from your stunning results. Whenever possible, incisions are placed in natural facial borders, within creases, and along the hairline so they aren’t easily visible.

What’s the Right Age for a Rhytidectomy?

In plastic surgery, age is just a number. Rather than focusing on your chronological age, we assess your signs of aging, its emotional impact on you, and your overall health to determine when you’re ready for surgery. If you have lines, deep creases, and sagging, and can’t alleviate these problems with a non-surgical option like BOTOX^® or dermal fillers, it may be time for surgery.

What Makes Dr. Schmidt the Best Facelift Surgeon in Denver, Colorado?

Dr. Schmidt uses his specialized training and expertise to focus solely on facial procedures. He realizes some patients hesitate to commit to facelift surgery because they worry it will change their appearance too much. Dr. Schmidt takes time to note what features and attributes make you unique, and will tailor your surgical approach accordingly. Thanks to his extensive knowledge of facial anatomy, you will emerge from your recovery looking like a refreshed, rejuvenated, and more naturally youthful version of yourself. Check out our before-and-after photo gallery to see results from our previous facelift patients!

Will My Facelift Improve My Neck’s Appearance?

While a neck lift is a separate surgical procedure to address age-related concerns on your neck, the best facelift in Denver, Colorado, will provide a notable improvement to your neck because Dr. Schmidt carefully repositions tissues in the lower two-thirds of the face and removes sagging, excess skin. After facelift surgery, your jowls will be gone, and you will have a clearer line of separation between your jawline and neck.

How Much Does a Facelift Cost in Denver, CO?

Nationwide, the average cost of a facelift is around $7,500, according to data from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. However, this figure doesn’t include extra fees such as anesthesia. After meeting one-on-one in a private consultation, Dr. Schmidt can give you an accurate estimate of the cost of your customized facelift procedure and discuss financing options with you.

What Should I Do to Prepare for My Facelift in Denver?

Getting ready for a facelift is like preparing for any other cosmetic or medical procedure. Before the surgery, Dr. Schmidt will ask you about your health history and evaluate whether you are a good candidate for surgery, including any risk factors that might increase your chances of experiencing post-surgical complications.

If you’re a smoker, you will need to quit using tobacco products at least two weeks before your surgery and throughout your recovery. Smoking slows blood circulation and impedes the body’s natural healing response. The habit will also age your skin rapidly, giving you less time to enjoy your facelift results.

Will weight fluctuations affect my facelift results?

Significant weight gain or loss can shift facial fat and soften the contours your facelift restored, so reaching a stable weight beforehand is ideal. Changes afterward won’t undo your results, but they may reduce some jawline and cheek definition. Staying weight-stable is one of the simplest ways to protect your results long term.

Is a facelift safe for patients in their 70s or those with health conditions?

Age alone rarely disqualifies patients from facelift surgery, and many of our patients are in their 60s, 70s, or beyond. What matters most is overall health, since unmanaged conditions like high blood pressure can raise surgical risk. Dr. Schmidt reviews your medical history and may coordinate with your physician to confirm you’re a safe candidate.

When can I resume exercise after my facelift?

Most patients resume light walking within a few days, supporting healthy circulation during recovery. Strenuous activity like running or weightlifting is typically restricted for 2 to 3 weeks, since a higher heart rate can increase swelling. Dr. Schmidt provides personalized guidance at follow-up visits based on your healing.

Can a facelift improve sun damage or skin texture?

A facelift addresses sagging skin and lost contour, but won’t change skin texture, tone, or sun damage. Patients wanting both often add laser resurfacing, a chemical peel, or a medical-grade skin care routine once healing is complete. Treating these separately allows each to be timed for the best results.

What is the difference between a mini facelift and a full facelift?

A mini facelift targets limited lower-face aging through smaller incisions and a shorter recovery. A full facelift, which Dr. Schmidt most often performs, addresses more advanced sagging throughout the face and neck for longer-lasting results. He’ll recommend the right approach based on your signs of aging during your consultation.

Will people be able to tell I’ve had a facelift?

Dr. Schmidt’s goal is a refreshed, natural look rather than an obviously surgical one. Because he repositions deeper facial structures instead of simply pulling skin tight, patients avoid the stretched appearance sometimes linked to facelifts. Most patients find friends and family notice they look well-rested and years younger, without knowing exactly why.

Can I still have a facelift if I’ve had skin cancer removed from my face?

Many of Dr. Schmidt’s patients have a history of skin cancer removal, including Mohs surgery, and go on to have successful facelift or reconstructive procedures. His extensive reconstructive experience gives him unique expertise working with scar tissue and altered anatomy. He’ll evaluate prior surgical sites during your consultation to inform your facelift plan.

Connect with our office to schedule your consultation.