The best procedures to combine with a facelift typically include treatments that address areas the facelift does not, such as the eyes, skin quality, and facial volume. I like to tell my Palo Alto and San Jose patients that a facelift addresses the “3 Ds” of aging: descent, deflation, and deterioration. It does so by removing excess skin on the lower face, neck, and jawline, minimizing jowls, smoothing lower face folds, and lifting deeper tissues to a more youthful, defined position.
While facelift results can be transformative, these corrections are mostly limited to the lower face and neck. If you have concerns about other areas of your face or fine lines and skin texture issues, combining a facelift with another procedure often helps you enjoy your best results without extending your recovery time.
As a board-certified plastic surgeon with extensive experience treating the aging face, here are a few of the most popular procedures my patients opt for.
Brow Lift
A brow lift, sometimes called a forehead lift, continues the lifting effect to the upper third of the face. As our upper facial tissues naturally deteriorate and droop downward over time, we can develop a tired, grumpy, or worn-out appearance that doesn’t reflect how we really feel. A brow lift paired with a facelift raises the brow and forehead to a naturally lifted position, restoring a more refreshed expression and complementing your facelift results.
Eyelid Surgery
Eyelid surgery, or blepharoplasty, is one of the most popular procedures in the world, consistently landing in the top 5 in the American Society of Plastic Surgeons’ yearly report. That may be because signs of aging in the delicate eyelids are so common among both men and women. Eyelid surgery lifts drooping upper eyelids, corrects puffy bags or hollows in the lower eyelids, or a combination of both. Many people who feel ready for a facelift also need some level of eyelid rejuvenation.
Fat Transfer
Fat transfer is an excellent complement to a facelift. This procedure uses fat from your own body to add volume to areas of the face such as the cheeks, temples, and deep lines or folds. While dermal fillers can achieve similar results, many people prefer using their own fat as a natural alternative.
Fraxel® Laser Skin Resurfacing
Because a facelift doesn’t address the quality of the skin, it’s common to enhance the results with skin resurfacing treatment. Fraxel laser skin resurfacing uses a fractionated laser to stimulate collagen production deep within the skin while minimizing downtime. As I discussed in an earlier blog post, it can either be performed during facelift surgery or soon after.
Ready to Explore Your Facial Rejuvenation Options?
Consulting one-on-one with a board-certified plastic surgeon you trust is the first step in determining which procedures are right for you. If you would like to learn more about your options in San Jose or Palo Alto for enhancing your facelift, please request a consultation online or call (650) 325-1118.
This blog post was originally published in May 2022 and updated in April 2026.
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