Neck Lift & Facelift
in Fort Myers FL
Meet Patrick M. Flaharty, MD, FAACS
Dr. Patrick Flaharty has more than twenty years of experience in practice and has helped reshape and rejuvenate the faces of thousands of Southwest Florida men and women. He is a double-board certified ophthalmologist who relies on his aesthetic knowledge and practical skills to bring his patients’ goals to life with safe, long-lasting products and services. Having performed over 20,000 facial plastic and cosmetic procedures, Dr. Flaharty is one of a small group of facial cosmetic surgeons with the education, training, and experience to give you the natural results you want and restore the youthful look you deserve.
Meet Allison Yee, MD, FACS
Dr. Allison Yee brings over 15 years of oculofacial plastic surgery experience to Azul Plastic Surgery. Over her professional medical career, Dr. Yee has performed over 15,000 upper eyelid, 2,000 lower eyelid surgeries and over 2,000 brow lift surgeries. She specializes in both the surgical and non-surgical face and neck rejuvenation. She has extensive experience with some of the newest less-invasive procedures for face and neck rejuvenation and has a passion for facial fat grafting.
Meet Walter M. Sweeney, MD
Dr. Walt Sweeney is a highly skilled and board-certified plastic surgeon, renowned for delivering exceptional, natural-looking results tailored to each patient’s unique goals. Known for his artistic eye and precision, Dr. Sweeney specializes in enhancing and rejuvenating the breast, body, and face, using the latest advancements in cosmetic surgery. His approach is rooted in collaboration, as he works closely with his patients to understand their vision and develop a customized treatment plan designed to help them look and feel their best.
Many men and women notice visible aging in the lower face and neck beginning in their 40s or 50s. While changes to the skin and structure of the face are normal parts of the aging process, they can lead to feeling self-conscious. To rejuvenate your face and neck, which can show some of the first signs of aging, Dr. Patrick Flaharty uses a comprehensive approach, the Azul Natural Lift. The Azul Natural Lift creates results that are natural-looking and complement your own unique features.
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Why Choose Azul Natural Lift?
At Azul Cosmetic Surgery and Medical Spa, our goal is to create a harmonious and fresh-looking appearance using the least invasive methods possible. A harmonious result is one that unifies the entire face and neck, creating long-lasting results and high levels of patient satisfaction. In the past, facial rejuvenation procedures often addressed only certain features while leaving other areas of facial aging untouched. These “partial” rejuvenation procedures often accentuated the appearance of the untreated areas, resulting in an incomplete or asymmetrical rejuvenation.
Facelift Patient Testimonials
What Is a Facelift?
A facelift, also known as a rhytidectomy, is a surgical procedure that can counteract specific signs of aging, such as deep creases and loose folds of skin. During a facelift the muscles are tightened, fat is removed and excess skin is carefully trimmed. Patients choose the facelift procedure for a more youthful and fresher look. The facelift procedure is performed under light intravenous sedation in the comfort and safety of the St. Marks Surgical Center. All surgery is supervised by board certified anesthesiologist to ensure the highest level of safety for all patients.
Facelift Before & After Photos
SEE FOR YOURSELF
SEE FOR YOURSELF
Browse our photo gallery to see real facelift and neck lift patients and the excellent results Dr. Flaharty achieves.
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What is a Neck Lift?
A neck lift is a surgical procedure that smoothes and tightens the skin around the neck area. Similar to a facelift, a neck lift is performed by removing excess skin as well as tightening muscles in the neck. It is common for patients to receive both a facelift and neck lift at the same time. Creating a symmetrical and even facial rejuvenation.
WATCH DR. FLAHARTY EXPLAIN THE AZUL NATURAL LIFT
Candidates For Facelift Surgery
If you are experiencing any of the following symptoms, a facelift might be right for you.
- Deep Nasolabial folds
- Loose areas below the cheekbones
- Creases under the eyes
- Banding, loose skin on the neck
- Mid-face sagging
The Azul Natural Lift Procedure
In southwest Florida, the Azul Natural Lift is the gold standard of facial rejuvenation. Developed by Dr. Flaharty, this technique has been refined over many years to create the most effective and long-lasting results. With the proper techniques, including fat transfer, Dr. Flaharty can achieve a complete rejuvenation while avoiding tell-tale signs of surgery such as visible scarring, overly stretched skin, or incomplete results.
Are Facelifts Safe?
The facelift is one of the original cosmetic surgeries, the first reportedly performed in 1901 in Berlin, Germany. Over the past 120 years, techniques have advanced remarkably, particularly in the last 20 years. Today, the goal of Dr. Flaharty and other surgeons is to deliver natural-looking rejuvenation, not the stretched look you’ve seen on so many older or botched facelifts.
That’s a great side-benefit of Dr. Flaharty’s “Azul Natural Lift” facelift procedures. They employ the least invasive methods possible. Incisions are short and are hidden in the hairline, behind the ear, and even in the eyelids. His facelifts have little in common with the heavy tissue trauma, bruising, and swelling of “traditional” facelifts.
This makes them very safe and satisfying procedures for our patients from Fort Myers, Bonita Springs, and Naples.
Are Facelifts Painful?
There is some pain involved with your recovery, but it isn’t the acute pain many patients expect. Much of this is because of the limited incisions Dr. Flaharty employs for his Azul Natural Lift procedures. We provide prescription pain medication, but most patients feel over-the-counter options handle the discomfort.
While not technically “pain,” more of irritation after these procedures is bruising and swelling. This is unavoidable with facelift procedures. Depending upon your unique aging and needs for your facelift, your bruising and swelling can vary. Still, compared to the typical facelift, where bruising and swelling can last for up to a month and return in the evenings for weeks after that, this is manageable with our facelifts at Azul.
Recovery From Face or Neck Lift Surgery
Recuperation following neck and facelift surgery isn’t typically painful, but there can be bruising and swelling. The exact amount of recovery time you’ll need will vary based on the specifics of your procedure. However, most patients return to work and other social activities after about 2 weeks. By this time, most swelling should have faded and any residual bruising should be easily covered with makeup.
PATIENT TESTIMONIAL
“Dr. Flaharty is the best cosmetic surgeon in SW Florida. Just two weeks after a full lower face and neck lift, I have a gorgeous natural looking young face and neck again. I have almost no bruising or swelling. I look 10-15 years younger. The tiny healing scars are all behind my ears, no one could even tell I had surgery. Beyond the remarkable fast healing, Dr. Flaharty is truly an artist. My husband and I are so happy. I have had minor cosmetic procedures by four other doctors, but, none are as kind and talented as Dr. Flaharty. He and his staff are capable, personable and make the experience a breeze. Follow the Doctor’s recommendations and you will have amazing results. I researched and interviewed doctors for several years. Not only is he the best qualified, but, I was totally convinced after I seeing three other surgical patients who had great results. Its worth 10 days of downtime. I can live life happier now, thanks to you and your wonderful staff!” ~ Helen G.
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What Results Can A Facelift Or Neck Lift Achieve?
While no procedure can halt the aging process, there are procedures that can delay it, helping you look younger than your years indefinitely. Dr. Flaharty is dedicated to giving each patient superior, long-lasting results while maintaining his or her natural appearance. Depending on the extent of your aesthetic concerns prior to surgery, you can expect to enjoy your results for about a decade before you begin to notice significant signs of aging returning. Some patients choose to maintain their results with non-surgical treatments, while others may wish to undergo another neck lift or facelift later on.
WATCH DR. FLAHARTY DISCUSS MYTHS ABOUT FACE LIFTS
Does a Facelift Leave Visible Scars?
Every surgical procedure creates some scarring, but Dr. Flaharty takes care to make discreet incisions that are practically invisible once healed. In most cases, he makes incisions behind your hairline or behind your ears. Over time, they fade to flat, pale marks that are covered by the hair and are very hard to detect.
Can I Combine The Azul Natural Lift with Other Procedures?
Dr. Flaharty customizes his approach to facial rejuvenation by addressing each portion of the face. For example, he often combines an endoscopic brow lift or eyelid lift with a face and neck lift to ensure a patient looks refreshed in the area around the eyes which is left unchanged by a facelift. Dermal fillers and fat transfer or other non-surgical procedures are also commonly used to put the finishing touches on facial surgery. In other cases, a patient may want an improved profile along with a rejuvenated appearance and Dr. Flaharty may recommend chin enhancement along with a neck lift to get the desired, harmonious results.
Are There Risks and Side Effects Involved With Facelifts?
These procedures are surgery, so there are all of the inherent risks involved: excessive bleeding, possible infection, poor wound healing, hematoma development, a reaction to anesthesia, and the like.
With facelifts, nerve injury due to re-draping is also possible. Patients often feel a tingling or numbness along with their incision sites. This is a sign that your nerves are adjusting to the trauma created by the procedure. While these locations may itch for a period of time, this will pass.
Any side effects are quite rare. Dr. Flaharty is a board-certified ophthalmologist, who has completed fellowships in both Oculo-Facial Plastic Surgery and Facial Cosmetic Surgery. This gives him rare expertise and knowledge of facial anatomy, including the area around the eyes. For our patients, these are safe, rewarding procedures.
Does Insurance Cover a Facelift?
Facelift surgery is considered to be elective surgery, so it is not covered by insurance. We do have CareCredit Healthcare Finance should you want to break your costs into a payment plan.
How Much Does a Facelift Cost?
As mentioned above, Dr. Flaharty believes in a comprehensive rejuvenation with his Azul Natural Lift procedures. This addresses aging across the entire face, not simply the mid to lower face as in traditional facelift procedures. Every patient has unique aging patterns. Some have extensive under-eye bags, while others don’t. Some have more sagging in the cheeks. For others, they’ve lost the definition in their jawline.
As with all of our procedures and treatments at Azul, we view every single patient’s situation is unique. That means every facelift is somewhat different.
During your consultation, Dr. Flaharty will be able to see how your face and neck are aging. He can then plan how your Azul Natural Lift will proceed and what it will include. At that point, we can give you a precise estimate of what your cost would be.
WATCH DR. FLAHARTY DISCUSS HARMONIOUS FACIAL REJUVENATION
Alternatives To Facelift Surgery
Some patients may not be ready for a full facelift. Dr. Flaharty offers other options for facial rejuvenation without an incision. One of these is the Silhouette InstaLift™, which uses special dissolvable sutures to tighten the skin from within.
PATIENT TESTIMONIAL
“I look like I did 20 years ago. I no longer look tired or angry. It has given me a new lift in life. As a professional nurse, I can tell you that the staff and surgical center has been professional, kind and caring. I would recommend Azul, Dr. and staff for all your rejuvenation needs.” ~ J.R.
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Schedule A Consultation
Curious about how Dr. Flaharty and the team at Azul Cosmetic Surgery in Fort Myers, Naples, and Bonita Springs can help you look your best? Request a consultation using our online form, or call the office directly at 239.415.7576.
