Why Choose L&P For Your Midface Lift?
A midface lift rejuvenates the cheek and lower eyelid area. It’s performed through an incision hidden in the hairline and diminishes the nasolabial folds, aging in the midface and may also improve the jowl area.
Although this procedure is minimally invasive, initial recovery may take 2 to 3 weeks with improving results over several months. Our core objective is to provide a safe, comfortable surgical experience that aspires to restore your appearance and aims to produce natural-looking results. We have provided before & after photos of our patients to help you visualize the possibilities.
Our board-certified facial plastic surgeons perform midface lift surgery at our Palo Alto location and provide consults at our downtown Los Gatos, CA, office as well.
An additional benefit of having surgery with L&P Aesthetics is access to The iO Clinic’s Surgical Recovery Package, specially designed by Drs. Lieberman, Parikh, and Curti.
This post-operative recovery protocol:
- Enhances your overall recovery experience
- Speeds up the recovery timeframe
- Improves your long-term results
- Provides comprehensive support throughout your healing journey
Our integrated approach to surgical care sets us apart, ensuring you receive optimal results with maximum comfort.
Midface Lift Before and After Gallery
Visualizing the possibilities is a key part of the journey. We encourage you to review our gallery of real results from real patients to see the natural but impactful rejuvenation that a midface lift can provide.
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An Investment in the Most Visible Part of Who You Are
Precision surgical artistry. Stanford-trained expertise. Results that reveal your natural beauty.
Our patients, including physicians, executives, and leaders in their fields, choose L&P Aesthetics because facial rejuvenation at this level is a deeply personal investment in confidence and looking as vibrant as you feel. Because every treatment plan is personalized to your unique anatomy and goals, we discuss your investment during a private consultation.
Your investment reflects what sets L&P apart: three double-board-certified, Stanford-trained facial plastic surgeons dedicated exclusively to the face; the deep plane technique, widely regarded as the gold-level standard in facial rejuvenation, delivering the most natural, longest-lasting results available; a personalized treatment plan built on a thorough consultation and complimentary VISIA 3D skin analysis; and concierge-level care from pre-operative planning through comprehensive follow-up, including travel coordination for patients flying in to our Palo Alto or Los Gatos locations.
An investment of this significance deserves a conversation, not a price list. During your private consultation, your surgeon will evaluate your facial anatomy, discuss your goals, and provide a personalized recommendation with complete clarity on your options and your investment.
You’ve built an extraordinary life. Your reflection should match the vibrant energy you bring to everything you do.
What to Expect During Midface Lift Surgery
At L&P Aesthetics, we guide you every step of the way so you know exactly what to expect during midface lift surgery. The process focuses on more than the final result, but on a safe and comfortable patient journey.
The Consultation
Your journey starts with an in-depth consultation with your surgeon, who will listen closely to your goals and concerns. They will examine your facial anatomy and thoroughly review your medical history to make sure you are a good candidate for the procedure. This first meeting is a collaborative process, where we set expectations and align on a shared vision for your outcome.
The Surgery
The midface lift procedure typically takes between two and three hours. It is performed while you’re comfortably asleep under either an IV sedation or general anesthesia, administered and monitored by a board-certified anesthesiologist.
Meet with the anesthesia team: You’ll first meet with the anesthesia team to review allergies and your major medical history. You’ll be given a medication to help you relax. We work hard with the anesthesiologist to minimize any nausea or pain after surgery.
Small incisions: Our surgeons utilize an advanced, minimally invasive endoscopic technique. This involves making several small, discreet incisions hidden completely within the hairline of your temple.
Release and elevate ligaments and soft tissue: Through these incisions, a tiny camera, or endoscope, and specialized instruments are used to carefully release and elevate the ligaments and soft tissues of the cheek.
Lift and secure tissue: This tissue is then lifted vertically and secured to a higher, more youthful position.
This endoscopic approach has numerous benefits, from allowing incredible precision to minimizing trauma to surrounding tissues and, most importantly, avoiding visible scars on the face. Depending on your unique needs, a midface lift may be performed simultaneously with a lateral brow lift to address the corners of the brows, or a lower blepharoplasty to smooth the eyelid-cheek junction, creating a more harmonious and comprehensive rejuvenation.
The Recovery
Right after surgery, you’ll rest for one to two hours before being discharged with a family member or friend. We ask that someone stay with you for at least 24 hours after the facelift surgery. Swelling and bruising are normal and will peak within the first 48 to 72 hours. You’ll receive detailed care instructions, including head elevation and a cold compress, to manage this.
We recommend you take a week to 10 days off from work to rest and heal. Within two to three weeks, swelling and bruising typically subside. Most patients feel comfortable returning to work and social activities and may use makeup to conceal any residual discoloration. You can usually resume light exercise, like walking, at this time as well.
You’ll see a much clearer picture of your final result after a month as the last bit of swelling resolves, and you can resume strenuous exercise around the four to six week mark. Your results will continue to refine and settle over the next several months, revealing a naturally refreshed and rejuvenated appearance.
What is a Midface Lift?
A midface lift is a specialized surgery that lifts and repositions the soft tissues of the cheek that naturally drop as we age. Each third of the face ages in a distinct fashion. As we get older, the fullness of the cheek area, or the midface, starts to drop with gravity. This not only gives the cheek a hollow look, but it also changes the appearance of the lower eyelid and creates deep grooves around the mouth. While this area can be addressed by certain facelift techniques, some patients will benefit most from a directed midface lift.
Unlike a full facelift, which mainly addresses the jawline and neck, a midface lift focuses exclusively on the area between the lower eyelids and the corners of the mouth. The goal is to lift the soft tissues of the cheek to restore youthful volume and create a smoother, more refreshed contour. The procedure softens the lines from the nose to the corners of the mouth, reduces under-eye hollowness, and re-establishes the high cheekbones for a more youthful appearance.
Who Is a Good Candidate for a Midface Lift?
A good candidate for a midface lift usually has the following characteristics:
Age and concerns: The best candidate is often in their 30s or 40s, or someone who has yet to experience more visible signs of aging. They may be concerned with cheek flatness or sagging, under-eye hollows, and deepening smile lines.
Good skin elasticity: Those with good skin elasticity make a good fit for the procedure, since it repositions the underlying tissue and relies on the skin’s natural elasticity to redrape smoothly over the newly lifted foundation.
Specific goals: The ideal candidate’s goals are focused on the mid-cheek area, rather than significant jowling, a sagging neck, or heavy skin laxity in the lower face.
Overall health: As with any surgical procedure, the best candidate is in good general health and is a nonsmoker, as smoking can significantly impair the healing process.
Conversely, a patient with heavy jowls and significant neck laxity would likely be a better candidate for a deep plane facelift, which addresses the entire lower face and neck structure. For specific anatomy that has had a loss in volume, Drs. Lieberman, Parikh, and Curti may recommend supplementing the endoscopic midface lift with other procedures, such as fat transfer, for the best result.
Setting Realistic Expectations at L&P Aesthetics
Our Bay Area facelift surgeons provide realistic expectations about your midface lift surgery through a transparent consultation process. A successful outcome comes from that foundation of trust and shared understanding of what’s possible. We make sure our patients feel confident and fully informed every step of the way.
Anatomical Evaluation
A truly expert consultation goes far beyond a surface-level glance. Our surgeons meticulously evaluate your skin quality, volume, and elasticity. They’ll assess the specific anatomy contributing to your concerns, including the degree of malar fat pad descent, the depth of the tear trough deformity, and the tethering points that create nasolabial folds. This allows us to explain the most suitable procedure for you, as well as why it’s the right choice for your specific tissue composition and goals.
Transparent Dialogue
We believe in having a transparent dialogue about what a midface lift can — and, just as importantly, cannot — do. We are up-front about how it is an outstanding procedure for the cheek and under-eye area, but it will not address a heavy jawline or a sagging neck. For those concerns, we would guide you toward a more appropriate procedure, like a deep plane facelift.
A crucial part of this is also a discussion of risks and potential complications. While rare, we believe you should be fully informed about all aspects of the procedure to make a truly educated decision.
Visualizing Outcomes
Finally, we use advanced tools to ground the conversation. To help you visualize potential outcomes, we utilize a complimentary VISIA 3D skin analysis during your consultation. This advanced technology provides objective data about your skin’s health, including texture, pores, and sun damage. This data helps inform a holistic treatment plan and allows us to simulate the effects of various treatments, helping you form a realistic picture of your potential results. Deep analysis and patient education are the bedrock of our practice.
Understanding Your Facial Rejuvenation Options
While the midface lift can help address specific concerns, it’s part of a full spectrum of facial rejuvenation options at L&P Aesthetics. Our expertise in procedures like the midface lift allows us to offer broader solutions to achieve more comprehensive goals, so every patient receives the ideal treatment.
Deep plane facelift: For patients with more significant aging in the lower face, including heavy jowling and neck laxity, the deep plane facelift offers a more comprehensive solution. This advanced technique repositions the deeper structural layers of the face and neck, delivering an exceptionally powerful, natural, and long-lasting result.
Neck lift: For those primarily concerned with loose skin or excess fat under the chin, a neck lift can be a powerful stand-alone procedure. It can help sharpen the jawline and create a more youthful, elegant neck contour.
Nonsurgical alternatives: For patients not yet ready for surgery or those seeking to maintain their results, we offer a range of best-in-class nonsurgical options. Dermal fillers can restore lost volume, while energy-based treatments like Ultherapy and Thermage stimulate the body’s own collagen production to tighten and firm the skin over time. Microneedling is another option that can improve skin texture and slightly tighten it.
Minimally invasive options: A fat transfer is a minimally invasive alternative that restores volume using your own fat. It can be more natural and longer-lasting than fillers, but requires a small procedure.
Why Choose L&P Aesthetics for Your Midface Lift?
An investment in facial rejuvenation is a deeply personal one, reflecting a desire to align your outward appearance with your inner vitality. Because every treatment plan we create is deeply personalized to your unique anatomy and goals, we discuss your investment during a private consultation, not from a generic price list.
Your investment reflects what sets L&P Aesthetics apart:
Three double-board-certified, Stanford-trained facial plastic surgeons who are dedicated exclusively to the face.
A state-of-the-art approach that includes advanced techniques and technology.
True concierge-level care that supports you from pre-operative planning through comprehensive follow-up.
This includes access to The iO Clinic’s Surgical Recovery Package, specially designed by Drs. Lieberman, Parikh, and Curti to enhance your recovery and improve long-term results.
Midface Lift FAQs
Explore answers to questions we commonly receive about midface lift surgery:
You can typically combine a midface lift with other procedures to create a more balanced and harmonious result. Popular combinations include lower eyelid surgery, a brow lift, fat transfer for added volume, or skin resurfacing treatments to improve skin quality.
If you’re not ready for surgery or just exploring options, there are several alternatives to a midface lift that target similar concerns like sagging cheeks, nasolabial folds, and under-eye hollows:
Non-surgical Alternatives:
- Dermal Fillers
- Adds volume to the cheeks and under-eye area.
- Can lift the midface subtly and smooth out deep lines.
- Results are temporary (6–18 months depending on product).
- Ultrasound or Radiofrequency Treatments (e.g., Ultherapy, Thermage)
- Stimulate collagen to tighten and lift skin gradually.
- Non-invasive with no downtime, but results are more subtle.
- Microneedling with RF (e.g., Morpheus8)
- Improves skin texture and tightens slightly.
- Can be paired with other treatments for better results.
- Laser Resurfacing or Chemical Peels
- Helps with skin texture, fine lines, and pigmentation, but won’t lift much.
Minimally Invasive Options:
- Fat Transfer
- Restores volume using your own fat.
- More natural and longer-lasting than fillers, but requires a small procedure.
An endoscopic midface lift will not leave noticeable scars — especially when done by an experienced surgeon. Drs. Lieberman, Parikh, and Curti are as thoughtful as possible about ensuring scars, if any, are minimal and well hidden. No matter the incision, it is paramount to maintain proper aftercare to ensure that scars stay invisible.
The results of a midface typically last up to 10 years. Results vary from person to person, depending on your personal anatomy and any other combined procedures.
The ideal candidate for a midface lift is someone who it yet to experience the more pronounced visible signs of aging. Normally, these patients are in their 30s or 40s and don’t yet need the intensity of a deep-plane lift, but still want to address their skin’s laxity.
A midface lift primarily focuses on the area between the cheek and lower eyelid. With endoscopic incisions, all that you’ll be able to see is a rejuvenated midface and no scars.
The midface lift may affect your facial expressions in the days and weeks immediately following the procedure while you heal. However, the muscles in your face that create facial expressions are not impacted by the procedure, and you will simply look like a more rested and refreshed version of yourself.
For specific anatomy that has had a loss in volume, Drs. Lieberman, Parikh, and Curti may recommend supplementing the endoscopic midface lift with other procedures, such as fat transfer, for the best result.
If you are concerned about your specific skin type, our double-board-certified facial plastic surgeons will be able to properly assess your needs and recommend the best treatment pathway.
We recommend taking 7-10 days off of your normal routine, including work, to give yourself the proper time to heal.
Still have questions? Contact us!
