The Complete Facelift Guide

Midface & Cheek Lift

Where a Facelift Looks Rested Instead of Tight

The midface, meaning the cheeks and the area beneath the eyes, is where a facelift quietly succeeds or fails. Get it right and the whole face looks rested; ignore it and even a well-lifted jawline can still look tired. It’s also the region a skin-only lift can’t reach.

Facelift Case Studies

Real Patients of Dr. Lynam

Deep plane facelift patient of Dr. Lynam in Richmond, front view

Facelift · Front View

Brow lift, upper eyelids, facelift and periorbital chemical peel patient of Dr. Lynam, front view

Facelift + Brow & Eyelids · Front View

Individual results vary.

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What Happens to the Midface With Age

Two things, often together: the cheek fat compartments deflate and slide downward, and the deeper support (the SMAS and its retaining ligaments) descends. The result is flatter cheeks, hollowing under the eyes, and deeper folds running from the nose to the mouth. The anatomy page covers those layers in detail.

This is also where the accumulation-versus-depletion distinction is clearest. A depleting midface has lost volume and needs lifting and often volume restored; an accumulating face may simply need the descended tissue repositioned. Same region, different plan. See How Your Face Ages.

How the Midface Is Addressed

The deep plane facelift is uniquely suited to the midface. By releasing the retaining ligaments and repositioning the deep layer, it lifts the cheek back to where it belongs, rather than pulling skin sideways, which flattens the midface further. Where volume is genuinely lost, repositioning is paired with restoration.

Because the midface connects to the eyes above and the jawline below, it’s rarely treated alone. It’s balanced with the brow and eyes and the lower face for a harmonious result, which is the heart of the art of the facelift.

Is a Midface Lift Right for You?

If your cheeks have flattened or hollowed, or the area under your eyes looks tired despite good sleep, the midface is likely part of your plan. The only way to know your specific mix is to have your face read region by region.

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Facelift Videos

A Facelift Patient's Story

Another Patient's Facelift Experience

Choosing Dr. Lynam for Your Facelift

Inside Richmond Surgical Arts

A little over a year ago I decided I wanted me back! I researched doctors and chose Dr. Lynam to do a facelift. I obviously had faith in him, I let him operate on my face! But, that was not all! He did such a fantastic, amazing job, I got a breast reduction in June 2013 to help with the neck and back pain I had suffered for years. To my surprise I actually could breathe better.

– Face Lift / Neck Lift Patient

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