A facelift or rhytidectomy is the best surgical way to address the signs of aging in the lower part of your face and neck. It corrects sagging skin, deep lines, a blurred jawline, and loose neck skin – issues that skincare or injectables often can’t fully fix. This procedure reshapes facial tissues, strengthens underlying muscles, and removes excess skin to restore a more youthful appearance.
At The Collins Center, Dr. Beth Collins has spent over 25 years perfecting her facelift technique, performing one to two procedures each week. This consistent experience has built her precision, expertise, and understanding of what creates beautiful results. As a leading expert in deep plane facelifts who teaches these advanced skills to surgeons across the country, Dr. Collins delivers outcomes that look refreshed and natural, enhancing your natural features while reducing the appearance of aging.
Before / After Gallery
A well-done facelift improves your jawline, neck, and overall facial shape without looking unnatural. Our patient photos show how Dr. Collins focuses on natural results that still let you recognize yourself. You’ll look refreshed like you did 10 to 15 years ago. This approach addresses the underlying causes of aging instead of just covering them up. Each transformation boosts confidence by making your appearance match your inner vitality.
Treatable Areas
- Sagging jowls and loss of jawline definition
- Deep nasolabial folds extending from nose to mouth corners
- Marionette lines running from mouth corners toward chin​
- Midface descent and flattened cheek contours​
- Loose, creped skin along the neck and under the chin
- Platysmal banding (vertical neck cords)
- Loss of facial volume and tissue descent
- Excess skin creating folds and wrinkles throughout the lower face
How Facelift Works
Dr. Collins uses a deep plane facelift technique to lift facial tissues beneath the skin. This advanced approach repositions structures as a single unit instead of just tightening the skin. She makes carefully planned incisions along natural contours: from above the hairline at the temples, curving along the front of the ear, behind the earlobe, and into the lower hairline. For neck work, she adds a small incision under the chin to access muscles and remove fat.
Through these small incisions, Dr. Collins releases ligaments, lifts and repositions deeper facial structures, and secures them with sutures for lasting support. Then, she re-drapes the skin with less tension and removes excess skin before closing. The procedure takes two to three hours under general anesthesia in a safe facility, and most patients go home the same day. This approach addresses the underlying causes of aging, leading to results that can last 10 to 15 years or more.
Whether you need surgical precision, metabolic wellness, or non-surgical refinement, we look at the big picture. Let’s design a unified treatment plan that addresses your health and beauty under one roof.
Results You’ll Love
- A defined, youthful jawline free from jowls and sagging tissue
- Smooth, elegant neck contours without loose skin or visible banding​
- Softened nasolabial folds and marionette lines for a friendlier expression​
- Restored midface volume and cheek projection that radiates health​
- Natural-looking rejuvenation that doesn’t appear surgically altered or overdone
- Long-lasting correction that can turn back the clock 10 to 15 years
- Improved facial harmony and proportion as descended tissues return to their proper position
- Renewed confidence knowing you look as vibrant as you feel inside​
Are You a Candidate for Facelift?
- You have moderate to advanced signs of facial aging that bother you daily
- Sagging jowls, deep folds, or loose neck skin make you appear older than your years​
- Non-surgical treatments like fillers and Botox provide only temporary, incomplete improvement​
- You’re in good overall health with realistic expectations about surgical outcomes
- You desire comprehensive, long-lasting correction rather than ongoing maintenance treatments
- You’re a non-smoker or willing to quit completely before and after surgery
- You’re experiencing a major life transition and seeking self-care that honors your well-being
- You want natural-looking rejuvenation from a surgeon who performs this procedure weekly
Why Choose The Collins Center
- 25+ years of surgical practice with over a thousand facelifts performed. Repetition builds precision. Dr. Collins performs on average 1–2 facelifts each week and has spent over a decade refining her craft, developing the surgical judgment that ensures beautiful, natural results.​
- Nationally recognized expert in deep plane facelift technique. Dr. Collins speaks at the American Society of Plastic Surgery and Women’s Plastic Surgery Conference, teaching advanced facelift techniques to other surgeons across the country—demonstrating her mastery of this demanding procedure.​
- Fellowship-trained at Emory University, one of America’s premier plastic surgery programs. Dr. Collins’ advanced training following her double board certification provides her with exceptional technical skill and aesthetic refinement.
- Clinical instructor at Yale setting standards for surgical excellence. Dr. Collins trains surgical residents and leads the Coastal Aesthetic Training Institute (CATI), reflecting the medical community’s recognition of her expertise and commitment to safety.​
- Castle Connolly Top Doctor and Best Plastic Surgeon in New Haven. Awards that reflect consistency, safety, and patient trust earned through delivering exceptional outcomes year after year.
FAQs about Facelift
How long do facelift results last?
A well-performed facelift can turn back the clock 10 to 15 years, with results lasting a decade or longer. While your face continues aging naturally, you’ll maintain a more youthful appearance than if you’d never had surgery. The deep plane technique Dr. Collins uses provides particularly long-lasting correction because it addresses structural tissue layers rather than just skin.
What’s the difference between a traditional facelift and deep plane facelift?
Traditional facelifts tighten the SMAS layer and skin separately, which can create tension and a pulled appearance. The deep plane technique Dr. Collins specializes in lifts the SMAS and overlying tissues as one unified structure, releasing deep ligaments for more natural movement and longer-lasting results without the “operated” look. This advanced approach requires significantly more surgical expertise.
How long is facelift recovery?
Most patients experience swelling and bruising for the first two weeks, with the majority of social healing occurring within 10 to 14 days. You’ll keep your head elevated during this time to minimize swelling. Many patients return to desk work within two weeks, though strenuous exercise should wait four to six weeks. Your final result becomes apparent as residual swelling resolves over several months.
Can I combine a facelift with other procedures?
Absolutely. Many patients combine facelift with eyelid surgery, brow lift, fat grafting, or laser resurfacing to achieve comprehensive facial rejuvenation in one surgical session. Dr. Collins will assess your aging concerns and recommend the combination that best serves your aesthetic goals while maintaining safety.
Will my facelift scars be visible?
Dr. Collins places incisions along your natural facial contours and hairline where they’re expertly concealed. The incisions follow the junction where your ear meets your face and extend into areas hidden by hair. With proper healing and Dr. Collins’ meticulous closure techniques, scars fade to thin lines that are virtually undetectable, even to people standing close to you.
What’s the difference between a mini facelift and full facelift?
A mini facelift addresses early aging in the lower face and jawline through shorter incisions and less extensive tissue repositioning. A full facelift provides comprehensive correction of the midface, lower face, and neck—ideal for moderate to advanced aging. During your consultation, Dr. Collins will recommend which approach matches your degree of aging and aesthetic goals.
Am I too young or too old for facelift surgery?
There’s no “right” age for facelift, the decision depends on your degree of facial aging rather than your chronological age. Most patients undergo facelift in their 50s through 70s, though some pursue it earlier or later. As long as you’re in good health and have aging concerns that bother you, you may be an excellent candidate. Dr. Collins will assess your individual situation during your personalized consultation.
Experience the transformative power of expert facelift surgery with Connecticut’s most experienced facial rejuvenation specialist. Schedule your consultation with Dr. Collins at The Collins Center in Guilford or Mystic, CT today.
