A facelift, or Rhytidectomy, may be the most intimate procedure you will ever consider because your face represents you to the world. Facelift surgery involves tightening the facial skin by removing excessive skin due to aging, hereditary, weight loss, or other factors. See how Dr. Wu can preserve all your defining features through the gentle approach to a facelift in The Woodlands. and Houston, TX.
The Gentle Approach to Facelift in The Woodlands and Houston, TX
It’s about results
Sophisticatedly Subtle, Unmistakably You
What is a facelift?
As we grow older, our facial features undergo many changes due to loss of collagen and elasticity. This leads to skin sagging, wrinkles, creases, and heavy folds that you’ve never had before. This is further worsened by loss of volume in our face particularly in the cheeks and under-eye areas, making our faces look gaunt and tired.
A facelift is a surgical procedure that lifts, repositions, and tightens the facial tissues to return your appearance to your refreshed youthful self. A facelift is often performed in combination with complementary procedures such as facial fat transfer to restore the lost volume of the face, neck lift, brow lift, and eyelid lift for beauties who desires comprehensive facial rejuvenation.
Deep Plane Facelift, Neck Lift
Age: 45-50
Anesthesia: Performed comfortably awake with local anesthesia
This beauty inherited her heavy neckline and wished to bring back her youthful definition. At the time of these photos, she is 6 weeks out from her procedure.
You’re a good candidate for a facelift if you:
- Are healthy physically and mentally.
- Don’t smoke or can stop smoking at least 6 weeks before and after the surgery.
- Have visible signs of facial aging that are bothersome to you.
- Have realistic expectations from a facelift surgery.
During the most important first step in your journey, Dr. Chaowen Wu will take time to learn about you during your consultation to curate a personalized set of facial rejuvenation techniques to address your specific facial concerns.
What happens during a facelift?
Your facelift is highly personalized just for you and the technique and procedures will be tailored to optimize your beauty goals.
The location of the incisions also depends on your specific goals. In a traditional facelift, the incision starts in the hairline at the temples, reaches around the ears, and extends to the lower scalp. Another incision might be placed under the chin, especially if you have severe signs of aging in your neck. The incision allow Dr. Wu to tighten up the sagging facial muscles and excess skin will then be removed.
Depending on your specific surgery, you may have a surgical drainage tube for the first few days after the surgery to prevent fluid accumulation under your skin while your heal.
Why fat transfer is integral to a facelift?
Facial fat transfer is a modern facial rejuvenation technique that has dramatically improved facelift results. This is important because we lose youthful volume in our face that is vital to supporting our facial muscles and skin. Loss of volume leads to hollowing around the eyes, sunken cheeks, temples, and straining of the chin and mouth which can make us appear older and even tired or angry when you’re not.
A facelift can reposition tissues and remove excess skin but it cannot restore volume. This is where fat transfer provides the benefit of volume restoration, the icing on the cake for your final facelift results.
For the fat transfer procedure, your live fat cells are gently collected from a part of your body with excess fat, such as the abdomen, and transferred strategically to enhance your facial contour. The fat cells will then become live fat cells that restore the youthful volume to your face.
What’s the post-facelift healing process like?
The first night after surgery you will stay in our on-site recovery suite with a caregiver by your side at all times to make sure all your post-operative needs are comfortably met. You will have a dressings around your head and you may have drains that your caregiver will manage for you overnight. You can minimize discomfort and pain using oral medications.
The next morning, Dr. Wu will visit you in your recovery suite to remove your dressings and check your surgery sites to ensure that you have a smooth recovery. The surgical sutures will be removed after 5-7 days, and the subsequent bruising and swelling will gradually dissipate within 2 to 4 weeks.
Most patients feel comfortable going out in public without facial covering and minimal makeup after 2 weeks.

Meet Dr. Wu
Dr. Wu has extensive and up-to-date training in plastic surgery. Why trust aesthetic changes to your face and body to anyone other than a fully trained plastic surgeon who specializes in aesthetic plastic surgery? What Dr. Wu’s thorough education and experience means for you:
Confidence
1-Year Aesthetic Surgery Fellowship: Feel confident with your results from a dedicated aesthetic plastic surgeon who is Aesthetic Fellowship-trained. This exclusive 1-year fellowship is only available to a small number of select plastic surgeons.
Trust
Dual MD + PhD Degrees: With the highest degrees awarded for expertise in plastic surgery + science, you can trust that your surgeon will continuously update and apply the most effective techniques to meet your needs.
Peace of Mind
6-Year Integrated Plastic Surgery Residency: Have peace of mind that your surgeon has completed the most rigorous plastic surgery training available through an Integrated Plastic Surgery Residency with 6 years dedicated solely to plastic surgery.
Balanced Foundation
Nearly a Decade of Plastic Surgery Experience: Dr. Wu springboards her aesthetic surgery foundation from in-depth experience in plastic and reconstructive surgery of the face, breast, and body.
Schedule ConsultationExperience the Revel you Difference
Did you know, when you have surgery with Dr. Wu, you are the center of her attention. Your surgery is never rushed because Dr. Wu performs only one facelift surgery a day. This way you benefit from having a completely focused and rested surgeon for one of the most intricate and demanding procedures.
Complimentary Overnight Stay With a Caretaker
- Relax and recovery in style after surgery in one of our on-site recovery suites with a caretaker by your side. This is included with all facelift surgeries to ensure you get optimal results.
Complimentary CosmetAssure Included With Every Procedure
- With Revel You, you’ll always have peace of mind knowing that your qualifying cosmetic surgery is insured with CosmetAssure, the gold standard in complication insurance, regardless of your health insurance coverage.
State-of-the-Art Surgery Center
- All procedures performed at Revel You take place at the Hourglass Surgery Center in The Woodlands. It has the highest accreditation possible being a State-Licensed Ambulatory Surgery Center.
Our clients can’t wait to share!
“Wow! 5 stars are not enough..I am so happy I chose Dr Wu for my procedures ...which were fat facial transfer and brow lift . She is honestly the best and has restored that confidence for me 🤩Not to mention down to earth , extremely professional , she understood and addressed my concerns! I will always go to her for any and every future procedures 😊🙏🏼🤩”
Paola Martinez
“Dr.Wu is nothing beyond simply amazing! The quality of work done by this doctor is priceless. She is an artist, she knows exactly what you need to get done to make you look fabulous, she has changed my life.
LoveTaylon
Additionally her staff is amazing, and is dedicated to making sure you have a wonderful experience. I truly would recommend anyone to Dr.Wu, you'll definitely get everything you want plus more!”
“Amazing doctor! Dr. Wu actually was honest enough to suggest an alternative procedure which cost 1/3 the price of procedure i went to the consultation for. I had surgery yesterday and haven't even needed a Tylenol. I have zero bruising and swelling is minimal. I can not recommend her enough. Please do yourself a favor and book a consultation with Dr. Wu before you book with anyone.”
April Sanders
Facial Procedures
Never Compromise Your Unique Beauty with One Size Fits All Surgery. Learn about Revel You’s custom array of facial rejuvenation options ranging from minimally invasive techniques to maximally corrective treatments.
A deep plane facelift offers a comprehensive way to improve the entire face. This procedure delivers the most powerful correction of signs of facial aging. These include improvements of crows feet, sagging cheeks, deep nasolabial folds, jowls, and removal of excess loose skin.
If you are bothered by signs of aging in your lower face including jowls, marionette lines, and general loss of definition in your jawline, the mini facelift can provide the solution to these problem areas. The incisions are kept in natural creases to keep them concealed.
A neck lift is the most powerful way to treat advanced neck aging including horizontal wrinkles, vertical neck bands, loose neck muscle and loose skin that form the dreaded “turkey wattle.” It is often combined with a facelift procedure to achieve harmonious rejuvenation as it uses the same incision around the ears.
Facial volume is lost over time and can be restored to your youthful self using your own fat. Facial fat transfer heals without scars and provides a natural, soft, and lasting alternative to fillers. This is a great way to rejuvenate the eyes, cheeks, and even lips with minimal down time.
Aging of the eyelids can appear as eyelid hooding, hollowing, dark circles and puffiness under the eyes, and just general tired appearance. Eyelid surgery can remove excess skin and reposition the fat to reawaken tired eyes.
Your eyebrows frame your eyes and with age may start drooping. This can lead to the appearance of looking sad, tired, or angry. A brow lift restores the eyebrows to a youthful position which can help you look rested and relaxed.
Your nose is a key defining features of your face which makes rhinoplasty surgery one of the most artistically and technically demanding procedures. A closed rhinoplasty can improve the appearance of your nose without compromising your unique beauty.
FAQ
If you don’t find the answer you are looking for, simply contact us!
How Long Do Facelift Results Last?
Facelift results can last 10 years or longer. Of course over time our skin and tissues continue to age, therefore a touch up may be considered down the road if desired.
Who Are the Best Candidates for Facial Rejuvenation Using Fat Transfer Alone?
Facial fat transfer serves as the foundation for many facial rejuvenation procedures. Beauties showing early signs of aging caused by volume loss without excess skin will see the best results using facial fat transfer alone without the need for any incisions. The transferred fat cells restore the lost volume and creates a youthful glow, much like injectable fillers. But unlike fillers, results are soft and long lasting.
Who Are the Best Candidates for Mini Facelift or Mini Neck lift?
A mini facelift or mini neck lift is for beauties showing moderate signs of aging of the lower face and neck. These procedures are aimed at addressing jowls, neck bands, and loose skin in the lower face. They are done through shorter incisions that start in front of the ear, wrapping around the ear lobe, and may extend into the hair. This process is more invasive than the scarless procedures, but provides a more dramatic lift for beauties with moderate facial and neck aging.
Who Are the Best Candidates for Full Facelift and Neck Lift?
For beauties with advanced signs of facial aging who desire comprehensive correction, a full face and neck lift combined with other facial rejuvenation procedures is the choice for maximal results. Advanced signs of aging include general loss of facial volume and skin elasticity, droopy brows, saggy eyelids, droopy and hollow cheeks, deep folds around the mouth, downturned lips, sagging jowls, neck bands and loose skin. Incisions begin in front of the ears sweeping around the ear lobes and into the hairline. This process provides the most dramatic rejuvenation and lift for beauties with severe facial aging.
What Other Facial Rejuvenation Procedures Can Be Combined with a Facelift?
Depending on your individual goals, other procedures can be combined with a facelift for optimal and balanced facial rejuvenation. These procedures include neck lift, brow lift,eyelid lift, lip lift, skin tightening, and almost a must, facial fat transfer. An in-person consultation with Dr. Wu is the best way to discuss the most effective and personalized solution for you.