Two jobs, not one

When a face starts to look older, two different things are usually happening. The tissues have moved: cheeks have flattened, jowls have formed and the neck has loosened. And the skin itself has changed, with finer lines, uneven colour and a rougher texture. A facelift answers the first of those. It repositions; it does not resurface. Dr. Chang Soo Kim plans for both at Bellava in Bedford Hills — about 16 minutes without traffic from South Salem and 13 from Cross River, by Route 35.

What the lift takes care of

The jowls and jawline, reshaped by tightening and repositioning the deeper tissue that holds them up, rather than by pulling on the surface.
The lines from nose to mouth and below the corners of the mouth, eased as the face around them is lifted.
Fullness beneath the chin, removed by liposuction during the same operation.
Surplus skin, trimmed only once the deeper lift is done, with incisions tucked into the hairline and around the ears.

What the skin needs on its own

Texture, lines and sun damage. Laser skin resurfacing can be built into the facelift itself, and Bellava also offers fractional CO2 skin rejuvenation as a treatment of its own.
Uneven tone, pigmentation and redness. The IPL photofacial works on these, with no downtime.
Hollows. Fat can be grafted into flattened cheeks while you are in surgery, and dermal fillers restore volume without an operation.
Heavy or puffy eyelids. Blepharoplasty removes excess skin and fat from the upper or lower lids, and is often done alongside a facelift.

Dr. Kim pays particular attention to this side of things. He introduced the Sciton Joule laser system to Connecticut, and he uses laser and radiofrequency platforms alongside traditional surgery.

The skin you bring matters

Two things you bring with you shape the outcome: smoking and sun damage. Patients who do not smoke, and whose skin has seen less sun, often get better results, so be candid with Dr. Kim about both.

The surgeon

Dr. Kim is certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, holds his medical degree from the Yale School of Medicine and completed his plastic surgery residency at Yale–New Haven Hospital. At Bellava a facelift is an outpatient procedure under local anesthesia with sedation, in the practice’s own Joint Commission–accredited suite. About Dr. Kim.

Lewisboro patients ask

Can laser resurfacing be done during the facelift? Yes, when it suits your skin. The resurfaced areas then need at least two weeks of care at home, as do any fat grafts, which are massaged.

Is surgery the only route? No. A liquid facelift lifts and smooths chosen areas with injectables and suits early to moderate ageing; once laxity is more advanced, surgery is the better fit.

How do I start? Request a consultation with the button on this page, or call or text, and Bellava’s patient coordinator will call you back. The main facelift page and Dr. Kim’s results are worth a look beforehand.

Facelift for Lewisboro, NY