For appropriately selected patients, an exciting recent innovation in facelift surgery delivers genuine, meaningful facelifting through a single small incision hidden in the temporal scalp — with no visible scars in front of or around the ears, no detachment of facial skin, and a recovery measured in days rather than weeks. The percutaneous facelift performed at Dr. John Anastasatos’s Beverly Hills practice fills an important gap in facelift surgery: it bridges the space between injectable fillers (which cannot replace a true facelift) and a formal large-scale facelift (which involves longer recovery and visible scars). For patients in their thirties and forties who are beginning to show the early structural signs of facial aging — particularly jowls and midface flattening — but who do not yet have the skin laxity that requires a comprehensive facelift, the percutaneous approach delivers what no filler or thread lift can: real, meaningful repositioning of the deeper midface tissues.

Dr. Anastasatos is a Los Angeles plastic surgeon widely recognized as one of the top choices for percutaneous facelift in Los Angeles. His percutaneous facelift technique was developed and refined through his plastic surgery training under Dr. Luis Vasconez at the University of Alabama at Birmingham — one of history’s foremost plastic surgeons and the inventor of the endoscopic brow lift — whose tutelage shaped Dr. Anastasatos’s understanding of midface architecture and the deeper structural principles that effective minimally invasive facial surgery requires. He has delivered plenary lectures at the Pan-Hellenic Congress of Plastic Surgery at the highest academic level, and was profiled by the Beverly Hills Courier in a feature titled “Anastasatos turns Body Restoration into art form,” reflecting his reputation specifically for refined aesthetic surgical work. Board certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons (FACS), a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) and American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS), and named by The Luxe Insider as one of the Top 10 Plastic Surgeons in the World.

How the Percutaneous Facelift Works

The percutaneous facelift adheres to the proper anatomical basis of facelift surgery. It targets, elevates, and suspends the malar fat pad — the critical anatomic structure of the face that determines whether facial rejuvenation is meaningful or merely cosmetic. As the malar fat pad descends with age, it deepens the nasolabial folds, causes loss of zygomatic prominence (the cheekbone projection of youth), drops the corners of the mouth, and creates the jowls that soften the once-defined jawline. Jowls are particularly bothersome for many patients and represent perhaps the single most common reason patients seek a facelift consultation.

The percutaneous facelift performs malar fat pad elevation without traditional facelift incisions in front of and around the ears. The result is increased cheek prominence and zygomatic projection, raised mouth corners, corrected jowls, improved jawline definition, and reduced nasolabial folds — all without visible scars and with dramatically reduced recovery compared to a conventional facelift.

How the Procedure Is Performed

The technical approach is genuinely different from traditional facelift surgery:

• Single small incision: A 1.5-inch incision is placed in the hair-bearing temporal scalp, completely hidden by the patient’s hair. This is the only incision the procedure requires.
• Specialized needle technique: The procedure uses a special needle invented for the purpose — its design inspired by the knitting needle. The needle passes in and out of the skin to perform the lift without leaving any external skin marks.
• No skin detachment: Unlike a conventional facelift, the percutaneous technique does not lift, undermine, or detach facial skin. This is the central technical reason recovery is so dramatically faster than conventional facelift.
• Local anesthesia option: The patient is awake. General anesthesia is not required, though it can be offered if preferred. Most patients receive only a small dose of local anesthesia — comparable to the anesthesia administered at a routine dental appointment.
• Approximately one hour: The procedure duration is roughly one hour, performed as an outpatient operation.
• Return to work in 2-3 days: Because no facial skin is detached, swelling is minimal and recovery is exceptionally fast. Most patients return to work after a long weekend (Friday-Saturday-Sunday) recovery.

Who Is a Good Candidate?

The percutaneous facelift is ideal for several specific patient profiles:

• Patients in their thirties and forties beginning to show early signs of facial aging — particularly jowls and midface flattening — but who do not yet have meaningful skin laxity of the face and neck
• Patients between the ages of 35-50 with noticeable jowls and loss of cheek fullness but without considerable skin laxity
• Patients seeking a facelift “touch-up” after a previous facelift, who want additional lift without committing to another comprehensive surgery
• Patients bothered by the early stigmatizing aging signs of jowls, deepening nasolabial folds, loss of cheek fullness, reduced zygomatic projection, and tear-trough deformity who want meaningful surgical correction without conventional facelift recovery
• Patients who have explored injectable fillers but recognize that fillers cannot address the underlying tissue descent that produces these aging changes

For older patients with established skin laxity, the percutaneous facelift will not produce sufficient lift, and a traditional or deep plane facelift remains the appropriate procedure.

Specific Advantages

The percutaneous facelift offers several distinctive advantages for the right candidate:

• No visible scars: The single small incision is placed in the hair-bearing scalp and is completely hidden once the patient’s hair is in place
• Dramatically faster recovery: Most patients return to work and normal activity within 2-3 days
• Local anesthesia option: Avoids the risks and recovery associated with general anesthesia
• Minimal swelling: Because no facial skin is detached, the swelling that drives extended facelift recovery is largely avoided
• Natural cheek elevation: The technique produces meaningful zygomatic projection without the artificial “fake” or “plastic” appearance that excessive filler can produce
• Reversible: Unlike a conventional facelift, the percutaneous approach is reversible if the patient is unsatisfied with the result
• Bridges filler and full facelift: Provides genuine surgical lifting for patients not yet ready for a comprehensive facelift

Frequently Asked Questions About Percutaneous Facelift

Will the percutaneous facelift produce the same result as a traditional facelift?

No — and that is appropriate for the patient population it serves. Traditional facelift produces more dramatic and longer-lasting results because the surgical work is more extensive. The percutaneous approach produces meaningful but more limited lift, designed for patients with early-to-moderate signs of aging who do not yet need or want a comprehensive facelift.

How long do the results last?

Percutaneous facelift results typically last 5-7 years before patients consider additional treatment or progression to a more comprehensive procedure. Healthy lifestyle factors — sun protection, no smoking, good skin care — extend longevity.

Will I need general anesthesia?

No. The procedure is performed under local anesthesia in most cases, with the patient awake and comfortable. General anesthesia can be offered if preferred, but it is not required.

What is the recovery really like?

Most patients return to work and normal social activity within 2-3 days. There is no significant bruising, minimal swelling, and pain is typically well-controlled with over-the-counter medication. Most patients have the procedure on a Friday and return to work the following Monday.

Is the procedure permanent?

The procedure is durable but not permanent — the face continues to age naturally afterward. The technique is also reversible if the patient is unsatisfied with the result, which most conventional facelift procedures are not.

Can the percutaneous facelift be combined with other procedures?

Yes. The percutaneous facelift combines well with blepharoplasty, brow lift, neck procedures, and non-surgical treatments such as Botox and dermal fillers for comprehensive facial rejuvenation in a single coordinated approach.

Why Choose Dr. Anastasatos for Percutaneous Facelift Surgery

• Trained by Dr. Luis Vasconez at UAB: Foundational training under the inventor of the endoscopic brow lift and one of history’s foremost plastic surgeons.
• Pan-Hellenic Congress Plenary Lecturer: International peer-recognition at the highest academic level of the Greek plastic surgery specialty.
• Beverly Hills Courier “Body Restoration Art Form” Feature: Profile reflecting refined aesthetic surgical reputation.
• Two Decades of Beverly Hills Practice: Sustained experience in advanced facelift surgery since 2007.
• Board-Certified, FACS, ASPS, and ASAPS: Certification by the American Board of Plastic Surgery and full membership in the specialty’s most respected peer societies.
• Specialized Percutaneous Technique: Among the limited number of plastic surgeons internationally who perform this advanced minimally invasive approach.
• Comprehensive Facelift Spectrum Available: When percutaneous is not the right answer, traditional, deep plane, lower, MACS/SMAS, and revision facelift options are available with the same surgeon.
• Top 10 International Recognition: Named by The Luxe Insider as one of the Top 10 Plastic Surgeons in the World.

Schedule Your Percutaneous Facelift Consultation in Beverly Hills

If you are beginning to see jowls, deepening nasolabial folds, or loss of cheek fullness — but you are not yet ready for a comprehensive facelift — the percutaneous facelift may be the procedure that produces the meaningful lift you want with the recovery you can fit into your life. Dr. Anastasatos welcomes patients to the Beverly Hills office at 436 North Bedford Drive, Suite 202, Beverly Hills, CA 90210, for a private consultation evaluating whether the percutaneous approach is right for your specific situation. Contact us at Los Angeles Plastic Surgery to schedule your percutaneous facelift consultation with Dr. Anastasatos.