Dr. Joel Kopelman, MD, FACS, performs facelift surgery for patients in Palm Beach County, with offices in West Palm Beach and Boca Raton. He’s a facial plastic and oculoplastic surgeon with more than 35 years of experience. A deep plane facelift lifts the deeper support layers of the face, not just the skin, so jowls and the jawline improve without a pulled look.
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Dr. Joel Kopelman
OCULOPLASTIC SURGEON
Book in person or by video at our West Palm Beach or Boca Raton office. The $350 consultation fee covers a full year of visits and is not applied toward the cost of surgery.
1,000+
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A deep plane facelift lifts the deeper support layers of the face, including the SMAS, instead of pulling the skin. That is why it can lift the jowls, jawline, and neck without a tight or pulled look.
Older facelifts used the skin as the lift point. That can leave the outer corners of the mouth and eyes looking wind-swept and tight, and the result doesn’t last as long. A deep plane facelift tightens the deeper tissue first, so the skin can then be gently repositioned and trimmed without strain. It also sculpts fat bulges and re-approximates sagging muscles. The smile and eyelid contours stay undistorted, and the hairline isn’t changed.
The technique matches how the face ages. Fat loss and gravity make the brow, midface, lower face, and neck sag over time, and a deep plane lift works on those deeper layers.
If an earlier facelift left a tight or wind-swept look, uneven contours, or scars that didn’t heal well, revision surgery has to work around existing scar tissue. Dr. Kopelman reviews the original surgery at your consultation and plans the revision around it. Learn more about revision facelift surgery.
Facelift techniques have evolved over many decades. In the past the skin was used as a fulcrum to lift the soft tissue of the face. This has led to pulled “wind swept” unnatural results that do not last very long. Modern facelifting techniques rely on the deeper layers of the face to recontour the neck, jawline and mid-face to lift and tighten the soft tissue of the face. The aging face typically exhibits the effects of “deflation”. The loss of facial fat combined with unrelenting gravitational effects will commonly cause the eyelids to bulge and the brow, mid-face, lower face and neck to sag downward.
These before and after photos show mini facelift results from actual patients of Dr. Kopelman. Look at the jawline and lower cheeks, and keep in mind that results vary from patient to patient. For more cases, see the full facelift gallery.
A facelift is often combined with other procedures so the whole face ages in balance. At your consultation, Dr. Kopelman focuses on the areas that concern you most and also looks at other signs of aging, such as upper eyelid hooding, lower eyelid bags, loss of facial fat, and sun-damaged skin. Your plan may include:
Not sure whether you need a facelift, a neck lift, or both? Read Dr. Kopelman’s guide to facelift vs. neck lift.
A facelift is a good fit if you’re in good overall health and have signs of facial aging that non-surgical treatments can’t fully address. Common signs include:
Age matters less than skin condition and general health. For early jowling or mild laxity, a mini facelift may be enough.
A facelift may not be right for you yet if you:
At your consultation, Dr. Kopelman reviews your facial anatomy, skin elasticity, and aging patterns to confirm whether a facelift or another procedure is the best fit.
Most facelift patients take one to two weeks off work, feel comfortable in social settings by weeks three to four, and see their final results settle over 6 to 12 months. Here is how that timeline usually looks.
You’ll also get written instructions on wound care and medication at your preoperative visit. Following them closely during the first two weeks has the biggest effect on how smoothly you heal.
Most facelift results last 7 to 10 years. Aging continues after surgery, but a facelift significantly resets the visible signs. Dr. Kopelman’s guide to facelift vs. neck lift explains what to expect.
As with any operation, there are risks. These include reaction to anesthesia, bleeding, infection, and delayed or visible scarring. Blood thinners and smoking must be stopped well in advance of surgery. Temporary tightness, dryness, numbness, and tingling are common during healing and typically resolve. There is a small risk of injury to a branch of the facial nerve, which can cause temporary weakness in nearby muscles. These complications are uncommon.
A deep plane facelift with Dr. Kopelman typically costs $45,000 to $60,000. Your quote depends on the technique, whether you add procedures such as a neck lift, eyelid surgery, or fat grafting, the anesthesia used, and surgical facility fees. You’ll get a detailed quote at your consultation. Cosmetic surgery isn’t covered by insurance.
Consultations cost $350, in person or by video. The fee covers a full year of visits with Dr. Kopelman, as many as you need, and isn’t applied toward the cost of surgery.
What patients say about working with Dr. Kopelman.
Dr. Joel E. Kopelman, MD, FACS, has practiced facial plastic and oculoplastic surgery for more than 35 years. He completed an internal medicine internship at Johns Hopkins and his ophthalmology residency at Washington Hospital Center, followed by fellowships at UCLA, the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, and Moorfields Eye Hospital in London. He’s a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, the American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, the American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery, and the American Academy of Ophthalmology, which gave him an Honor Award.
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— COMMON QUESTIONS
The ultimate goal of facelift surgery is to “turn back the clock” by tightening and lifting the skin and muscle of the neck and mid-facial soft tissue, redistributing tissue and restoring lost facial volume. At your initial consultation, the surgeon provides a precise assessment of your facial features, which allows him to outline a detailed plan for balanced, harmonious results.
If a facelift is the right option for you, careful technique and attention to detail can leave you looking years younger without obvious signs that you had the procedure. Dr. Joel Kopelman individualizes each facelift to match the patient’s unique features, since one technique cannot be applied to every patient.
As we age, the face changes shape because several factors work together. Volume loss in the deeper fat compartments of the cheeks and temples causes hollowing, while the skin loses collagen and elastin, reducing its ability to spring back. At the same time, gravity gradually pulls soft tissue downward, and the underlying facial ligaments loosen, allowing the cheeks, jowls, and neck to sag.
Facelift techniques differ for men and women because facial anatomy and aging patterns differ between the sexes. Men typically have thicker, more vascular skin and different hairline patterns, which affect incision placement to help conceal scars. A male facelift also tends to preserve stronger jaw and cheek definition, avoiding an overly softened or feminized result.
Yes. Facelift techniques range from a full deep plane facelift, which addresses the SMAS layer, jawline, and neck together, to a more limited mini facelift, often chosen for early jowling or mild skin laxity. A mini facelift uses smaller incisions and a shorter recovery, though it addresses less tissue than a full deep plane procedure. The surgeon will recommend the approach that matches your specific goals and degree of aging.
Facelift surgery is performed under anesthesia, so patients do not feel pain during the procedure itself. Afterward, most patients describe tightness, pressure, and mild to moderate discomfort rather than sharp pain, which is typically well controlled with prescribed medication during the first several days of recovery.
A deep plane facelift with Dr. Kopelman typically costs $45,000 to $60,000. The final quote depends on the technique, any added procedures, the anesthesia used, and facility fees, and you’ll get it at your consultation.
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