Name: Azar Plastic Surgery and Med Spa
Address: 425 Haaland Dr #200, Thousand Oaks, CA, 91361
Telephone: (805) 373-7073
Price range: $$
Rating: 5

Conveniently located to serve the areas of Thousand Oaks, Westlake Village, Calabasas, Malibu, Agoura Hills and Camarillo

Many people think that a facelift involves pulling the facial skin tight to “iron out” the wrinkles. Once upon a time, that was the case.

But today, Thousand Oaks facelift provider Dr. Kouros Azar offers a truly restorative procedure that brings back youthful contours and re-drapes the skin for a natural looking result. He has earned a reputation for the innovative techniques he employs and the remarkable results he achieves for his patients. If you are wondering if a facelift is right for you, request a consultation with Dr. Azar to discuss the possibilities. Or you can call our office at (805) 373-7073 and one of our knowledgeable, friendly staff members will schedule your appointment.

Advanced Facelift Techniques

For long-lasting, natural-looking outcomes, Dr. Azar performs facelift procedures that involve deeper tissues of the face called the SMAS, or superficial musculoaponeurotic system.

The SMAS is a thin layer of connective tissue (fascia) below the skin but above the muscle layer of the face. Dr. Azar performs most facelift procedures using 2 techniques: SMAS advancement uses discreet incisions along the hairline, by the ear, and sometimes under the chin, so there are no telltale scars along the hairline on the back of the neck. Dr. Azar goes to the SMAS and tightens the face's muscle layer, then re-drapes facial skin and removes the excess. There is no pulling on the skin to lift the face, so the result is much more natural looking. SMAS plication involves drawing up and “folding” the natural muscle layer of the face that has drooped into the jowl.

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This produces a nice, full cheekbone and eliminates the jowl, all without disturbing the facial nerves or lymphatic vessels beneath the SMAS. This technique produces a beautiful, long-lasting result and a quicker, more comfortable recovery. For women and men who require a lesser degree of correction, Dr. Azar offers an endoscopic mid facelift.

Thousand Oaks facelift model with blonde hair

Complete Your Rejuvenation

A facelift focuses on the lower two-thirds of the face; however, the aging process usually affects the upper face and neck as well. To provide a comprehensive facial rejuvenation, Dr. Azar creates a personalized treatment plan that combines facelift surgery with one or more of the following procedures:

Neck lift tightens loose, wrinkled skin and the underlying layer of muscle that creates vertical banding. The neck lift is typically a part of Dr. Azar's SMAS facelift procedures.
Eyelid surgery can lift lax upper eyelids, reduce puffy bags under the eyes, or renew both the upper and lower eyelids for a more refreshed appearance.
Brow lift provides a subtle raising of the eyebrows to open up the upper eye area.
Injectable fillers reduce the nasolabial folds and tear troughs, and restore youthful fullness to the cheeks.

As a specialist in facial cosmetic surgery, Dr. Azar’s goal is to help you look years younger and naturally rejuvenated.

Recovery & Beyond

A facelift typically takes about 3 hours, depending on the condition of your skin, your desired results, and whether or not your facelift procedure is being combined with other cosmetic surgery procedures.

Westlake Village Facelift provider, Dr. Azar, typically uses general anesthesia, but you may choose to have the procedure done under sedation. While patient experiences vary, you will likely feel ready to go out in public with some cover-up makeup in about a week. You should be back to work in about 10 days to two weeks.

Westlake village facelift model with blonde hair

Why Dr. Azar for Facelift

Dr. Kouros Azar

A board-certified plastic surgeon, Dr. Azar develops innovative surgical techniques and is dedicated to providing exceptional outcomes.

Dr. Azar describes himself as an “engineer,” and he applies that innovative mentality to each surgical procedure. Rather than simply performing the traditional facelift, lifting and tightening facial tissue, he restructures the muscle and then gently re-drapes the skin for a very natural look. His goal is to make sure his facelift patients never look tight, pulled or "worked on."

The typical response is that they look rested and rejuvenated, like they’ve just had a relaxing vacation. Safety and quality are never compromised with Dr. Azar and his outstanding team. He operates only at major hospitals and surgery centers, and uses only board-certified M.D. anesthesiologists. He is a board-certified plastic surgeon, which means he has demonstrated the highest levels of skill, experience, and knowledge.

Westlake village Azar Plastic Surgery and Med Spa office staff

How Is A Facelift Performed?

During a facelift Thousand Oaks plastic surgeon, Dr. Azar will carefully tightens the face’s underlying muscles and fascia, also known as connective tissue. He makes discreet incisions along the hairline, by the ear, or on the chin, and removes excess skin. Then he skillfully re-drapes the remaining skin for the most natural-looking results.

Do You Ever Combine A Facelift With Other Procedures?

“Yes. Because a facelift affects only the lower 2/3 of the face, I often combine a facelift with an eyelid lift and/or a brow lift. I commonly use a minimally invasive Endotine™ technique that involves inserting a dissolvable implant through a tiny incision in the upper eyelid or the scalp. Performing an eyelid lift and brow lift complements the results of a facelift, opening up the eyes and making the upper third of the face look younger.”

Facelift Frequently Asked Questions

What Happens To The Mid-Face As We Age?

The cheeks tend to flatten with age. Take a look at your high school yearbook picture and notice your cheeks. Chances are you will see you had very prominent, round cheeks – they were rounded like a golf ball and pinchable. By age 45, many women’s cheeks look more like a flattened egg. A teenager’s cheeks have a reflection of light that reveals youthful beauty.

Can Flattened Cheeks Be Corrected?

Yes, Dr. Azar can rejuvenate flattened cheeks with an endoscopic mid-face lift. This procedure, which focuses on the middle of the face, involves using an instrument called an endoscope to separate the tissues around the eye and cheek through tiny forehead incisions made along the hairline. Dr. Azar then suspends the tissues of the cheek from the temple using a new absorbable plate called a mid-face Endotine™. This facelift technique gives the cheeks a very youthful, lifted appearance without artificial implants.

Which Age Group Is Best Suited For A Facelift?

“The ideal time to have a facelift is between ages 47 and 57. Patients younger than 47 should have a very good, solid reason to have a facelift – as in the case of actors or individuals with facial features that make them look older than their age. Patients older than 57 are still candidates for a facelift, but they may need to undergo a more conservative procedure to maintain a natural look.”

How Does Your Facelift Technique Produce Natural-Looking Results?

“I perform what’s called a SMAS advancement. The SMAS, or superficial musculoaponeurotic system, is the covering below the skin, but above the muscle layer of the face. When I do a facelift, I go below the SMAS and tighten the face’s muscle layer. Then I simply re-drape the facial skin and remove the excess skin. I’m not pulling on the skin to lift the face. I’m restructuring the muscle and then gently re-draping the skin for a very natural look – not the ‘windswept’ look of old-fashioned facelifts. People tell my facelift patients that they look rested, like they’ve just been on a Caribbean cruise. Nobody can really tell they’ve had surgery.”

Does Going Below The SMAS Pose Any Risk?

“Of course, there is a certain degree of risk with any surgery. However, I am a specialist in facial nerve and muscle surgery, so my advanced specialty training makes me very well-suited at avoiding any facial injuries.”

Aren’t The Scars At The Back Of The Neck A Telltale Sign Of A Facelift?

“Facelift incisions are a lot shorter than they used to be. I limit the incisions behind the ear, and I don’t go along the hairline in the back so that if you want to wear your hair up, no one will see the scar in the back.”

Can A Facelift Help Improve A Sagging Neck?

“Yes. A neck lift is part and parcel of a facelift. There is also a separate neck lift procedure called a platysmaplasty for patients with extreme excess skin and sagging in the neck. This procedure can be done by itself or in conjunction with a facelift. During your personal consultation, I will recommend the procedure best for you.”

How Does The Endotine™ Technique Work?

“The Endotine device, developed by Coapt Systems reduces the need for stitches and improves the accuracy and simplicity of brow lift and eyelid lift procedures.”

Do You Offer Mini-Facelifts?

“No – and for good reason. Mini-facelifts, which are marketed under several different names, including the S-lift (for the shape of the incision) and the thread lift, among others, are very market-driven. I think patients should be cautious about these minimally invasive techniques. A very small number of women – perhaps 5% – can get a lasting benefit from a mini-facelift. But most women who have a mini-facelift are likely to be back where they started in 2 or 3 years. A full facelift provides a much longer-lasting result.”

Do You Ever Combine A Facelift With Injectable Fillers?

“Yes, I do use injectable dermal fillers with the facelift. When I do a facelift, I almost always inject the nasolabial folds – the creases that run from the nose to the corners of the mouth. Sometimes I inject what’s called the “tear trough” – the area underneath the eyelids. A lot of people end up with grooves underneath the lower eyelids, so that can easily be injected at the same time as the facelift. The cheekbones can be accentuated with filler as well.”

What Else Can A Facelift Do To Smooth Out The Nasolabial Folds?

“If you have very deep nasolabial folds, during the facelift I can actually lift the skin a little bit farther than I normally would and smooth out the nasolabial folds completely. That’s considered the definitive treatment for deep nasolabial folds.”

How Can You Correct The Nasolabial Folds During A Facelift?

“I borrow a little bit of fascia, which is like a big connective tissue layer on the temporal area, and graft it into the nasolabial folds under the skin. We always try to use your own tissues when we can.”

Schedule your Thousand Oaks plastic surgery consultation with Dr. Azar today

Dr. Kouros Azar, founder and medical director of Azar Plastic Surgery and Med Spa, is an attentive listener, a devoted surgeon and doctor, and a highly-skilled biomedical engineer. He matches his patients with the best possible treatments by drawing on his extensive expertise, compassion, and research skills. Make an appointment with Dr. Azar now to discuss your rejuvenation options.

Facelift