Choosing a facelift surgeon is one of those decisions that carries well beyond the day of surgery. It sets the tone for how you will look and feel five or even ten years from now. In Fort Myers, Dr. Audrey Farahmand’s name comes up often, both among patients and other clinicians. People ask if she is the best facelift surgeon in Fort Myers, or at least among the top options for facelift surgery in Fort Myers. The honest answer requires digging into training, philosophy, outcomes, patient experience, and practical factors like anesthesia, facility accreditation, and cost transparency. Titles like “best” are subjective. The right question is whether a surgeon is the best fit for you and your goals.
This guide takes a practitioner’s view, the way surgeons and operating room nurses actually evaluate skill and patient care. It includes the trade-offs that tend to get glossed over in marketing copy. If you are searching for a “facelift surgeon near me” and want to know whether Farahmand Plastic Surgery deserves a spot on your shortlist, read on.
What makes a facelift result look unmistakably “right”
A high-quality facelift doesn’t draw attention to itself. The face looks rested, lighter, and balanced, not pulled. You keep your recognizable features, just with better definition along the jaw and neck, and softening through the midface. The details that give away mediocre work are subtle: a distorted tragus, a hairline that shifts in a way that makes ponytails awkward, an earlobe that pulls down, a whisker of tension at the corner of the mouth. In contrast, great work respects the anatomic planes, hides incisions along natural borders, and avoids over-tightening the skin.
Most modern facelifts focus on lifting the SMAS, the fibromuscular layer under the skin, rather than trying to make the skin do all the work. Techniques vary. Some surgeons perform a deep plane facelift that releases key retaining ligaments and repositions the cheek and jowl from beneath. Others use a high-SMAS or SMAS plication approach, which can be faster and, in the right hands, very effective. The technique needs to match the patient’s anatomy, skin quality, and goals. What matters more than the label is whether the surgeon can show a consistent track record with the approach they use.
Where Dr. Audrey Farahmand fits in the Fort Myers landscape
Dr. Audrey Farahmand is a board-certified plastic surgeon in Fort Myers, Florida, and the founder of Farahmand Plastic Surgery. Board certification by the American Board of Plastic Surgery signals completion of an accredited plastic surgery residency, passage of rigorous exams, and adherence to continuing education and ethical standards. In a market with a mix of backgrounds, that credential is a meaningful baseline for safety and training.
Patients often highlight her communication style. People describe her consults as informative and direct without feeling rushed. This matters more than it sounds. Facelift surgery turns on nuance. The best outcomes come when surgeon and patient agree on the desired degree of change, the trade-offs, and the expected recovery timeline. The surgeon’s bedside manner shows up in surgical decisions, from how aggressively to elevate deeper tissues to when to stop in order to preserve a natural look.
In the Fort Myers area, there are a handful of surgeons with strong facelift caseloads. Rather than sweeping claims about the best facelift surgeon in Fort Myers, the more useful question is whether Dr. Farahmand’s case mix and aesthetic approach align with your needs. She tends to emphasize natural, age-appropriate refinement over dramatic change. If you want to erase every line and walk out unrecognizable, you might not be aligned. If you want your neck and jawline cleaned up, plastic surgery clinics in my area the cheek in better position, and the face to look like you on a good day, you are in her lane.
Understanding facelift surgery options and how they are matched to patients
Not every face ages the same way. Skin thickness, bone structure, fat distribution, sun exposure, and weight changes all cut paths that converge differently. A good facelift surgeon maps the plan to the person, not to a brand name procedure.
Common facelift approaches in practice include:
- Deep plane facelift: releases key retaining ligaments to lift the midface and jowls from deep layers. It can be powerful for heavier tissues or when midface descent is pronounced. SMAS plication or imbrication: tightens or repositions the SMAS without extensive release. Often chosen for patients with moderate laxity or thinner skin. High-SMAS facelift: extends the SMAS elevation into the cheek, bridging some advantages of deep plane while maintaining a familiar workflow for many surgeons. Neck-focused work: platysmaplasty, subplatysmal fat reduction, and treatment of the digastric or submandibular space when indicated. This is key if the neck is the main concern.
In a Fort Myers practice like Farahmand Plastic Surgery, you should expect a surgeon to offer more than one approach and to explain why one technique suits you. If your main complaint is the neck bands and a blunted jawline, ask specifically how the plan addresses the platysma and the subplatysmal structures. If your cheeks have drifted and you rely on filler to simulate lift, ask how the midface is handled, not just the jaw and neck.
The anatomy of a good consultation
The best facelift consults are part education, part calibration. The surgeon studies your face at rest and in animation, palpates the SMAS and neck, checks hairline position and ear shape, and looks at how skin behaves when gently mobilized. You should feel that the plan comes from that examination, not from a template. Expect a frank discussion about scars: where they start and end, how the tragus is protected, how the hairline is preserved around the temporal area and behind the ear. With a surgeon like Dr. Audrey Farahmand, who performs a range of facial procedures, the consult often includes whether to combine facelift surgery with eyelid surgery, brow lift, or fat grafting for balance.
Patients frequently show a favorite photo from five to ten years ago. That helps, but an experienced surgeon will also show examples of outcomes that resemble your facial structure, not just aspirational lookbook shots. If you are considering Dr. Farahmand, ask to see before and after images of patients in your age range, with similar skin thickness and neck anatomy, photographed in consistent lighting and angles. Consistency of the portfolio counts.
Facility, anesthesia, and safety infrastructure
Safety is not just about the day of surgery. It starts with preoperative screening, medication management, and a plan for the first two weeks, when most complications appear. When you evaluate facelift surgery in Fort Myers, ask about the operating facility’s accreditation. AAAASF, AAAHC, or Joint Commission accreditation means the space meets standards for equipment, sterilization, and staffing. Confirm who administers anesthesia. Board-certified anesthesiologists or nurse anesthetists working within a standardized protocol add a layer of safety you can feel.
Most facelifts are performed under general anesthesia or deep IV sedation. Both are valid when the anesthesia team is experienced and the airway plan is sound. The decision often comes down to the surgeon’s workflow and your health profile. If you have medical conditions like obstructive sleep apnea or cardiovascular disease, your surgeon should coordinate with your primary care physician or cardiologist and sometimes alter the anesthesia plan.
In a professional setting like Farahmand Plastic Surgery, ask for specifics: how long the procedure typically takes for a combined face and neck lift, how they manage venous thromboembolism risk, whether they use drains, and what their hematoma rates look like. A typical operative time for a comprehensive facelift with neck work ranges from two and a half hours to four hours, depending on complexity and whether complementary procedures are added.
Cost, value, and what to expect in Fort Myers
A well-done facelift is a long-term investment. Prices in Fort Myers, for board-certified plastic surgeons with accredited facilities, often fall within a regional range that includes surgeon’s fee, anesthesia, facility costs, and follow-ups. A realistic package figure usually spans the mid to high five figures for a combined face and neck lift, with variation based on the extent of work and add-ons like eyelid surgery or fat grafting. Be wary of itemized quotes that appear low but exclude anesthesia or facility fees. Clarity upfront is a good sign. Practices that perform a steady volume of facelift surgery tend to provide consistent, line-by-line estimates.
Value shows up later. If your facelift lasts eight to ten years before you think about minor touch-ups, that tells you the deeper layers were moved, not just the skin. Some patients find that the addition of small-volume fat grafting to the midface buys more longevity by restoring youthful convexity that skin tightening alone cannot achieve.
Patient experience: prehab, recovery, and aftercare
Recovery is not a single moment. It unfolds in phases. The first 48 hours are about comfort, swelling control, and monitoring. Mild to moderate pain is common, but intense pain out of proportion could signal a problem like hematoma and should trigger an immediate call. By day five to seven, many people are feeling more like themselves, though bruising and neck tightness are still present. At two weeks, with light makeup and careful hair styling, most patients are comfortable running errands. For public-facing jobs, plan on two to three weeks before fully returning, and up to six weeks before strenuous exercise or heavy lifting.
Thoughtful surgeons set expectations with specifics, not vague “you’ll be fine.” Ask how often the practice checks in during the first week, who you can reach after hours, and what normal bruising and swelling look like. A structured aftercare plan reduces stress. At Farahmand Plastic Surgery and similar practices, you should expect written instructions about incision care, sleeping position, activity restrictions, and a calendar of follow-up visits. Patients who preload on sleep, hydration, protein intake, and gentle mobility almost always do better. This simple prehab approach lowers inflammation and speeds recovery. It sounds small, but a week of better habits before surgery often trims several days off the “I don’t recognize my face in the mirror” phase after surgery.
How to compare facelift surgeons in Fort Myers the way professionals do
Reputation in the operating room travels quietly. Nurses, anesthetists, and other surgeons notice who runs an organized, calm room and who struggles. While you may not have access to those conversations, you can still evaluate surgeons with a disciplined eye.
Use this compact checklist when narrowing down your shortlist:
- Board certification by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, plus steady facelift volume in the last 12 to 24 months. Facility accreditation and a clear anesthesia plan with experienced providers. Before and after photos that match your age, skin type, and anatomy, taken in consistent lighting and angles. A consult that feels collaborative and specific, with direct answers about scars, technique, risks, and recovery timelines. Transparent pricing that includes surgeon, anesthesia, and facility fees, and a defined aftercare plan with accessible follow-up.
Apply this to any facelift surgeon Fort Myers offers, including Dr. Audrey Farahmand. If a practice checks these boxes and shows work that aligns with your taste for subtle, natural change, you are on solid ground.
Where Dr. Farahmand’s approach stands out
Every surgeon builds a practice personality over time. Dr. Audrey Farahmand is known for a deliberate, detail-oriented style. That shows up in scar placement around the tragus, hairline preservation, and the way the neck is addressed. Many patients highlight neck and jawline refinement as their priority. If that is your focus, ask how subplatysmal elements are handled. Some surgeons address only the superficial fat and platysma edges. Others go deeper when indicated, particularly in patients with full submental areas or visible digastric contributions. A surgeon who can explain their decision-making at this depth probably handles a good share of complex necks.
Her practice, Farahmand Plastic Surgery, also emphasizes a natural arc of aging, not a one-time reset that looks startling. This resonates with patients who want to avoid the overfilled look. If you currently rely on fillers to chase lift, and you are ready to trade frequent injections for a more structural change, a facelift with conservative fat grafting often gives better balance and a softer finish.
When a surgeon is not the best fit, even if they are excellent
The most successful outcomes start with a shared aesthetic. If you want an aggressive, pulled-tight look, a surgeon whose portfolio leans ultra-natural may frustrate you. Conversely, if your top goal is to look like yourself at 45 rather than a different person at 30, a surgeon focused on maximal change is the wrong match. A good facelift surgeon will occasionally tell you that you are not a candidate yet. If your skin elasticity is still excellent and your concern is early jowling, you might be better served with less invasive options or a mini approach. Hearing “not now” from a surgeon builds trust. It signals they prioritize outcome over booking the case.
Another mismatch happens when health factors raise risk. Smoking, uncontrolled blood pressure, poorly managed diabetes, or medications that affect bleeding can complicate facelift surgery. The right surgeon will outline a plan to modify risk or decline surgery until your health is optimized. Surgeons who operate through red flags rarely produce the results you want.
Managing the gray areas: scars, hairlines, and earlobes
No facelift is scarless. The art lies in making scars hard to find. Around the ear, the tragus can be distorted if incisions are made without respect for the natural contours. Earlobe elongation and “pixie ear” deformity happen when the earlobe is tethered by skin tension. An experienced facelift surgeon anticipates these issues. They align tension vectors to deeper tissues, avoid burdening the skin, and secure the earlobe so it keeps a natural drop.
Hairline changes can be an issue for people who wear their hair up. Temporal hairline shifts or widening behind the ear signal incisions placed for convenience rather than camouflage. Ask specifically how your surgeon plans to hide incisions if your hairstyle exposes them. When surgeons like Dr. Audrey Farahmand talk through these details and show healed examples, it gives you a window into their precision.
The role of combination procedures and timing
Facelift surgery focuses on the lower two-thirds of the face, with a major emphasis on the jawline and neck. Many patients benefit from combining it with eyelid surgery, brow lift, or laser resurfacing, though not all at once. A conservative cadence can produce better, safer results. For example, pairing a facelift with upper eyelid surgery and subtle fat grafting is a common, efficient combination. Deep resurfacing might be staged later to avoid compromising wound healing around incisions. Your surgeon should explain not just what to do, but when and why.
Fat grafting deserves special mention. Modest, targeted fat transfer can soften tear troughs and restore cheek fullness that lifting alone cannot replicate. Overfilling, however, leaves faces puffy and indistinct. Less is often more. Surgeons who respect facial topography avoid turning every valley into a hill.
Longevity and maintenance: what a realistic arc looks like
A well-executed facelift often gives seven to ten years of meaningful improvement, sometimes longer. Genetics and lifestyle play their part. Weight stability, sun protection, and skincare maintenance help sustain results. Some patients return for minor touch-ups, like a limited neck adjustment or small-volume fat grafting, at the five to seven year mark. Others simply maintain with skincare and occasional noninvasive treatments. What you should not need is a carousel of heavy filler sessions just to keep your jawline defined. If that becomes the case, the foundational lift may have been inadequate for your anatomy.
Practical steps to deciding if Dr. Farahmand is right for you
Start with your priorities written in plain language. For example: I want my neck cleaned up, my jawline sharper, and my cheeks back where they were five to eight years ago. Bring two or three photos of yourself at an age that reflects your target. During the consult, notice whether the plan mirrors those priorities and whether the surgeon shows similar cases, not just spectacular outliers. With Dr. Audrey Farahmand, you should expect a conversation that grounds expectations, lays out the technique choice, and discloses the likely recovery in days and weeks, not vague generalities.
If you are comparing among the top facelift surgery options in Fort Myers, do back-to-back consultations in a short window. The differences in communication, photo quality, and plan specificity become obvious when the experiences sit fresh in your mind. Ask each practice the same questions about facility, anesthesia, complication rates, and after-hours access. The consistent, calm answers usually point you to the right choice.
Final thought: “Best” is personal, but standards are not
The label best facelift surgeon in Fort Myers will float from one mouth to another based on taste and personal experience. What does not change is the framework for judging excellence: board certification, facility standards, case volume, a visible philosophy in before and after work, and the patient experience that surrounds the surgery. By those measures, Dr. Audrey Farahmand and Farahmand Plastic Surgery belong on the shortlist for anyone seeking facelift surgery in Fort Myers who values natural, age-appropriate refinement. Whether she is your best fit depends on your anatomy, your goals, and how closely her aesthetic matches the way you want to look five years from now.
If you approach the decision with that lens, you will end up in good hands, whether with Dr. Farahmand or another qualified facelift surgeon Fort Myers offers. The face you live in every day is worth that careful, methodical choice.
Top Facelift Surgeon
Facelift Surgeon in Fort Myers
Best Facelift Surgery
Best Facelift Surgeon in Fort Myers
Facelift Surgery in Fort Myers
Facelift Surgery
Audrey Farahmand
Female Plastic Surgeon
Female Plastic Surgeon
Top Rated Female Plastic Surgeon
Farahmand Plastic Surgery
12411 Brantley Commons Ct Fort Myers, FL 33907
(239) 332-2388
https://www.farahmandplasticsurgery.com
Top Female Plastic Surgeon
Fort Myers Plastic Surgery
Best Fort Myers Plastic Surgeon
Female Plastic Surgeon
Audrey Farahmand - Plastic Surgeon
Top Plastic Surgeon
Top Female Plastic Surgeon
Award Winning Fort Myers Plastic Surgeon
Farahmand Plastic Surgery
Farahmand Plastic Surgery
Farahmand Plastic Surgery
Farahmand Plastic Surgery
Farahmand Plastic Surgery
Plastic Surgery Clinic
Is Plastic Surgery Worth It
Breast Augmentation
Female Plastic Surgeon in Fort Myers FL
Facelift Surgery