Christopher J. Davidson, MD, FACS
Fraser Medical Building
332 Washington Street, Suite 100
Wellesley, MA 02481
Phone: (781) 237-7700
Monday–Friday: 9 a.m.–5 p.m.
People from Boston, Wellesley, Natick, Newton, Framingham, and the western suburbs of Boston, Massachusetts, as well as Providence, RI; southern New Hampshire; and southern Vermont want facelift and mini facelift results that are subtle, yet remarkable, which is why they choose board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Christopher Davidson. A facelift from Dr. Davidson leaves you looking like an earlier version of yourself—not different or “worked on.” His Harvard training, combined with meticulous planning and an artistic eye, produces extremely natural-looking results. Instead of asking what surgical procedure you had done, your friends and family will wonder if you’ve lost weight, discovered a “miracle product,” or just returned from a relaxing vacation.
Learn more about facelift surgery and how Dr. Davidson can apply his artistry and skill to customize your facelift results. Request your appointment online, or call our Boston plastic surgery office at (781) 237-7700 to easily schedule your consultation.
Keep in mind that each patient is unique and your results may vary.
Women and men choose to undergo a facelift when they want to correct sagging and other signs of aging in the mid to lower face. Prospective facelift patients often state that they want their faces to reflect the energy and vitality that they feel inside. Some individuals feel that a more youthful appearance helps them to stay competitive in the job market, while others simply want to enjoy the personal confidence that comes with looking refreshed and rested.
Since Dr. Davidson develops a unique treatment plan for each patient, it is impossible to quote a specific price for facelift surgery online. Many factors, such as the degree of correction and combination of procedures, influence the cost of the procedure. Please contact the practice at (781) 237-7700 or request a consultation online to get an accurate quote. Dr. Davidson discusses cost with you during your consultation to ensure you have a good idea of what to expect.
Healthy men and women from middle age to 70+ undergo facelift surgery. The procedure offers the following benefits:
Many people opt for a full-face rejuvenation by combining their facelift with brow lift surgery, eyelid surgery or both.
Dr. Davidson often combines a neck lift with a facelift to help patients address aging concerns in the lower face. This technique is called an extended neck lift. For some patients, however, a neck lift on its own addresses their concerns. Some women and men want to reduce the appearance of vertical neck bands and undergo a platysmaplasty, a type of neck lift that tightens these bands. Cervicoplasty is a neck lift technique that removes excess skin to create a smoother appearance.
Dr. Davidson’s patient pictured below had relatively smooth facial skin but wanted a neck lift to address sagging skin on her neck and along her jawline.
With his extensive training and experience, Dr. Davidson customizes each facelift to the individual patient rather than relying on a one-size-fits-all technique. He spends considerable time during your consultation and pre-op appointments evaluating your facial anatomy and planning the direction and extent of your lift.
A key element of Dr. Davidson’s approach is lifting in two different vectors. He repositions the underlying facial fat vertically to restore youthful contours while redraping the skin in an oblique direction. Carefully planning these distinct vectors helps him avoid unwanted effects such as flattening of the midface, pleating in front of the ears, or bunching beneath the chin.
“One of the more important things I do differently is I lift things in two vectors, the underlying fat in a vertical vector and the skin in an oblique vector.” –Dr Davidson
Dr. Davidson further avoids a pulled or overly tight appearance by lifting and repositioning the SMAS fascia, the deeper layer of facial tissue, before softly redraping the skin over the restored contours. This approach allows the underlying facial structures to provide the lift rather than relying on skin tension alone.
Volume restoration is also an important part of his approach. Dr. Davidson incorporates fat grafting, including nanofat grafting, in approximately 98% of his facelift procedures to restore areas of facial volume loss and improve skin quality. Together, tissue repositioning, carefully directed skin redraping, and fat grafting allow him to create comprehensive rejuvenation while preserving the patient’s natural features.
A full facelift requires an incision that travels along the hairline, near the front of the ear, under the earlobe, and to the back of the ear. Depending on the extent of correction needed, Dr. Davidson may choose to use limited incisions, all of which will be well concealed in the hairline and normal curvature of your facial features.
Dr. Davidson also performs mini facelift procedures at his Boston plastic surgery practice. A mini facelift is an alternative to a traditional facelift, but it is not for everyone. During your consultation, Dr. Davidson will perform a full assessment of your skin and face and will discuss your goals with you to determine the best treatment for your needs.
This procedure is designed to treat early signs of aging in the mid to lower face area including the jawline and jowls. A mini facelift has a shorter recovery time than a traditional facelift but is not as effective for long-term improvement.
It involves shorter incisions, which results in quicker recovery, but it also only tightens the skin and underlying tissues on the lower portion of the face. Learn more about facelift and mini facelift surgery by requesting a consultation today.
Dr. Christopher Davidson's patient first approach to aesthetic medicine means that every decision he makes is aimed at achieving the optimal outcome for the patient. This is apparent, not just in the beautiful, natural-looking results he creates, but also in the compassionate care he delivers through every step of the process.
Facelift surgery is an outpatient procedure performed at our state-of-the-art, fully accredited surgery center. Dr. Davidson uses a board-certified MD anesthesiologist to administer sedation for your safety and comfort.
While you are under anesthesia, Dr. Davidson carefully makes the incision around the ear, ensuring it is as short as possible for your optimal outcome.
Dr. Davidson utilizes his refined surgical skills to minimize incisions and limit trauma to the facial tissues for a quicker, more comfortable recovery and superior results.
Everyone in the office was amazing and very professional and made me feel very comfortable. I am so happy w/ my results and I couldn’t pick a better surgeon. Thank you, Dr. Davidson! I couldn’t be happier.” D.A.
While every recovery is unique, here’s a general facelift recovery overview to guide you through each stage of healing.
Day of surgery:
First 24 hours:
Days 2 to 7:
Weeks 2 to 3:
Weeks 4 to 6:
Months 3 to 6:
You’ll receive a thorough list of post-op instructions at your final pre-op appointment. Dr. Davidson and his staff are only a phone call away if you have questions after your surgery.
A facelift turns back the clock so you look like you did 7 to 10 years earlier. However, it doesn’t stop the natural aging process, so the results gradually fade. In general, you can expect facelift results to last about 10 years.
Dr. Davidson offers nonsurgical alternatives for patients seeking facial rejuvenation without incisions and lengthy downtime. Popular options include:
Liquid facelift (nonsurgical facelift): This customized approach combines BOTOX® Cosmetic with dermal fillers like JUVÉDERM® to smooth wrinkles, lift cheeks, fill hollows, and rejuvenate your appearance. Its effects are temporary and less dramatic than a surgical facelift.
Laser skin resurfacing: Ablative laser energy treatments safely target and address aging, damaged skin layers and pave the way for healthy skin renewal. Lasers are customized to different wavelengths to pinpoint your unique needs.
Microneedling: Tiny, controlled micro-injuries on the skin’s surface trigger collagen production for skin repair and renewal. This approach is ideal for patients with early aging symptoms.
Microlaser Peel: Damaged outer skin layers are removed with precision and care using a laser. This process reveals smoother, brighter, more youthful-looking skin.
Ideal candidates for nonsurgical treatments typically have less pronounced aging symptoms. Patients with more severe wrinkles, jowls, and creases are typically better surgical facelift candidates.
A. Dr. Davidson is careful to make facelift incisions only as long as they must be to achieve the desired outcome. He is often able to use a somewhat limited incision, and in all cases he hides incisions within the hairline and the natural folds and contours of the patient’s facial anatomy.
A. Plan to take 2 weeks to recuperate before returning to social activities. At that point, you should look presentable with makeup, although you may still have swelling. Your final results should be visible in about a month, but it may take up to 6 weeks for all of the swelling to dissipate.
A. There is no “right” age for a facelift, but many men and women choose to have a facelift when they start to see signs of aging in their face in their 40s, 50s, and 60s. You are never too old or too young to want to look your best. Dr. Davidson recommends scheduling a consultation to determine the best procedure for your needs.
A. You may not be an ideal candidate for facelift surgery if you have serious underlying medical conditions, you’re a smoker who is unwilling to quit, or if you have certain skin conditions that can potentially impair your healing. You must also be willing to set aside downtime for your recovery window. Dr. Davidson thoroughly assesses each patient’s candidacy before recommending facelift surgery.
A. The choice between a full facelift and a mini facelift depends on the extent of aging and your specific concerns. A mini facelift is better suited for addressing early signs of aging in the mid to lower face, while a full facelift is more extensive. Dr. Davidson carefully evaluates your needs during your facelift consultation and recommends the most appropriate option.
A. There are several surgical facelift techniques, including traditional full facelifts, mini facelifts, and extended neck lifts. Patients with early aging symptoms may be candidates for a nonsurgical liquid facelift. Dr. Davidson customizes the approach for each patient, considering factors like the degree of correction needed and your unique facial anatomy. The specific technique he chooses will be determined during your consultation.
A. Dr. Davidson prioritizes natural-looking results. He always aims to make you look like a younger version of yourself—not different or “worked on.” He uses a meticulous approach and advanced techniques to avoid a pulled or unnatural appearance, focusing on repositioning underlying tissues for a more natural lift.
Learn more about facelift surgery and how Dr. Davidson can apply his artistry and skill to customize your results. Request your appointment online, or call our office at (781) 237-7700 to easily schedule your consultation.
Reviewed for clinical accuracy by Dr. Christopher Davidson on September 18th, 2026.
