Your face reflects your story, but when aging, genetics, or past injuries affect how you look, facial plastic surgery can help you feel more aligned with your appearance again.
At Elite Plastic Surgery in Grand Rapids, Michigan, our board-certified plastic surgeons—Dr. William Cullen, Dr. Shannon Armstrong, Dr. Matthew Martin, and Dr. Matthew Fahrenkopf—bring decades of experience in facial aesthetics, microsurgery, and reconstruction. They’re known for their surgical skill and patient-centered care, and they offer personalized procedures to enhance your facial features safely.
What Is Plastic Surgery?
Plastic surgery includes a broad range of medical procedures that aim to enhance your features and improve functionality. They can also help you feel and look more attractive. Plastic surgery can be done for cosmetic or corrective reasons, both enhancing a patient’s life in different ways, but it is mainly done to enhance functionality and correct issues.
Cosmetic surgery is used to improve a patient’s life aesthetically, while corrective plastic surgery is used to improve a patient’s functionality. Plastic surgery can be done to help reconstruct facial features that a patient is having trouble with, for example. This can include birth defects or disfigurements.
What Is Cosmetic Surgery?
While plastic surgery and cosmetic surgery are used interchangeably, they both focus on two separate forms of surgery. Cosmetic surgery focuses on improving and enhancing an individual’s features and aesthetics. Cosmetic surgery does not help to improve functionality.
These procedures include facelifts, breast augmentation, tummy tucks, and more. These procedures are strictly done to improve an individual’s appearance.
Facial Plastic Surgery Procedures
When it comes to plastic surgery procedures, there is a variety of procedures you can have done that address different parts of the face and around the head.
These procedures can include:
Brow/Forehead Lift
Lines across the forehead and heaviness around the brows can change how your expression is read. A lift smooths the skin and raises the brow to restore a lighter, more approachable look.
Chin Surgery
The chin plays a surprisingly big role in how balanced the face looks. Chin reshaping can enhance your jawline, bring harmony to the profile, or correct asymmetry without drawing attention to the change.
Ear Surgery
Whether ears stick out or sit unevenly, small surgical adjustments can make a big difference. This procedure is often quick, and the results can boost confidence at any age.
Eyelid Surgery (Blepharoplasty)
Tired eyes aren’t always caused by fatigue. If skin or fat collects around the upper or lower eyelids, blepharoplasty can restore a smoother contour and help the eyes look more open.
Facelift Surgery
A well-performed facelift restores your features rather than completely changing them. By tightening deeper tissue layers and removing excess skin, your face looks smoother and more lifted, but still like you.
Rhinoplasty (Nose Surgery)
Refining the nose can shift the balance of the entire face. Whether the goal is cosmetic, functional, or both, rhinoplasty is carefully planned to complement your unique features.
Who Is a Good Candidate for Facial Surgery?
Facial surgery is most effective for individuals in good general health who want to improve signs of aging, enhance facial balance, or correct features affected by injury or genetics. Ideal candidates are non-smokers (or willing to stop before and after surgery), have realistic expectations, and understand that while surgery can refine or restore appearance, it won’t change identity.
Our surgeons also consider skin quality, facial anatomy, and overall lifestyle when recommending procedures. If you’re exploring options, a consultation is the best way to learn what may suit your goals.
Why Choose Elite Plastic Surgery for Facial Procedures?
Elite Plastic Surgery is home to a team of board-certified plastic surgeons with deep expertise in both cosmetic and reconstructive facial procedures. Dr. William Cullen, Dr. Shannon Armstrong, Dr. Matthew Martin, and Dr. Matthew Fahrenkopf all have strong academic ties to Michigan State University and bring a thoughtful approach to every case. Patients choose our practice for its combination of surgical experience, individualized care, and commitment to safe, natural-looking results.
With fellowship training in areas like hand and microsurgery, facial reconstruction, and aesthetic surgery, our team is uniquely equipped to handle complex facial procedures. Patients also benefit from a collaborative environment where every treatment plan is carefully tailored to the individual.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Multiple Facial Surgeries Be Done at the Same Time?
Yes, it’s often safe and effective to combine facial procedures during a single surgical session. Doing so can improve overall balance and harmony while minimizing recovery time and cost. Your surgeon will evaluate your health, goals, and anatomy to determine if a combined approach is right for you.
What Risks or Complications Should I Be Aware Of?
As with any surgery, facial procedures carry risks such as infection, bleeding, scarring, or anesthesia-related complications. Other potential concerns may include asymmetry, nerve sensitivity, or delayed healing. Choosing a board-certified surgeon and following all pre- and post-operative instructions greatly reduces these risks.
How Long Is the Recovery Period After Facial Plastic Surgery?
Recovery depends on the type and number of procedures performed. Most patients can expect swelling and bruising to improve significantly within 10 to 14 days, with full healing taking several weeks to a few months. Your surgeon will provide personalized guidance based on your specific procedure and timeline.
Are There Non-Surgical Alternatives to Facial Surgery?
Yes, nonsurgical treatments like Botox, dermal fillers, and laser resurfacing can offer temporary improvement in wrinkles, volume loss, and skin texture. While these options don’t replace surgery, they can be helpful alternative (or complementary) treatments depending on your goals. During your consultation, we’ll help you explore both surgical and nonsurgical solutions.
Schedule Your Consultation Today!
At Elite Plastic Surgery, located in Grand Rapids, MI, our team of healthcare professionals is dedicated to helping you achieve your dream look and functionality. We know that even the smallest things can have an enormous impact on your confidence, so we want to help you feel like yourself again. We believe everyone deserves to love how they feel and live life to the fullest.
For more information on the facial plastic and cosmetic surgery procedures we offer or to schedule your consultation, call us today at (616) 459-1907 . We look forward to meeting you and helping you start your journey to a healthier and happier you!
