Aging Face and Volume Loss

How aging shows up

It's rarely one thing. Cheeks sit lower, smile lines and marionette lines deepen, jowls form along the jaw, the neck loosens, and the temples and cheeks start to hollow. Each change is subtle on its own, but together they can make you look more tired than you feel.

What's happening underneath

Skin loses collagen and elasticity. Fat pads shrink and move downward. The tissues that hold everything in place loosen, and even the facial bones lose some volume. Sun, smoking, weight changes, and genetics affect how quickly this happens. Because several layers are involved, the best results usually come from addressing more than one.

How Dr. Kim approaches it

Dr. Kim performs facelift surgery himself, including deep plane techniques when they're appropriate. Instead of pulling the skin tight, a well-done facelift repositions the deeper tissues, which is what keeps results looking natural. It's often combined with fat transfer to replace lost volume, and sometimes with eyelid or brow surgery. Non-surgical skin treatments can help maintain the result afterward.

Dr. Kim completed his residency in cosmetic and reconstructive surgery at Brown University and pursued additional facelift training with Baker, Stuzin and Baker in Miami.

If you're not ready for surgery

For earlier or milder changes, a thread lift or non-surgical skin tightening can be a sensible first step.