Selecting the right facial plastic surgeon is one of the most important decisions you can make when planning your facelift procedure. The facelift surgeon you select can influence how natural your results look, how well your face and neck are rejuvenated, and how confident you feel throughout the process.
For patients in Memphis, TN, finding the right facial plastic surgeon means looking beyond convenience or price. Training, experience, specialization, surgical technique, before-and-after results, and professional reputation can all help you decide who is best qualified to perform your facelift.
Dr. Phillip R. Langsdon of The Langsdon Clinic has spent his career specializing in facial plastic surgery. He is a former President of the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (AAFPRS), has developed and published advanced facelift and neck lift techniques, has trained other physicians in facial rejuvenation surgery, and has treated patients from across the United States and around the world.
Dr. Sarah E. Langsdon brings additional expertise in facial plastic surgery to The Langsdon Clinic. She earned her medical degree from the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis, completed a six-year integrated plastic surgery residency at the University of Missouri, and went on to a one-year fellowship through the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery focused on facial plastic surgery.
How Do I Choose a Facelift Surgeon?
Look for a surgeon with relevant board certification, extensive facelift experience, specialized knowledge of facial anatomy, and a history of natural-looking results.
Facelift surgery involves much more than tightening loose skin. A surgeon must understand how the cheeks, jawline, jowls, neck, muscles, fat, and deeper facial tissues work together and how each area changes with age.
Dr. Langsdon is board-certified by the American Board of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, and his career has been devoted specifically to cosmetic surgery of the face, eyes, nose, head, and neck.
That degree of specialization is important. Rather than dividing his practice among many areas of the body, Dr. Langsdon has spent decades focused on facial anatomy and facial rejuvenation.
What Makes a Good Facelift Surgeon?
A good facelift surgeon combines surgical training, extensive experience, a strong aesthetic eye, and the ability to customize the procedure to each patient’s face.
No two patients age in exactly the same way. One person may have significant jowling and neck laxity, while another may be more concerned with cheek descent or loss of jawline definition.
For that reason, an experienced surgeon should understand several facelift techniques rather than offering the same procedure to everyone.
Dr. Langsdon’s experience includes deep plane facelift surgery, mid-face lifting, advanced neck rejuvenation, revision facelift surgery, and other approaches to facial rejuvenation. He has performed thousands of procedures over the course of his career.
His expertise has also been recognized by his peers. Dr. Langsdon served as President of the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery from 2018 to 2019, following years of involvement and leadership within the organization.
How Much Experience Should a Facelift Surgeon Have?
There is no required number of facelifts a surgeon must perform, but patients should look for someone who performs facial rejuvenation surgery regularly and has many years of experience with different facial anatomy and aging patterns.
Facelift surgery is highly individualized. The more experience a surgeon has, the more situations they have encountered and the better equipped they may be to adjust the procedure to the patient’s needs.
Dr. Langsdon’s career in facial plastic surgery spans decades. His experience extends beyond treating patients to teaching other physicians how to perform facial rejuvenation procedures.
He has delivered more than 300 medical lectures, produced more than 40 publications, and spent thousands of hours teaching residents, fellows, and practicing surgeons.
He has also trained more than 90 physicians in facelift techniques at his Memphis-area facility.
Does the Surgeon Offer Deep Plane Facelifts?
A deep plane facelift can provide more comprehensive rejuvenation for some patients because it repositions deeper facial tissues rather than relying mainly on tension placed on the skin. However, the best technique depends on the patient’s anatomy and goals.
Deep plane surgery can be particularly effective for improving the cheeks, lower face, jowls, and jawline while creating a natural transition into the neck.
Dr. Langsdon has extensive experience with deep plane facelift surgery and has also contributed his own innovations to facial and neck rejuvenation.
One of his most notable contributions is his submental muscular medialization and suspension (SMMS) technique, developed to improve contour beneath the chin and through the neck.
His techniques have also been taught to and adopted by other surgeons.
Does the Facelift Surgeon Use Advanced Neck and Jawline Techniques?
The best facelift plan should address the face and neck together when needed, especially if jowls, a heavy neck, or a poorly defined chin-to-neck angle are part of the concern.
Some facelift techniques focus mainly on lifting the cheeks and lower face, while neck treatment may be more limited. For certain patients, however, improving the jawline and neckline requires deeper structural work beneath the platysma muscle rather than relying only on skin tightening or a basic central platysma repair.
This is an area where Dr. Langsdon has made a notable contribution to facial plastic surgery. He pioneered the SMMS technique, which shifts the focus from superficial tightening to deeper structural repositioning of the neck.
The technique mobilizes and redirects the underlying neck musculature to create stronger support beneath the chin and improve the cervicomental angle, or the transition from the chin into the neck.
The SMMS approach can be especially useful in selected patients with a naturally blunt neck angle, submental fullness, or deeper tissue laxity. It may be combined with deep plane lifting of the face, so the cheeks, jowls, jawline, and neck are treated as one continuous aesthetic unit.
Dr. Langsdon first published the SMMS technique in the Aesthetic Surgery Journal and later published additional work examining its use and outcomes, further establishing his role in developing advanced approaches to face and neck rejuvenation.
How Can I Tell if a Facelift Will Look Natural?
Natural facelift results should make you look younger and more refreshed without making your face appear stretched, tight, or dramatically different.
Before-and-after photos can help you evaluate a surgeon’s aesthetic style. Look closely at the:
- Jawline
- Jowls
- Cheeks
- Neck
- Chin-to-neck angle
- Hairline
- Area around the ears
The best results usually show noticeable improvement without obvious signs that surgery was performed.
Dr. Langsdon’s approach emphasizes repositioning deeper tissues and restoring facial contours rather than simply pulling the skin tighter. His goal is to create meaningful rejuvenation while allowing patients to continue looking like themselves.
How Do I Know if a Facelift Surgeon Is Reputable?
Look at the surgeon’s board certification, professional leadership, publications, teaching experience, peer recognition, patient results, and standing within the specialty.
Patient reviews and before-and-after photos are valuable, but professional recognition can provide another perspective on a surgeon’s expertise.
Dr. Langsdon’s reputation extends well beyond Memphis.
In addition to serving as President of the AAFPRS, he founded the Foundation for Facial Aesthetic Surgery, a nonprofit organization devoted to education in facial aesthetics. He organized its educational program for approximately 25 years and has taught facial plastic surgery techniques to physicians throughout his career.
His work has also been featured nationally, including appearances on The Today Show, Headline News, C-SPAN, and PBS Marketplace, along with coverage in publications such as Allure, Glamour, the Chicago Tribune, and the Boston Herald.
Dr. Langsdon’s professional honors have included recognition by Best Doctors in America, the Guide to America’s Top Physicians, and other national and regional physician rankings.
What Should I Ask at a Facelift Consultation?
Ask about the surgeon’s experience, the technique they recommend, why that technique is appropriate for you, expected results, recovery, and how the neck will be addressed.
Useful questions include:
- How often do you perform facelift surgery?
- Which type of facelift do you recommend for me?
- Why is that approach right for my face?
- Will my neck be treated too?
- Where will the incisions be?
- Can I see patients with concerns similar to mine?
- What should I expect during recovery?
- How long can my results last?
A good consultation should help you understand your facial anatomy and your options rather than simply tell you which procedure to book.
Dr. Langsdon’s decades of experience with facial rejuvenation allow him to evaluate the face and neck as a whole and recommend an approach based on the individual patient’s aging pattern, anatomy, and goals.
View Gallery
Visit our Before and After Photo gallery to see real patient results at The Langsdon Clinic.
Who Is a Top Facelift Surgeon in Memphis, TN?
Patients searching for an experienced facelift surgeon in Memphis should consider specialization, surgical experience, professional leadership, published work, teaching credentials, and natural-looking results.
Dr. Phillip Langsdon’s career encompasses all of these areas.
He has spent decades specializing in facial plastic surgery, served as President of the largest specialty organization for facial plastic surgeons, developed and published facelift and neck rejuvenation techniques, trained other physicians, delivered hundreds of medical lectures, and treated patients from across the country and abroad.
Those accomplishments have made The Langsdon Clinic a destination for patients seeking advanced facial rejuvenation in Memphis, TN.
Schedule a Facelift Consultation with Dr. Langsdon in Memphis, TN
If you are considering a facelift, deep plane facelift, or advanced face and neck rejuvenation, meeting with an experienced facial plastic surgeon can help you better understand your options.
During a consultation at The Langsdon Clinic in Germantown, TN, Dr. Phillip R. Langsdon or Dr. Sarah E. Langsdon can evaluate your facial anatomy, discuss the changes you want, and recommend a surgical approach tailored to your needs and goals.
To get started, call 901-755-6465 or request an appointment for a personalized evaluation to learn whether facelift surgery is the right approach for your facial rejuvenation goals.