A well-planned facelift in Chicago should not leave you looking pulled or windswept. That stretched, sideways look comes from older techniques that tighten the skin without repositioning the underlying tissue. In this blog, Dr. Omotara Sulyman-Scott explains what causes an overdone result and how modern technique helps avoid it.
Dr. Sulyman-Scott is board certified by the American Board of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. She trained in otolaryngology, completed a fellowship in facial plastic and reconstructive surgery at the University of Illinois Chicago under Steven Dayan, MD, and is a former registered nurse. She brings more than 10 years of facial surgery experience and 22 years in healthcare to every facelift at That Face Chicago.
What Does a Pulled or Windswept Facelift Look Like?
A pulled or windswept facelift looks tight and flat, with features swept toward the ears as if the face were caught in a strong breeze. The result reads as surgery rather than as a rested version of you.
Common signs include:
- Skin that looks stretched tight across the cheeks and jawline
- Distortion of the normal facial appearance
- Ears that sit unevenly or look pulled out of position
- Red, raised scars near the ears
- A gaunt look under the eyes when older techniques were used with eyelid surgery
These concerns are common. According to the 2025 AAFPRS annual survey, patients' primary worry is no longer cost, recovery time, or choosing a surgeon; it is looking unnatural.
What Causes a Facelift to Look Pulled?
A facelift looks pulled when excess skin is removed and tightened without lifting the underlying support layer. Skin cannot hold a lift on its own, so all the tension falls on the skin, distorting the features. The deeper layer is the superficial muscular aponeurotic system, or SMAS, a fibrous sheet that supports the cheeks, jawline, and neck.
Older facelifts from the 1970s relied mainly on skin removal. Results often looked tight at first, then faded as the skin stretched again because the structure beneath had never been repositioned. Modern techniques treat the SMAS and deeper tissue, which is why they look softer. For a deeper anatomy and technique reference, see this StatPearls overview of SMAS plication.
How Does Facelift Technique Affect Natural-Looking Results?
Technique is the biggest factor in a natural result, because each approach lifts a different layer of the face. Understanding the differences helps you ask better questions at a consultation. The main options are:
- Skin-only lift: Tightens the skin alone, placing tension on the surface and risking a pulled appearance.
- SMAS facelift: lifts the fibrous layer beneath the skin for a more natural, longer-lasting result.
- Deep plane facelift: Releases facial ligaments and repositions the cheek fat and deeper tissue together, so the lift does not depend on skin tension.
Dr. Sulyman-Scott offers a deep plane facelift in Chicago for patients with moderate to advanced aging, and a mini facelift for earlier changes in the cheeks and jawline. Every technique carries surgical risks, which a peer-reviewed review in Aesthetic Surgery Journal Open Forum covers in detail.
What Do Long-Term Studies Say About Facelift Satisfaction?
Long-term research shows high satisfaction with facelifts, though not universal satisfaction. In the Owsley Facelift Satisfaction Survey, patients who had SMAS-platysma facelifts were surveyed at one year and again after an average of 12.6 years, according to Friel and colleagues in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.
Key findings include:
- One year after surgery: 97.8% rated their improvement as very good or beyond expectations.
- After 12.6 years on average: 68.5% still gave that rating.
- Added youthful appearance: 68.5% felt 10 or more years had been added to their youthful appearance.
- Disappointment: 31% were disappointed in some aspect of their facelift.
The study covered one surgeon’s patients, and its authors note that recall bias may affect the one-year figure. These numbers show why technique and planning matter.
How Does Dr. Sulyman-Scott Approach a Natural Facelift in Chicago?
Dr. Sulyman-Scott approaches every facelift with a focus on balance and harmony rather than on pulling the face tighter. She evaluates your anatomy and goals, then recommends a primary, mini, deep-plane, or revision facelift based on your face's needs. Her facelift technique uses smaller incisions and a multimodal approach that can pair surgery with non-surgical treatments to improve skin quality.
Her approach also respects the features that make your face yours. She addresses ethnic features in a way that retains the natural beauty of your heritage, and she treats men and women with the same goal of results that look like you. Her training includes faculty roles at the Vegas Cosmetic Surgery Conference and a Merz Aesthetics mentorship.
How Can You Tell if a Surgeon Will Deliver a Natural Facelift?
You can judge a surgeon's approach by asking specific questions during your consultation. Strong answers show a plan built around your anatomy rather than a single technique used on everyone. Consider asking:
- Is the surgeon certified by the American Board of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery?
- Which facelift technique do you recommend for me, and why?
- Can I see before-and-after photos of patients with similar anatomy and skin tone?
- How do you protect the position of the ears and the appearance of scars?
- Do you have experience correcting results from a previous facelift?
Can a Pulled Facelift Be Corrected?
A pulled facelift can often be improved with a revision facelift. Revision surgery is more complex than a primary procedure because of internal scar tissue and altered tissue planes from the first operation. Dr. Sulyman-Scott carefully evaluates your anatomy, prior surgical changes, and goals before planning a correction.
A revision facelift can address tightness, unevenness in the ears, noticeable scars, and faded results. The goal is balance and symmetry that look natural rather than re-operated.
Questions About Facelift Results? Dr. Sulyman-Scott Is Here to Answer Them All
Dr. Sulyman-Scott combines fellowship training, board certification, and a patient-first approach to create facelift results that look refreshed, never pulled. If you are considering a facelift in Chicago or want a second opinion on a previous result, schedule a consultation at That Face Chicago to discuss which technique fits your goals.
Disclaimer: This information is provided for educational purposes only and does not replace a consultation with a board-certified facial plastic surgeon. Outcomes, risks, and suitability vary from patient to patient.
Sources
- Friel MT, et al. The measure of face-lift patient satisfaction: the Owsley Facelift Satisfaction Survey with a long-term follow-up study. Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. 2010.
- American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. AAFPRS Reveals the Trends Defining Facial Plastic Surgery. 2026.
- Sinclair NR, et al. How to Prevent and Treat Complications in Facelift Surgery, Part 1. Aesthetic Surgery Journal Open Forum. 2021.
- StatPearls. SMAS Plication Facelift. NCBI.
- Wikipedia. Superficial muscular aponeurotic system.
