Expression Facelift Chicago | BYUN Facelift

What Is an Expression Facelift?

An expression facelift is an advanced facial rejuvenation procedure designed to restore natural facial expressions while lifting sagging tissues and rebalancing facial structure. Unlike traditional facelifts that can distort expression by pulling skin laterally, Dr. Byun’s approach focuses on repositioning the underlying muscles and connective tissue back toward the midline.

This technique not only lifts the face but also restores emotional neutrality—helping patients look less tired, sad, or tense, and more like their true selves.

The expression facelift is ideal for patients experiencing early to advanced facial aging, including sagging cheeks, deep folds, or a face that no longer reflects how they feel inside.

Learn more about Dr. Byun’s facelift philosophy →

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How the Expression Facelift Works

Dr. Byun’s expression facelift is centered on restoring the natural anatomy of facial movement by:

• Repositioning sagging muscles and fat compartments toward the midline
• Lifting facial tissues vertically rather than pulling sideways
• Preserving the natural direction of muscle movement
• Reducing tension on the skin for softer, more natural results

Using advanced visualization and precise surgical techniques, Dr. Byun restores facial structures to their original position. This approach ensures that results look natural—not tight, pulled, or artificial—while maintaining authentic facial expression.

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Benefits of an Expression Facelift

An expression facelift with Dr. Byun can help:

• Restore natural, relaxed facial expressions
• Eliminate a tired, sad, or tense appearance
• Lift sagging cheeks and midface tissues
• Soften nasolabial folds and facial creases
• Improve overall facial harmony and balance
• Deliver long-lasting, natural-looking results

Because this technique focuses on restoring structure—not stretching skin—patients retain their individuality and expression.

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Who Is a Candidate?

Ideal candidates for an expression facelift include patients who:

• Feel their face looks tired, sad, or different from how they feel
• Have sagging in the cheeks, midface, or lower face
• Want natural rejuvenation without a “pulled” look
• Are seeking long-term structural correction rather than temporary fixes
• Are in good health with realistic expectations

This procedure can be performed alone or combined with other restorative techniques for comprehensive facial rejuvenation.

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Recovery After an Expression Facelift

Recovery is similar to or often more refined than traditional facelift procedures. Patients may experience mild swelling and bruising for several days.

Because Dr. Byun prioritizes anatomical precision and minimal tissue trauma, patients typically experience:

• Gradual, natural improvement
• Minimal distortion of facial movement
• Results that settle beautifully over time

View full facelift recovery guide →

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How Is Dr. Byun Different?

Dr. Byun’s expression facelift is rooted in his BYUN Method, which integrates deep plane, SMAS, and central lift principles to restore facial structures to their original midline position.

This method prioritizes:

• Preservation of natural expression
• Physiological accuracy in tissue repositioning
• Long-term structural integrity

Rather than chasing trends, Dr. Byun focuses on restoring what aging has displaced—resulting in faces that look natural at rest and in motion.

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Why Choose Dr. Byun for an Expression Facelift

Dr. Byun is internationally recognized for his restorative approach to facial surgery. Patients seek his expertise because his expression facelift:

• Restores emotion and identity—not just appearance
• Avoids the artificial look of traditional facelifts
• Focuses on long-term facial health and structure
• Produces subtle, authentic, and lasting results

His philosophy is simple: your face should reflect who you are—not the effects of surgery.

What Is Dr. Byun’s Expression Facelift?

You might not feel it—but does your face look tired, sad, or even upset? Has your facial expression begun to tell a different story than how you feel inside?

If so, the expression facelift may be the solution.

Developed and refined by Dr. Byun over decades, this technique focuses on restoring facial structures up and toward the midline, rather than pulling them sideways. By correcting the underlying causes of aging, it allows the face to return to a more natural, youthful state—both structurally and emotionally.

Unlike conventional facelifts, the expression facelift is not just about looking younger—it’s about looking like yourself again.

Whether you are noticing early signs of aging or more advanced changes, this approach offers a path to aging naturally, gracefully, and authentically.

Explore other facelift options →

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Who Is a Candidate?

Ideal candidates for a midface lift include patients who:

• Are experiencing sagging or flattening of the cheeks
• Have nasolabial folds or hollowing in the midface
• Want natural rejuvenation without excessive skin tightening
• Are in good overall health and have realistic expectations

Patients with more significant lower face or neck aging may be better served with a deep plane or central facelift, which can also be combined with a midface lift for a full restorative result.

Learn about Deep Plane Facelift →

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Dr. BYUN’s Message to Future Patients

Plastic surgery is a captivating field—both celebrated and, at times, a bit misguided. While many popular procedures promise an unending fountain of youth, they aren’t always the healthiest options for our aging faces and bodies. The motives of manufacturers and media often skew the truth, prioritizing profit over patient safety. After 25 years in this industry, I can confidently say that many of these popular procedures are not only unnecessary, but potentially harmful. Always remember: “not all that glitters is gold.” When considering cosmetic procedures, it’s crucial to be selective. If you find yourself uncertain, do yourself a favor and hit the brakes! This advice might sound radical coming from a plastic surgeon, but it is true that in most cases, the best decision is to walk away from unnecessary procedures. 

I often joke with my friends who are internists about their patients who are juggling 35 different medications, saying, “They might be healthier if they just stopped taking half of those!” The same logic applies to cosmetic surgery. When initial results don’t meet expectations, patients often find themselves on a never-ending quest for the perfect look, chasing one procedure after another. This cycle can quickly spiral into a dangerous path. If you’re in a hole, the best advice is simple: stop digging.

Throughout my career, I’ve focused on reversing this trend. My innovative technique involves repositioning facial muscles back to their original midline. It’s been a tough sell in a competitive field where every surgeon thinks they’re the best. But the proof is in the results—just look at my patients as they age. Now, even my competitors are reaching out to observe my methods.

As I enter the next chapter of my career, I’m committed to spreading the word: facelifts shouldn’t mean pulling your facial structures in unnatural directions. It’s vital that we stop or limit procedures that can harm our unique, irreplaceable tissues.

To help patients who may not have access to my practice, I’ve been writing articles encouraging them to ask their cosmetic surgeons about the BYUN Face Restoration Technique. This approach focuses on putting those muscles back to the midline in multiple layers, ensuring a more natural result.

While you’re waiting for restorative surgery, steer clear of common treatments like lasers, radiofrequency (RF) procedures, and certain injections that can fry valuable cells. These treatments often lead to cell death rather than rejuvenation. For example, PDO threads might create unsightly lines under the skin—who benefits from that? It’s time to call out what I refer to as “The Crime of the Century.” The industry has brainwashed the masses into believing that plastic surgery is always beneficial, when in fact, it can be quite the opposite.

And let’s not forget about traditional facelifts. Whether it’s a ponytail lift or a weekend facelift, these methods often pull your face in the wrong direction, leaving you with an unnatural appearance. Fat grafts may seem safe, but they can become lumpy and calcify, making your face look heavy. Fillers? Some linger indefinitely, giving the face a squared-off look and leaving under-eye bags that can appear blue and lumpy. None of these approaches are truly anti-aging—they might even accelerate the aging process!

Reflecting on my time at Northwestern University, I have immense respect for my professors, but I wasn’t a fan of their facelift techniques or the way their patients aged. Now I understand why: they often repositioned muscles incorrectly, leading to dependency on fillers and fat grafts to compensate for lost volume. Instead, they should have returned tissues to their original positions. As we age, our tissues naturally fall; they should be lifted back to their rightful places—not pulled sideways.

I urge you to encourage your surgeons to explore more effective methods—like mine. I call my technique “cell plastic surgery” because it aligns with the principles of physiology and cell biology. It’s working, and other surgeons are eager to learn my approach. Patients are flocking to my practice because they see the real difference.

By advocating for better practices, we can hope that in 25 years, we’ll see a decline in ineffective cosmetic procedures. The goal is to foster an environment where treatments genuinely support healthy cellular function rather than disrupt or damage tissues. Every procedure should be grounded in a true understanding of anatomy and physiology, emphasizing real anti-aging benefits.

Changing industry norms won’t be easy—there are plenty of biases and financial motivations at play. But together, we can push for a future where cosmetic procedures are performed with integrity and a genuine commitment to enhancing natural beauty. Let’s make sure we nurture our bodies rather than jeopardize them.

What Is Dr. BYUN’s Famous Midface Lift?

You might not be feeling it, but are you looking tired, sad, or upset? Does your facial structure seem to have an emotion of its own? Is your face not representative of the younger person inside? If you answered yes to any of these, we might have a solution for you!

The midface lift, or vertical face lift, can provide an answer to all of the above issues. This lift has been studied, developed, and applied for over 20 years by famous facial plastic surgeon Dr. BYUN. It targets the cheek and jowl areas that often suffer from drooping, by pulling the tissues Up and In. This significantly changes the appearance of these areas, reversing the effects of age on the face. A common misconception is that facelift procedures are only for those who are older, and have aged significantly. However, Dr. BYUN’s midface lift is for anyone who is beginning to notice the signs of aging, from the early stages to the later stages. Everyone deserves to age well, forever!

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Will I Have Scars from a Midface Lift?

Dr. BYUN is careful to place the surgical incisions in the natural creases and transitions of the skin, so scarring is very discreet. With the proper scar management, your scars should fade very well over time.

How Long do Midface Lift Results Last?

To maintain your midface lift results, you should follow healthy lifestyle habits. These habits include, and are not limited to, eating a nutritious diet, staying active, protecting your face from the sun, and maintaining your weight. Using professional-grade skin care is also wise. Dr. BYUN and his team can recommend a suitable product regimen as well as other procedures or treatments to help prolong your results.

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Can I Combine a Midface Lift with Other Procedures?

Patients often opt to combine a midface lift with other rejuvenating procedures for more transformative results. For instance, a midface lift can be combined with a forehead lift to elevate a sagging or low brow position, and smooth the skin of the forehead. Another option is to combine a midface lift with a blepharoplasty (eyelid lift) to remove excess eyelid skin and “open up” the eyes. Dr. BYUN’s Midface Lift can also be combined with other Zones. For example, lower eyelid surgery can be combined with Zone III (Midface). Upper eyelid issues can be treated with a Zone IV as well.

Dr. BYUN focuses on 4 areas of the face (4 Zones):

Zone I – Neck & Lower Face: (Best for someone with a “turkey neck” – the Platysma Muscle from the Neck to the Face)

Zone II – The Mouth Area, Chin and Jaw: (Best for someone with a Marionette Line, or a sad/mean look)

Zone III – Midface, Lower Eye & Cheek: (Best for someone with a tired look or dark circles, a heavy smile line(s) called Nasolabial Fold)

Zone IV – Upper face, Forehead, Upper Eyes & Brows: (Someone with heavy lids, sad eye shape, hooded brow or forehead lines)

BYUN Facelift Technique

Dr. BYUN first presented this technique to the National Plastic Surgery Meeting at the American College of Surgeons in Orlando in May 1998. He demonstrated how the aging of the midface involves the interconnected muscles and tissues of the lower eye, the cheek, and the corner of the mouth, and lifting this area meant all of these issues needed to be managed simultaneously. Therefore, Dr. BYUN proposed that elevating the malar cheek pad using small incisions would solve all of these problems, reshaping the central face and restoring youth to the cheek.

Schedule BYUN Facelift Consultation

For more information about BYUN Facelift cost and procedure, please request a consultation with Dr. BYUN today.

Midface Lift for Acne Scars

Dr. BYUN uses his own “Polish & Pull” technique that he has developed using his Endoscope assisted Midface Muscle Lift. 

This specialized procedure, specific to Dr. BYUN allows individuals that suffer from acne scars and divots to have clean, restored, and polished looking skin.

While many patients often seek out dermabrasion, lasers, or fillers, very few know that the permanent scar tissue underneath actually needs to be detached and cut away to smooth out the craters in the skin. Rather than fillers that cannot reverse the permanent damages of acne, Dr. BYUN’s process allows for the careful detachment or lifting of the scarred skin from the old scar tissue sitting on top of muscles. The midface muscles are placed back to where they fell from (due to the aging process). Dr. BYUN then meticulously tugs on the skin to redrape it over the new structure and form of the new muscle position. Because the skin now sits on top of a plumper muscle surface, the acne scars, and pits are tremendously improved. Surgical incisions are hardly seen as they are small in size and well hidden in one’s hairline.

His approach truly repairs the damaged skin that is a full thickness injury from the old acne scars. He often wishes that we had ‘spare parts’ to replace the damaged tissues, but we don’t. Therefore, we have to make sure we do not damage what we have, but improve the functionality without damaging tissues any further.

What to Stay Away From:

• Lasers only work on ‘normal skin’, and unfortunately do very little to help restore thinned out, damaged skin from the acne.
• Accutane often damages normal skin.
• Fillers dissolve and migrate, thus only putting a ‘band aid’ on the actual problem.

Patient 1850

This Patient’s acne scars were a daily reminder of her teenage acne. With Chicago’s top plastic surgeon Dr. BYUN’s “Polish and Pull” Technique, this patient’s confidence has been restored.