Rediscover the crisp, elegant contours of your youth with a procedure tailored for the modern, active lifestyle. Dr. De La Cruz utilizes advanced techniques to provide a subtle yet transformative lift that enhances your natural beauty without the downtime of a complete facelift.
For patients experiencing the early structural effects of facial aging — midface descent, jawline softening, or early jowling — the Ponytail Facelift represents one of the most advanced modern approaches to vertical facial rejuvenation.
This sophisticated endoscopic technique elevates the deeper facial architecture through concealed, hairline-based access points — without traditional incisions around the ear. By repositioning underlying structures vertically rather than relying on skin tension, the procedure restores youthful contour with precision, structural integrity, and natural movement. The result is refined, harmonious rejuvenation that appears effortless — never pulled, never artificial.
Dr. Emmanuel De La Cruz stands among a select group of surgeons globally who were personally trained by the innovator of the technique, Dr. Chia Chi Kao, at the inaugural Ponytail Academy Advanced Master Class. As one of the first few surgeons in the world to complete this advanced training, Dr. De La Cruz brings rare technical insight and anatomical mastery to this procedure.
Beyond his surgical training, Dr. De La Cruz is a portrait sculptor classically trained under world-renowned French master sculptor Philippe Faraut. This formal foundation in sculpture profoundly shapes his surgical philosophy — cultivating a refined understanding of proportion, balance, light, and three-dimensional facial form.
He approaches facial rejuvenation as architectural restoration rather than superficial alteration, grounding every procedure in anatomy, guided by artistry, and executed with disciplined precision.
At De La Cruz Plastic Surgery, the Ponytail Facelift is not simply a procedure. It is a study in structural refinement, anatomical respect, and aesthetic intelligence — designed for patients who seek natural elevation at the highest level of surgical sophistication.
The Ponytail Facelift is designed to lift the face upward — the way your face looks when you gently pull your hair into a ponytail. It restores youthful contour to the cheeks, jawline, and brows without creating a tight or overdone appearance.
Unlike traditional facelifts, the endoscopic Ponytail Facelift uses small, hidden incisions within the hairline — with no visible scars around the ear.
Facial rejuvenation at this level is an exercise in restraint and precision. The procedure can take the better part of a day, not because it is aggressive, but because it is meticulous. We move deliberately, layer by layer, respecting anatomy to achieve a naturally lifted appearance — never a pulled look.
Typically shorter than a deep plane facelift, with most patients back to work in 7 days
The Ponytail Facelift provides durable, long-term rejuvenation — typically close to a decade or more. While the natural aging process continues, the structural reset achieved with surgery ensures you age from a more youthful foundation.
The Ponytail Facelift is an advanced, endoscopic facial rejuvenation procedure designed to restore youthful elevation to the midface and lower face through vertical repositioning of deeper facial structures.
Unlike traditional facelift techniques that rely primarily on skin redraping and posterior (backward) tension around the ear, the Ponytail Facelift focuses on lifting the facial architecture upward — similar to the natural elevation seen when the hair is gently pulled into a ponytail. The goal is not skin tightening alone, but structural restoration.
On the day of your ponytail facelift procedure, you will receive care from our board-certified medical team. Unlike a traditional facelift, which often requires general anesthesia, the ponytail facelift surgery will be performed under MAC sedation anesthesia.
The Ponytail Facelift is performed using an endoscopic approach, which involves:
Using specialized instruments and endoscopic visualization, tissues are released and repositioned in a manner consistent with modern deep-plane principles — prioritizing structural support rather than superficial skin tension.
The procedure addresses early to moderate facial aging by:
By repositioning deeper soft tissue rather than simply tightening the skin, the result is a refreshed, natural appearance — never tight or overcorrected.
Key Benefits
• No visible scars around the ear – Small incisions are hidden within the hair-bearing scalp.
• Natural, vertical lift – Tissues are elevated upward rather than pulled backward, avoiding a tight or overdone appearance.
• Structural rejuvenation – Repositions deeper facial support structures instead of relying on skin tension alone.
• Improved midface contour – Restores cheek position and softens early nasolabial folds.
• Jawline refinement – Addresses early jowling and lower face laxity.
• Preserved hairline integrity – No distortion of the ear or frontal hairline.
• Less invasive than traditional facelift – Often appropriate for earlier aging changes.
• Lighter recovery compared to full facelift (in appropriately selected patients).
• Durable results – Provides long-lasting rejuvenation while allowing natural aging to continue gracefully.
Strategic Customization
A ponytail lift serves as a versatile foundation. Many patients choose to combine this surgery with a brow lift, neck lift, or eyelid surgery to achieve their full aesthetic goals without the intensity of a full facelift.
You may be an ideal candidate for a mini lift if you are seeing the early signs of aging but still have good skin elasticity. Most patients for this procedure have mild to moderate sagging skin in the lower face but do not yet require a deep plane facelift to address the mid face or significant neck sagging. A good candidate is someone in good health with realistic expectations. During your consultation, our board-certified plastic surgeon will evaluate your unique features to see if this is the perfect procedure for you.
Recovery from the ponytail facelift is designed to be manageable. You will likely experience mild swelling for a few days, but the recovery time is significantly reduced compared to more invasive facelift techniques. We recommend resting with your head elevated to further reduce swelling.
Most patients can return to social activities within a week. Choose Dr. De La Cruz for your care, and you will receive a detailed recovery plan to protect your facial skin as it heals. We advise avoiding strenuous surgery or exercise for two weeks to ensure the incisions heal with minimal scarring.
The initial results of a the ponytail facelift are visible almost immediately, though they truly shine as mild post-operative swelling subsides. You will enjoy a more youthful appearance and a defined jawline that reflects your inner well-being. Because Dr. De La Cruz is well-trained in vertical lifting techniques, your appearance will remain authentic to your unique features.
While no procedure can stop the clock on aging, a mini lift effectively resets it. Your facial rejuvenation results will last for years, especially when paired with a healthy diet and proper skin care.
When searching for a plastic surgeon for a ponytail lift in Houston, expertise matters. Dr. Emmanuel De La Cruz is a Double-board certified plastic surgeon with an elite pedigree. His specialized training under Dr. Kao for the Ponytail Lift sets him apart from other plastic surgeons in the region. He combines the meticulous nature of reconstructive plastic surgery with the artistic vision of a sculptor. At our practice, your facial rejuvenation journey is a bespoke experience centered on safety and natural-looking results.
The Ponytail Facelift and Deep Plane Facelift both focus on structural rejuvenation rather than simple skin tightening, but they differ in scope and indication.
The Ponytail Facelift is a less invasive, endoscopic procedure that uses small, hidden incisions within the hairline. It lifts the midface and early lower face vertically, making it ideal for patients with early to moderate signs of aging who want natural-looking results without visible scars around the ears.
The Deep Plane Facelift is a more comprehensive procedure that repositions deeper facial structures through incisions around the ears and often includes a full neck lift. It is best suited for patients with more advanced aging, significant jowling, and neck laxity.
In short, the Ponytail Facelift is designed for earlier aging and concealed rejuvenation, while the Deep Plane Facelift provides more extensive correction for advanced facial and neck aging.
Yes, a Ponytail Facelift can often be performed under local anesthesia with monitored IV sedation in carefully selected patients. Because it is an endoscopic procedure with small, hidden incisions and less extensive dissection than a full facelift, general anesthesia is not always required. However, the choice of anesthesia depends on patient health, comfort, and whether additional procedures are being performed.
In most cases, no visible scars are seen around the ears with a Ponytail Lift.
The procedure is performed using small incisions that are hidden within the hair-bearing scalp, rather than along the front of the ear like a traditional facelift. Once healed, these incisions are typically well concealed by the hair.
That said, all surgery results in scars — but with this technique, they are strategically placed to be discreet and difficult to detect in normal social settings.
In short: You will have small scars, but they are hidden within the hairline and not visible around the ears.
While dermal fillers can address volume loss, they cannot tighten sagging skin or jowls. A ponytail facelift provides a structural, long-lasting surgical correction that nonsurgical treatments cannot match.
We commonly see younger patients in their 30s and 50s who are just beginning to see skin laxity. However, the "best" age is simply whenever you feel your appearance no longer matches your youthful energy.
