What is the Best Time for a Facelift?

When it comes to large investments of time and money, including facial plastic surgeries, we all want the best we can get. However, when it comes to a facelift surgery, there has never really been a clear-cut rule about what age can deliver you the best results. In fact, patients as young as 30 and well over 60 are often encouraged by the possible results a facelift can give them. While the initial results might be just as desirable, is there a way to plan a facelift surgery that will last longer?

Most women these days know that having facial rejuvenation surgery can significantly help their appearance. Most often, surgery is delayed due to the natural reluctance to go through surgery for understandable reasons, at least until a significant loss of freshness of appearance makes it a pressing issue. Finding the correct answer to this key question about timing is important, otherwise it is likely to result in an all too common mistake.

Almost half the women who ask their facial plastic surgeon for help with their tired facial appearance have missed the ideal time to benefit the most from their facelift surgery. They are usually disappointed upon hearing this, as they had thought that they had been virtuous in waiting so long! They had assumed they were doing the right thing by waiting at least until they were in their mid 50s before consulting a plastic surgeon. Their typical response is ‘if only someone had told me’.

Am I Too Young for a Facelift?

These days there is a trend toward considering plastic surgery at a younger age, as well as nonsurgical procedures like botox to achieve a certain look. Plastic surgery in general is being discussed more openly than ever before.

We would never suggest that someone in their 20s, for example, is not a candidate for plastic surgery. However, we guide our younger patients through a series of inquiries about their motivations for choosing surgery. Making a smart decision comes down to this: If there’s something that’s always bothered you, then it’s the right time to make that adjustment.

These kinds of physical concerns tend to increase during puberty, when the body is going through many changes. Self-consciousness about inherited facial traits may also become heightened as young people enter the workplace where they are regularly on display or in face-to-face communications a majority of the day.

There are, however, some impulses that aren't aligned with plastic surgery being a good option. It could be trying to fit in with those who are perceived as “cool,” or trying to resolve unhealthy emotions through a physical change. In these cases, we work with them to develop patience while they work on deeper issues, or suggest nonsurgical options that could refresh their appearance and help prevent some early signs of facial aging. For instance, regular botox treatments can go a long way in preventing fine lines and wrinkles from appearing in prematurely. Then, at the right time later in life, a mini-facelift may do wonders.

Am I Too Old for a Facelift?

On the other hand, we encounter many prospective patients who wonder if they are too old to have a facelift. We believe that you’re never too old to stop aging in its tracks.

If someone is in good health, there is no reason that men and women in their 50s, 60s, 70s and even 80s can’t have the appearance they dream of. There’s no expiration date on wanting to look great.

After running some tests to evaluate an older patient’s ability to undergo the procedure, anesthesia and healing process, we set realistic expectations for mature clients. A mini-facelift on a 70-year-old will never look like one on a 30-year-old.

Like all parts of the body, the skin on the face becomes less elastic and the underlying muscles weaken over time (read about skin aging here). So while a younger patient may see results that lasts longer, older patients will notice a slight softening of results sooner.

That said, facelift patients will always look younger than they did before the surgery.

The Magic Age for Best Outcomes

While a standard facelift or mini-facelift surgery will deliver similar top-notch results initially to every patient, the lasting power of your results may vary based on your age. Of course, there is no such thing as a magic or perfect age to have any procedure done at all, but careful research can help you to be more effective in your planning. Studies show that men and women in their 30s, especially up to and including age 35, get the longest-lasting results from facelift surgery. First facelifts are now often sought by patients in their 30s and 40s, lowering the average age of those treated in this manner. Great results lasting over a decade can also be achieved by patients under 50 years old, so don’t feel upset if you missed the first boat.

After 50, the duration of facelift results may start to fade a little. Most patients in the 50s and 60s, as well as those over 60 years old, show the same initial satisfaction with their facelift results, but find themselves looking for a follow-up facelift sooner than their younger counterparts. For those age groups, 8-10 years after the first facelift seems to be the time for some maintenance.

If you’re part of this older group, don’t fret! A facelift can still take off to a decade of aging from your face and give you a burst of self-confidence once you’re healed. Through proper maintenance and care for your skin, such as wearing sunscreen and exfoliating regularly, you may be able to extend your happiness with your facelift for much longer. As nice as it is to group people by age brackets, there are exceptions to every rule. Break the rules and work hard to keep on looking great. If you do find yourself needing some touch-up, don’t worry. Facial plastic surgeons are trained in the techniques needed to help you results that are as close as possible to your first post-operation look.

The ideal time to consider a facelift is when you are becoming aware of early sagging of your face. This early sagging is first noticed only when the head is tilted down or when you press the skin along the jawline or inner cheek, and it moves more than it used to. At this stage the sagging is still not so obvious as to be noticed by others, especially in normal head position with the chin up.

Ideally this sagging should be corrected before it has progressed to become obvious, from which there is no escape. A typical comment heard from a patient in the plastic surgeon’s office is a woman of between 45-50 years (typically older in men) who expresses their concern: ‘I cannot believe how rapidly my face is aging. This jowl has only appeared in the last 6 months’.

Some others are even more distressed, saying: ‘I have always been lucky to be one of those people who look young for their age, but now over the last 6 months it has caught up with me, and I have aged by several years’. They are understandably frightened to see their identity slipping away.

This is a common experience of appearing to age suddenly after several years of mild sagging skin. Ideally, this unpleasant experience can be avoided by having a facelift at the right time, which is before the sagging becomes noticeable. The experience of aging almost overnight is like the appearance of your first gray hair: there is no going back.

The transition to obvious sagging skin tends to be accelerated by illness and long term stress, often related to a family member or relationship difficulty, and particularly due to weight loss. The worsening sagging is extremely disappointing for those people who are doing the right thing to regain control of their figure, only to find they are paying for it on their face. Losing 10 pounds can add a couple of years to a persons face when they are in the mild sagging phase.

With the quality of facelifts available, the anti-aging affects of these procedures should be taken advantage of, but in a well considered manner and using a correct strategy. The correction of mild sagging is undetectable when performed with a quality facelift.

What to Expect From a Facelift

Most facelift patients are thrilled by their initial results: a tightened jaw line, improved facial profile, and more youthful appearance. However, even a surgery like this cannot stop or pause the aging process. As the hands of time keep moving, the signs of aging will eventually show themselves again. But at least you’ll have about 10 years’ head start on everyone else, though!

Most facial plastic surgeons agree that patients can expect their facelift results to last a more than a decade. This estimate holds up against the average time it takes patients to request follow-up facelifts: 8 to 12 years after surgery. Maintaining your youthful look with a booster facelift can help you to keep on enjoying your appearance for several more years to come.

Discuss Your Facelift Today

If you are suffering from aging and sagging skin and it is becoming noticeable, we invite you to contact Korea Facelift Center today. You can find the answers to the most frequently asked questions here. Your doctors in Korea will provide a comprehensive medical history and facelift analysis that will allow them to provide each patient with an accurate diagnosis so that a patient-specific treatment plan can be put into action. Contact us now.