A facelift can involve removing excess skin, smoothing out folds or wrinkles, and tightening facial tissue. It doesn't include a brow or eye lift, although these might be done at the same time. A facelift is only focused on the bottom two-thirds of the face and often the neck or décolletage.
These procedures are rather simple, but treat only a localized area of skin. A facelift corrects problems on the cheeks and along the jawline, and a brow lift, or forehead lift, smooths the skin above the eyes. Combining these two treatments is becoming more and more common.
How much does a facelift cost? The average cost of a facelift is $8,005, according to 2020 statistics from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. This average cost is only part of the total price – it does not include anesthesia, operating room facilities or other related expenses.
In most cases, a facelift works best for people in their 40s, 50s, and 60s when signs of aging begin to become prevalent. Deep lines, wrinkles, fine lines, and sagging skin are the result of the aging process and can be best corrected through surgical techniques rather than non-surgical ones.
A full facelift addresses the lower two-thirds of the face. It repositions sagging cheeks and other facial tissues vertically. The procedure eliminates loose skin on the neck and cheeks. It restores definition to the jawline and corrects central facial fat loss.
Pain. There is usually very little actual pain following a facelift, but you may experience a deep bruised sensation as a result of the swelling, and your face may seem heavy. The bandage you will wear the first night may seem quite snug under your chin.
Because both procedures alter tissue and skin on your face, both offer long-term results. In most cases, a mini facelift will last around ten years easily before another lift is needed. A full facelift can last approximately double that at twenty years.
While facelift results can be different for every patient, the American Society of Plastic Surgeons found that, on average, patients felt they looked about 12 years younger after their facelift surgeries.
Cost. The average cost of a mini facelift ranges between $3,500 and $8,000. These costs can vary based on location and provider. Additional costs include your hospital stay and anesthesia used.
A thread lift is a short, minimally invasive procedure that — using advances in thread technology — can lift and reposition sagging facial skin. The results are not as dramatic as facelift surgery but still visible. Thread lifts can target areas of the face and neck, including: Jowls.
If you are given a sedative during your facelift, then you most likely won't remember the procedure. While it's happening, you'll likely be awake, although you'll feel very relaxed. However, because the sedative medication blocks the formation of memories, you won't remember it later.
With a facelift, you can remove wrinkles, fine lines, sagging skin and other undesirable features. The process can be successful in helping you regain the appearance of your younger years.
Injectable treatments will reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, but they will not remove excess skin, improve skin laxity, or eliminate skin sagging. The only way to effectively treat these issues is through surgery. A facelift will provide much more long-lasting results than non-surgical options.
A mini facelift involves the placement of incisions in front of the ears which extend from the hairline to the bottom of the earlobe. The surgeon will then gently pull the skin and tissues up and outward the ear. Excess skin and tissue are removed to tighten the appearance of the skin.
Generally, a ponytail lift involves incisions made high up on the face – above the front of the ear or beyond the hairline. The facial cosmetic surgeon then pulls the ligaments below the skin to adjust and reduce sagging.
Although its name may give the impression that it applies to the entire face, a facelift only treats wrinkles and loose skin on the lower third of the face as well as the neck. For deep forehead wrinkles or “frown lines” between the eyes, a brow lift is the ideal procedure.
Kao goes in-depth about his clinic's popular "ponytail facelift," which lifts skin vertically instead of the more common horizontal pull. The results are similar to how one looks when wearing a high and tight ponytail, but forever. (Ouch.) Price ranges from $30,000 to $40,000.
The procedure is minimally invasive as it involves just having one deep stitch on each side of the head buried in the hair line, with a dissolving skin suture, so the scarring is hidden. This procedure gives a "mini-lift" and is a compromise for those who don't wish to undergo a full standard facelifting operation.
Because a mini facelift is less invasive than a full facelift, most patients report feeling minimal pain and discomfort following their surgery. It is common to experience some slight bruising and swelling.
A facelift is a common but major surgery with significant risks and potential complications. You may have less invasive cosmetic or treatment options.
The answer is, “No,” since many patients do not have the loose skin or sagging fat/muscles that a facelift corrects. Younger patients often find that injectables such as Juvederm or Botox provide the filling or wrinkle reduction that they desire and with a shorter recovery.
When performed correctly by the hands of a skilled surgeon, facelift results can be some of the most natural looking of any cosmetic procedure and can leave you with a rejuvenated and more youthful facial appearance.
Not surprisingly, the most common age for a facelift is around 58 or 59, with that age increasingly skewing younger.
Many patients develop aging after a facelift in the same way and areas that they developed facial aging initially. Lines will develop around the nose and mouth, the cheeks will lose some of their fullness, and the jawline will eventually soften.