We’re seeing a shift in the way we look at facelifts. What was once a surgery performed as a last resort to recapture your youthful look has now become one of the most popular treatments to fine-tune your facial features. The American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery reports that facelifts continue to be one of the top procedures, with a rise in younger patients seeking this treatment. While people are holding off on filler and Botox, it seems like many are waiting to go all in on facelifts.
But how young is too young? How do you know when it’s the right—and wrong—time to get a facelift? Here are a couple of things to consider before you go under the knife.
Is there a right age to get a facelift?
When it comes to getting a facelift, age doesn’t really matter. The real deal-breaker, experts say, is your overall health and facial structure. “The physical state of the face is more important than biological age when assessing if someone is a suitable candidate for a facelift,” says Yannis Alexandrides, MD, board-certified plastic surgeon and founder of 111 Harley St. “Many factors affect how a face looks and how it ages. These include lifestyle choices, genetics, and, in some cases, conditions or diseases.”
Alexis Parcells, MD, board-certified plastic surgeon and founder of Parcells Plastic Surgery, says she has operated on patients in their 70s who were better surgical candidates than some in their 50s. “As long as someone is healthy, has realistic expectations, and can safely undergo anesthesia, they can be a good candidate,” she agrees. “A facelift at any age can be transformative when it’s done for the right reasons.”
Most of Dr. Parcells’s patients who opt for this treatment are in their late 40s to early 60s. This is about the age when skin laxity, jowling, and deeper folds are more pronounced. Facelifts, she explains, are about addressing structural changes and not just surface-level tweaks. So the best time to get one is when those major face changes begin to bother you.
But you can be considered too young for one
While there is no ideal age to get a facelift, experts do think that, in some instances, one can be too young to undergo this surgery—mainly if you aren’t showing any signs of aging on your face. “Anyone under 40 is usually too young,” says Dr. Parcells. “At that point, most concerns can be addressed with noninvasive treatments like radio frequency, microneedling, or filler. A facelift is surgery, and with that comes downtime, risks, and cost, so we want to make sure we’re correcting actual descent of tissue, not just volume loss or skin quality.”
What makes you a good candidate for a facelift?
Your doctor will look for a couple of things to determine if a facelift is the right treatment for you. Dr. Alexandrides lists deep nasolabial folds (also known as smile lines), jowling, laxity of the skin on the face or neck, drooping of the brows, or extensive facial wrinkling as some of the skin concerns for which a facelift is the ideal treatment. As mentioned before, you’ll want to be healthy overall to minimize complications during and post-surgery. On a psychological level, he says patients should have realistic expectations for the results.
Dr. Parcells adds that anyone with untreated mental health conditions or body dysmorphia shouldn’t get a facelift. If one is hoping to alter their appearance to fix a bigger life issue, they will be disappointed. “A facelift can boost confidence, but it’s not therapy,” she says.
Filler and other treatment options
Because a facelift is an extensive surgery that requires anywhere from one to six weeks of recovery, Dr. Alexandrides says that you might want to consider all the other alternatives before going all in.
Treatments like filler can be a great option for early volume loss in the cheeks, temples, or around the mouth, says Dr. Parcells. “It gives instant results with little downtime,” she adds.
Ashkan Ghavami, MD, a board-certified Beverly Hills plastic surgeon, says fillers are a go-to for his patients who want to contour the cheekbones and jawline or fill the folds between the nose and the corner of the mouth. But these are still light fixes. When you want to completely change your facial structure (and not have to continue going to the doctor for the rest of your life), a facelift is the way to go.
Filler can’t lift sagging skin or reposition deeper tissue; a facelift is a literal lifting, cutting, and repositioning. “Think of filler as fluffing a pillow and a facelift as reupholstering the couch,” says Dr. Parcells. “A facelift physically lifts and tightens—it’s a structural solution, not just a surface fix.”
Picking the right type of facelift
Deep plane facelift, mini lift, and more—there are many types of facelifts to choose from. The right one for you depends on a couple of things, but a good surgeon will be able to help guide you.
“Each facelift should be tailored to the individual,” says Dr. Parcells. “A deep plane facelift might be best for someone with significant tissue descent, while a mini lift may work for someone with mild jowling. The right approach depends on your anatomy, goals, and lifestyle.”
Dr. Ghavami recommends doing your own research before committing to this treatment or a specific surgeon. Make sure that you’re going to a doctor who is board-certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, and consult with them to get a better idea of their surgical skills and approach to facelifts. He says you’ll want to see that they’re able to perform various types of facial procedures to achieve the most natural-looking results. “The best results come with a combination of different types of techniques that are individualized for each patient,” he says. “If you see a cookie-cutter approach, I would consider a different surgeon who can vary their technique based on the patient.”
And while a facelift can turn back the clock and give you a more youthful, refreshed look, Dr. Parcells says that most results last 10 to 15 years. Some patients will likely come back for maintenance with lasers, microneedling, and even filler. “If the surgery is done well, you won’t need another for a long time,” she says.
