When you want to look younger and improve the contours of your face, a facelift is one of the most effective procedures at helping you reach this goal. However, it’s important that you opt for a facelift at the right age, as obtaining one too soon may be unnecessary when other treatment options would be preferable. To best understand whether or not there’s a certain age at which you should consider a facelift, it’s first important to understand what a facelift is and everything that it entails.

What is a Facelift?

A facelift is a very common type of plastic surgery that helps to improve the most noticeable signs of aging and can be applied to both the face and the neck. There are a variety of issues that a facelift can assist with, such as fat that has fallen within the cheeks, the development of jowls in the jaw or cheeks, deeper lines around the corner of the mouth, and sagging skin that occurs naturally with age. These aging problems can be expedited for a wide array of reasons, ranging from smoking too much to sun damage on the skin. There are times when a facelift will be used in combination with additional plastic surgeries like eyelid surgery or a brow lift. It’s important to understand that a facelift only improves the contours of your face and neck, as it can’t completely reverse the effects of aging.

What Does the Facelift Procedure Entail?

The exact details of a facelift depends somewhat on how much changes you want to be made to your face or neck areas. As with most plastic surgeries, a facelift will begin with the administration of general anesthesia. The procedure will then start with one of three options that depend on the degree of change that you wish to see. These options include a limited incision facelift, a traditional facelift, and a neck lift. If you select a standard facelift, the incision will extend from the temples to the back of the ear, which makes for the lengthiest incisions with these procedures.

If you choose a limited incision facelift, the incisions will occur around the lower portions of the ear, while a neck lift calls for similar incisions to the limited incision facelift with the primary difference being that the neck lift incisions extend further back to the posterior hair. Once the incisions have been properly made, the skin and the fat underneath will be rearranged to provide tighter and more youthful looking skin. The incisions will then be closed once any excess skin has been removed. The sutures that are used to close the incisions will typically be removed after several days. Given the placement of the incision lines, they will fade into your hairline in a matter of a week or two.

Is There a Certain Age That’s Best For a Facelift?

There’s no exact age wherein it’s recommended that you obtain a facelift, as this type of procedure is highly personal and should only be requested when you’re certain that it’s something that you truly want. It won’t completely alter how you look, but there will be some changes made to your appearance with this procedure. Most plastic surgeons do not want to perform this type of procedure on patients who are below the age of 30, although exceptions can be made depending on the circumstances.

You can consider obtaining a facelift between the ages of 35 and 65, although the best time to get a facelift is widely considered to be between the ages of 45 and 50, which is due primarily to the fact that these procedures are designed to preserve the natural look of a person’s face. As a person gets older, their results will be more dramatic, particularly over the age of 60, which is why it’s recommended to address the signs of aging early.

Facelift Recovery

The recovery process for a facelift procedure is a short and simple one in most cases. It’s possible that your face will be bandaged for a small period of time in order to minimize the swelling and any bruising that you experience. After a few days, the stitches will be removed or will dissolve on their own. If the swelling and bruising do not subside in a couple of weeks, make sure to contact your surgeon. You can return to normal activities in around 7-14 days, depending on the speed of your recovery.

Dr. Andrew Frankel is a renowned facelift specialist located in Los Angeles. He is currently board certified in ear, nose, and throat surgery as well as facial plastic and reconstructive surgery. He specializes in revision rhinoplasty and standard rhinoplasty procedures and performs additional procedures such as a neck lift and facelift. You can find out more about him and his offices in 201 South Lasky Beverly Hills in the following website: https://www.rhinoplastyrevisions.com/