When people considering a facelift ask, “How long does it last?” the standard response is usually 10 to 15 years. However, this question baffles me—but not because I am unaware of my patients’ evolution after facelift surgery. The question baffles me because the word “last” is open to interpretation.
Everyone readily accepts the basic premise that the results of lifting surgery are not permanent. No one contests the idea that the benefits of a facelift are slowly lost over time. Yet, when people ask, “How long does a facelift last,” it’s unclear how they measure “last” versus “not last.”
l encourage you to keep an open mind as we explore various factors affecting facelift longevity. I’ll also address facelift versus mini facelift results and share insights into how to preserve your youthful look.
It’s Easy To Forget What You Looked Like
Sometimes, I address facelift longevity by asking patients if they mean that “lasting” is the time period until they are back to where they were before surgery. Often, people will respond, “OK, sure, until then.” So, I’ll oblige and reply that it generally takes 10 or more years to return to a pre-surgery state. I then quickly add that, within one month after surgery, no one cares what they looked like prior to the procedure.
Knowing how people think after a facelift, it would be disingenuous of me to pretend that this 10-plus-year answer means anything to patients after the procedure is over. The truth is, most people are so happy with their refreshed appearance that they don’t remember what they looked like before surgery, nor do they care. So, even though the aging process continues, you can expect to still look younger than your peers and more youthful than if you had not had your facelift procedure.
Common Factors Impacting Facelift Longevity
While not permanent, facelift results are undoubtedly long-lasting. The full lifespan of your facelift is also determined by your individual circumstances, including:
- Your skin elasticity
- The surgical technique used
- Genetic and lifestyle factors
- How closely you adhere to your post-op protocol
How well you maintain your skin and overall health after your facelift can also affect how long you’ll continue to look refreshed.
How Long Does a Mini Facelift Last?
With more patients opting for a mini facelift, it’s natural to wonder how the results of this procedure compare to a full facelift. A mini or “short-scar” facelift uses a less invasive approach to address minor to moderate aging symptoms in the lower face, such as sagging and early jowling. While highly effective, its results are more subtle and last less than 10 years. During your personalized consultation, I’ll help you assess whether you’re a better candidate for a traditional versus mini facelift.
Does Skin Continue To Tighten After a Facelift?
While your skin may look and feel tight after a facelift surgery, that’s often due to postoperative swelling. Most swelling resolves within 2 weeks post-op. However, it can take 3 to 6 months to subside fully, so your skin may feel tighter for some time.
How To Prolong a Facelift
One of the most important steps to ensuring you enjoy long-lasting results is to follow your post-op protocol. Once you have healed fully, you can preserve the results of your facelift by:
- Limiting sun exposure and wearing sunscreen, sunglasses, and brimmed hats
- Staying hydrated and maintaining a healthy lifestyle, including eating a balanced diet and avoiding smoking
- Practicing a good, consistent skincare routine
Many patients find that visiting our medical spa for rejuvenating “maintenance” treatments such as BOTOX® Cosmetic, dermal fillers, and laser skin resurfacing helps prolong their more youthful look.
Facelift Longevity: The Takeaway
I believe most patients asking, “How long will a facelift last?” actually mean, “When will I be dissatisfied with my appearance again?” In all honesty, there is no way for me to know this, even if I’ve done the best facelift possible. The most truthful answer is that a facelift lasts until a person no longer likes how they look. Your perspective may be different than mine. Therefore, we can’t know when each person will reach the parameters to deem the results “no longer lasting.”
So, how do I answer this puzzling question without getting overly philosophical about the human condition? Just as I have done above. The benefits of a facelift are lost with time at a variable rate depending upon each person’s skin elasticity, aesthetic vision, etc. However, the duration of happiness someone enjoys from their results depends on a mindset that is only truly understood by each person after surgery.
All I can do is turn the clock back using my surgical skills in the most natural-looking and safest way. This usually results in my patients finding their facelift experience rewarding for many, many years.
Begin Your Transformation
To see what results you can expect from facelift surgery, view before-and-after photos in our facelift photo gallery and view our step-by-step facelift surgery guide. If you still have questions or would like to schedule a consultation, use the online form, or please call us at (303) 278-2600.
I completely agree with you that it depends on the age when you are getting treated for face lift or any other cosmetic surgery. People who are do jobs will have less time to maintain it as skin affects when you are working and giving not much rest to your face.