In this guide15 sections
- Key Points
- Why Prepare Questions for a Facelift Consultation?
- Facelift Consultation Checklist
- Questions to Ask About Your Surgeon
- Questions to Ask About the Type of Facelift
- Questions to Ask About Anaesthetic and the Day of Surgery
- Questions to Ask About Risks and Complications
- Questions to Ask About Recovery
- Questions to Ask About Results, Photos and Cost
- Questions to Ask Yourself Before a Facelift
- How to Prepare for Your Facelift Consultation
- Facelift Before and After
- Frequently Asked Questions
- References
- Book a Facelift Consultation in London
Key Points
- A facelift consultation is your chance to check the surgeon, the plan and the risks before you commit. Going in with a written list of questions helps you get clear answers.
- The most important questions are who will operate, how many facelifts they do, which type of facelift they recommend for you and why, and what the main risks are.
- Ask about the anaesthetic, where the operation happens, how long recovery takes and when you can go back to work.
- Ask to see before and after photos of the surgeon’s own patients with faces similar to yours.
- At Centre for Surgery, the consultant you see is the surgeon who operates, further consultations are free, and we recommend a two-week cooling-off period before you book surgery.
Choosing a surgeon is the biggest single decision in having a facelift, and the consultation is where you make it. A good consultation should leave you knowing exactly what operation is planned, what it can and cannot change, and what recovery will involve. This guide lists the questions to ask your surgeon at a facelift consultation, grouped by topic, with a short explanation of why each answer matters.
If you are still deciding whether a facelift is right for you at all, start with our guide to deciding whether a facelift is right for you, then come back to this list before you book.
Why Prepare Questions for a Facelift Consultation?
Consultations cover a lot of ground, and it is easy to forget what you meant to ask. A written list keeps the conversation on what matters to you and makes it easier to compare answers if you see more than one surgeon.
The General Medical Council’s guidance for doctors who offer cosmetic interventions ↗ says the doctor should discuss your reasons for wanting treatment, explain the risks and likely outcome, and give you time to think before you decide. Your questions help make sure that happens.
At Centre for Surgery, further consultations with your surgeon are free, so you can come back with new questions before deciding. We recommend a two-week cooling-off period between your consultation and booking surgery. It is a recommendation rather than a rule, and it gives you time to think the answers over.
Facelift Consultation Checklist
The sections below go through each area in turn.
Questions to Ask About Your Surgeon
- Will you be the surgeon who does my operation? Some clinics have one person consult and another operate. You should meet, and be examined by, the surgeon who will carry out your facelift. At Centre for Surgery, the consultant who sees you is the surgeon who operates.
- Are you on the GMC register, and on the specialist register? All our surgeons are GMC-registered. You can check any doctor’s registration on the GMC medical register ↗.
- How many facelifts do you do each year? Facelift surgery rewards experience. Our surgeons carry out more than 100 facelift and neck lift procedures a year.
- Which facelift techniques do you use most often? A surgeon who does several types can recommend the one that suits your face, rather than the only one they offer.
Questions to Ask About the Type of Facelift
- Which type of facelift do you recommend for me, and why? The answer should be based on your examination: how far the jowls have dropped, how loose the neck is and how much volume has been lost. Our guide to the types of facelift explains the options.
- Do I need a neck lift as well? Many people with jowls also have loose neck skin or neck bands. A neck lift is often done at the same time.
- Would a mini facelift be enough? A mini facelift suits early jowls when the neck is still firm. Our article on facelift vs mini facelift compares the two.
- What technique will you use under the skin? Ask whether the surgeon will lift the deeper SMAS layer or use a deep plane approach. Our article on deep plane vs SMAS facelift explains the difference.
- Should I have anything else done at the same time? Eyelid surgery, a brow lift or fat transfer are common additions. Ask how combining procedures changes the risk and the recovery.
- Where will the scars be? Facelift scars usually run around the ear and into the hairline. Ask where yours will be and how they are expected to fade.
Questions to Ask About Anaesthetic and the Day of Surgery
- What kind of anaesthetic will I have? At Centre for Surgery, a full facelift is done under TIVA (total intravenous anaesthesia). A mini facelift is done under local anaesthetic, with or without sedation, according to your choice.
- How long will the operation take? This depends on what is being done. Ask for an estimate for your own plan, including any combined procedures.
- Where will the operation take place? Ask whether it is done in a registered hospital or day surgery unit, and who looks after you during and after surgery.
- Will I go home the same day? Ask what to expect on the day, whether you need someone to collect you and stay with you, and what happens if you feel unwell overnight.
Questions to Ask About Risks and Complications
- What are the main risks for me? Serious problems after a facelift are uncommon. In a study of 11,300 facelifts, 1.8% of patients had a major complication, most often a haematoma (a collection of blood under the skin) needing treatment[1].
- Does anything about my health raise the risk? The same study found more complications in men, in people with a body mass index of 25 or more and when several procedures were combined. The rate was 3.7% for a facelift combined with other surgery, compared with 1.5% for a facelift alone[1].
- Does my age matter? A 2026 study of 541 facelifts found no link between age and complications, even in patients over 75, when patients were carefully assessed first[2]. Our guide to facelift age covers this in more detail.
- What happens if there is a problem? Ask who you contact out of hours, how quickly you would be seen, and whether any further treatment is included.
Our article on facelift complications explains each risk and how it is managed.
Questions to Ask About Recovery
- How long will I need off work? Most people take around two weeks before they feel comfortable being seen, but this varies with the type of facelift.
- How much swelling and bruising should I expect, and for how long? Ask what is normal and what should prompt a call to the clinic.
- When can I exercise, drive and fly? Ask for specific timings for your plan.
- How many follow-up appointments will I have? Ask when stitches come out and who you will see at each visit.
Our guide to facelift recovery describes what to expect week by week.
Questions to Ask About Results, Photos and Cost
- Can I see before and after photos of your own patients with faces like mine? Look for patients of a similar age and with similar changes, photographed from the same angles in the same light. You can see examples in our facelift before and after photos.
- What result is realistic for me? A good surgeon will tell you what will change and what will not.
- How long will the result last? A facelift does not stop ageing. Our article on how long a facelift lasts explains what to expect.
- What happens if I am not happy with the result? Ask how concerns are handled and whether a revision facelift would ever be needed.
- What does the price include? Ask whether the quote covers the surgeon, anaesthetist, hospital, aftercare appointments and any garments. Our facelift cost guide explains what affects the price.
Questions to Ask Yourself Before a Facelift
The consultation is also a chance to be clear with yourself. Before you go, think about:
- What exactly bothers you when you look in the mirror: the jawline, the neck, the cheeks or the whole face.
- Why now, and whether you are doing this for yourself.
- Whether you can take the time off and have someone to help you for the first few days.
- Whether you have tried, or would consider, non-surgical options first.
Our guide to deciding whether you are ready for a facelift goes through these questions in depth.
How to Prepare for Your Facelift Consultation
- Bring a list of your medicines and supplements. Some, such as aspirin and other blood thinners, may need to be stopped before surgery. Only stop a prescribed medicine on your doctor’s advice.
- Be honest about smoking and vaping. Nicotine reduces blood flow to the skin. Smoking was linked to a significant number of the skin problems seen after facelift surgery in an early study[3]. At Centre for Surgery, we ask patients to stop all nicotine four weeks before and four weeks after surgery.
- Mention any previous treatment. Tell your surgeon about earlier surgery, fillers or thread lifts, as these can affect the plan.
- Bring older photos if you have them. Pictures from 10 to 15 years ago can help your surgeon understand how your face has changed.
- Write your questions down and take notes, or bring someone with you.
Our guide on how to prepare for facelift surgery covers the weeks before your operation.
Facelift Before and After
Real Centre for Surgery patients, photographed at least six months after surgery.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I expect at a facelift consultation?
Your surgeon will ask about your concerns, your health and any medicines you take, then examine your face and neck. They will explain which type of facelift they recommend and why, go through the risks and recovery, and answer your questions. You should leave with a clear plan and time to think it over.
What questions should I ask about surgery?
Ask who will operate and how experienced they are, which procedure they recommend and why, what anaesthetic you will have, what the main risks are, how long recovery takes, and to see before and after photos of their own patients. Ask what the price includes and what happens if you are not happy with the result.
What not to say to a plastic surgeon?
Avoid holding back information. Be open about smoking or vaping, medicines and supplements, previous treatments and any health conditions, as these all affect your safety. It also helps to describe what bothers you in your own words rather than only bringing photos of other people.
How long are you under for a facelift?
It depends on the operation. A mini facelift is shorter than a full face and neck lift, and combining other procedures such as eyelid surgery adds time. Your surgeon can give you an estimate for your own plan at the consultation.
What not to do before a face lift?
Do not smoke or use any nicotine for at least four weeks before surgery. Avoid aspirin, anti-inflammatory painkillers and supplements that thin the blood for the period your surgeon advises, and do not stop any prescribed medicine without checking with your doctor. Avoid new filler or skin treatments in the weeks before unless your surgeon agrees.
References
- Gupta V, Winocour J, Shi H, et al. Preoperative risk factors and complication rates in facelift: analysis of 11,300 patients. Aesthet Surg J. 2016;36(1):1-13. doi:10.1093/asj/sjv162 ↗
- Vishwanath N, Mandelbaum M, Williams-Medina E, et al. Effect of age on complications in facelift surgery. Aesthet Surg J. 2026;46(9):NP99-NP109. doi:10.1093/asj/sjag084 ↗
- Rees TD, Liverett DM, Guy CL. The effect of cigarette smoking on skin-flap survival in the face lift patient. Plast Reconstr Surg. 1984;73(6):911-915. doi:10.1097/00006534-198406000-00009 ↗
Book a Facelift Consultation in London
If you would like to talk through your questions with one of our surgeons, you can book a consultation at our Baker Street clinic by calling 020 7993 4849 or using the form below. Further consultations are free, so you can come back with any new questions before you decide.
