Choosing to have a facelift is a significant decision for people wishing to address signs of ageing. We understand that choosing to have any type of cosmetic surgery is often preceded by months, if not years, of careful research. When performed by an expert facelift surgeon, the procedure can take years off your face and literally reverse facial ageing. The boost in self-confidence can be immeasurable for people who choose to want to undergo mini-facelift surgery. Given this, we commonly get asked if a facelift is suitable for everyone. Suitability for a facelift will depend on several factors. Although people of many different ages may express interest in the procedure, what matters more is whether a facelift will deliver superb results for appropriately selected patients. Not everyone will be suitable for a facelift, although the best age for a facelift is a significant factor when your surgeon is assessing you at the consultation. Here we discuss the best age for a facelift and describe the different types of facelift options carried out at Centre for Surgery.
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The best age for a facelift
Just because you have entered your 40s or 50s and have noticed signs of facial ageing doesn’t automatically mean you will be suitable for a London facelift procedure. Even if you are at an appropriate age, not everyone will be an appropriate candidate for a facelift. When researching facelift Surgery, you must first consider whether you actually need a facelift. In our experience, most types of facelift surgery, including mini facelifts, are designed for people over the age of 40.
If you are below 40, there are other less invasive treatment options that can effectively target early signs of facial ageing. In many cases, you may have developed deeper lines and wrinkles, which may be related to smoking or excessive sun exposure. Many over-the-counter skincare products and non-surgical treatments will do little for such advanced signs of ageing, and in these cases, you may be deemed a suitable candidate for a facelift.
In our experience, most patients over the age of 40 are ideal candidates for a facelift. In reality, most patients who have a mini facelift are aged 50 and over. Most of the visible signs of ageing begin to develop during our 40s and 50s. Common features of ageing include fine lines, wrinkles, deeper skin folds and sagging jowls. These gradually become more extensive with age which can often lead us to appear much older than we actually appear.
Facelift surgery is always customised to the needs of the patient, as every patient will present different degrees of facial ageing. Some patients may be suitable for a facelift even if they are under the age of 40 if they begin to show moderate signs of facial ageing. We all age at different rates. Determining whether a facelift is suitable for you is based upon a detailed discussion with an expert facelift surgeon in London.
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When is the right time to have a facelift?
A sensible approach is to try non-invasive and minimally invasive facial rejuvenation treatments before considering having invasive surgery such as a facelift. If, however, you have been thinking about having a facelift for many years and you are certain it will make you feel more confident about yourself, then you should certainly have a facelift consultation to explore your options. Improvement of cosmetic appearance with surgery is one of the most rewarding choices patients can make and cannot be underestimated, given the significant boost in emotional well-being it can produce.
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It is also important to consider your reasons for wanting to have a facelift procedure. If you find you have spent thousands of pounds on a whole range of anti-ageing skin care products which achieved little or no benefit, then consideration of having a facelift should certainly be borne in mind. This will help to avoid continual wastage of money on products that have no proven anti-ageing benefits. Most patients come to see our surgeons, having tried a wide range of facial treatments, including injectable treatments such as dermal fillers, with no success.
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Although topical skincare products have their uses, they are targeted at people with mild signs of facial ageing and are ideally suited for a preventive skincare regime. Once significant signs of ageing have developed, they are relatively ineffective in treating the signs of facial ageing. This is because the skin has lost a significant amount of collagen and elastin, resulting in loss of skin elasticity and sagging skin. The decline in collagen happens to all of us as part of the ageing process, although the rate at which it decreases varies between people depending on lifestyle factors such as smoking or excessive sun exposure. If you are keen to explore the benefits of facelift surgery, schedule a consultation with us today to receive customised recommendations from our expert surgeons.
What are the different types of facelifts?
There are several options for facelifts available at Centre for Surgery, including:
- Mini facelift – the mini facelift is an ideal facelift option for younger patients with mild to moderate signs of facial ageing and wishes to achieve more subtle improvements without the surgical invasiveness of a traditional facelift. Mini facelift surgery involves making incisions around the natural skin folds of the ear and is much shorter compared to full facelift surgery. Recovery after mini facelift surgery is much shorter than a full facelift, with most patients able to restart their normal activities within a few days after surgery.
- One stitch facelift – the one stitch facelift is ideally suited for patients between the ages of 35 and 45 with mild signs of facial ageing affecting the middle part of the face. Unlike other more invasive types of facelift Surgery, incisions for a one-stitch facelift are very short with a rapid recovery time. The risks of this type of procedure are much less compared with traditional facelift surgery. The procedure is commonly combined with facial fat grafting to enhance the volume of sunken or flattened cheeks to restore a youthful look.
- Full facelift (rhytidectomy) – a traditional facelift is designed to address extensive signs of ageing and is commonly combined with a neck lift to improve the appearance of sagging neck skin. A Full facelift is ideal for patients over the age of 60 who are distressed about the appearance of deep lines, wrinkles and sagging jowls that have proven resistant to treatment with less invasive procedures or skin care products. The procedure involves the removal of loose skin and tightening of the face and neck to create a more defined and useful facial appearance that can take over ten years of a person’s appearance.
- Neck lift – Nick lift surgery is beneficial for patients with sagging next skin or a turkey neck. A neck lift may be advised if you are concerned about the appearance of wrinkling and saggy skin affecting the neck. In some cases, patients may not be concerned about the appearance of the face but may benefit from surgical correction of a saggy neck. A person’s neck is often a significant giveaway of the actual age and is one of the most effective procedures to help people feel more comfortable about themselves.
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Which procedures can be combined with a facelift?
Facelift surgical techniques have evolved beyond the concept of just lifting tissue and now include incorporating superficial and deep filling of facial fat compartments to address volume deflation.
Complementary techniques for a facelift:
- Facial fat grafting – ‘lift and fill facelift’
- Chin augmentation (with a chin implant or fat transfer)
- Laser resurfacing
- Chemical peels
A typical facelift at the Centre for Surgery is often a combination of a SMAS facelift with facial fat grafting and fully ablative Erbium laser resurfacing.
In one procedure, the surgeon is able to:
- Remove excess skin and tighten tissue (facelift)
- Revolumise the face (facial fat grafting)
- Improve the skin quality and remove perioral and periorbital wrinkles with Er:YAG laser (laser resurfacing)
Most hospitals in the UK lack the high-powered lasers for the crucial final third stage, which is akin to the polish phase of a car wash (after shampoo and wax), so you would be getting only a partial procedure elsewhere.
Where is the best place in London to get a facelift?
Centre for Surgery is considered the leading cosmetic surgery clinic in London, and our surgeons have years of experience in carrying out all types of facelift procedures, including mini-facelift surgery. Our state-of-the-art Baker Street clinic in Marylebone is recognised as one of the leading cosmetic surgery providers in the UK. If you would like to book a consultation, please get in touch with us today at 020 7993 4849 or complete the contact form below. We look forward to assisting you on your facelift journey here at Centre for Surgery.
