Pinpointing a specific answer to the question of how much younger you will look after a facelift isn’t possible. Each person ages differently, and your facelift results will depend on your age at the time of your surgery, the quality of your skin tone, how much excess skin you have, your genetics, and more. Still, you can look at facelift before and after pictures and see how much younger patients look after surgery.
Quantifying How Much Younger You’ll Look
A study conducted several years ago concluded that patients felt they looked about 12 years younger after combining facelift surgery with other rejuvenation procedures.
Those findings are in line with my experience as a board-certified plastic surgeon who’s been performing facial plastic surgery for more than 20 years, beginning during a plastic surgery residency at Stanford University.
Some of the leading plastic surgeons in the U.S. concur. Responding to questions from potential facelift patients on the RealSelf website, they agree that the results of a facelift (when combined with other procedures, such as a neck lift or eyelid surgery) can turn back the clock about 10 years.
Factors That Affect How Young You’ll Look After Facelift Surgery
There are some things to keep in mind when considering how young you’ll appear after getting a facelift. Genetics play an important role, too, and patients who address aging changes early will cumulatively have greater effects over time than the patient who waits until the aging changes are more pronounced. The techniques used and the aesthetic sense of the plastic surgeon also make a difference.
Looking Younger Isn’t Your Only Benefit
Looking younger is the goal most patients describe when asked about why they want to get a facelift. But in my experience, a facelift isn’t so much about turning back the clock as it is about feeling confident and refreshed. That’s what I tell my patients they can expect, and that’s what I seek to deliver.
“Plastic surgery is about transforming perspective as much as appearance. It’s about much more than making faces more youthful-looking, breasts larger, or tummies smaller. On a deeper level, plastic surgery grows confidence and eases the frustration of seeing an exterior that does not match your internal sense of self.”
Unexpected Facelift Benefits
Many patients also enjoy other, often unexpected benefits after their facelift surgery, including a boost in how others perceive them. A 2017 study found that people rated men and women who had facelift surgery as being more attractive, more successful, and healthier.
Men get a boost in other traits too. Men who had facial plastic surgery, including facelift, eyelid surgery, and neck lift surgery, were perceived as being more likeable, trustworthy, and masculine after surgery, according to a 2019 study.
Hear about the latest research when you request a consultation online with Dr. Bogdan or Dr. Cason. You can also call us at (817) 442-1236 to schedule an appointment.