#6 The surgery is too dangerous.

Facelifts performed correctly, meticulously and combined with the other procedures such as facial filling and eyelid surgery, are time consuming. Most masters of the facelift procedure do not schedule more than one patient per day. The main risk of this surgery can be immediate post operative bruise formation, which if too large may require return to the operating room for suture removal and rinse out of the bruise. This risk is avoided by being off of blood thinners and ensuring any hypertension is well controlled prior to surgery. Otherwise this is a low risk surgery which can be safely performed on patients of all ages.

#7 I don’t want to be vain. I need to accept my age.

This is a comment I hear frequently from people who do not need facelift surgery (20-40 year olds!!) or who have had it but don’t want anyone to know (Hollywood stars who have their own skin care line!!!!). If you are a candidate for a facelift, you are someone who has experienced a resettling of skin and tissue of your face into areas which have made you look not like yourself, or that have given you a permanent scowl, tired appearance, or overweight appearance. I find most of my patients very much want to look like themselves and this is why they seek facelift surgery. I also find that most of my patients are if anything proud of their age, they simply do not want to look unhealthy.

#8 “quick lifts” are better.

Substitute surgeries such as “quick lifts” and “string lifts” are marketed to appear relatively fast, simple and inexpensive when compared to surgical face lifts.  However, these procedures cannot offer you the same natural appearing, safe and long lasting results.  They often result in facial asymmetries, unnatural facial muscle movement and an overall failure to achieve the intended results, often after only a few weeks.  I am often asked to perform corrective surgery on patients who received quick or string lift surgery from surgeons who market and specialize in those procedures.  Unfortunately, as with most things in life, there is no easy path to success and your facial appearance is too important to be placed at unnecessary risk.

#9 I only need my neck done.

Except in rare circumstances, aging changes to the neck can’t be significantly improved without being performed in connection with a face lift.  And, because excellent neck contouring can be the most impactful result of a face lift, It is very important that your surgeon intends to include your neck as part of your face lift surgery.  In short, you need to think of your neck as part of your face.

#10 I am too old for a facelift.

No you are not!  I get asked a lot about what the best timing is for facelift surgery. The best way to answer this, is when you get to the point where you dislike your jowls, or eyelid bags, or loose neck, or facial wrinkles enough that you think about it every day, then it’s time. The only way surgery can be really successful is to be sure you really would appreciate your results. Once you reach the point of disliking your facial appearance on a daily basis, you are ready!