In general, a facelift can last seven to ten years. For those who want or need a facelift in their late 40's the results typically last longer than the average since those individuals have greater elasticity and strength to their skin and supporting structures. Those results can last 15 to 20 years.
Once you reach the 50's, typically your results will last about ten years. In your 60's the results are closer to the average of 7 to 10 years. In your 70's, I would only count on about 5 years.
Other factors that affect the longevity of a lift include rapid weight gains or loss, illness, stress, smoking and sun damage. Minimizing those variables can lead to a greater duration of improvement.
Finally, the reason why some patients appear overpulled is to minimize the chance of relaxation and for about three years until the skin sufficiently relaxes, the improvement from a facelift lasts longer. However, personally I would rather have some relaxation in my patients and avoid the overpulled or wind tunnel effect.
