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Sagging Skin After Weight-loss at 21. Is a Facelift my Only Option? (photo)

I’m 21 and I’ve been overweight most of my life. I’ve recently dropped 55 lbs over the course of a year. (180, now 125 at 5’2”) I’ve noticed sagging or loose skin and I’m definitely concerned about my face. The sagging became noticeable when my face started slimming about 5 months ago. Should I lose more and my face will firm? Should I look into a facelift or are there other non-surgical ways? Does my skin just need more time and/or a specific care regimen? Facial exercises? Glycolic Peels?

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17 Doctor Answers | Asked by xibluebelleix in Worcester, MA

Doctor Answers (17)
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Facelift after Weight Loss

Losing significant amounts of weight can remove some of the support of the skin in any area. With rapid weight loss, there may be some later redistribution of fat as well. It is always better to wait until your weight is stable for a prolonged period before addressing skin laxity. In a young, healthy individual, it is rare to need to perform a facelift. With time, there will be some recoil of the skin previously stretched out. Enjoy your new healthy... more

Facelift following weight loss

After extensive weight loss, it is important to wait over a year to allow the skin to naturally tighten before any decisions are made. Skin retraction is more likely in younger people and those with thicker skin. Once a stable state is reached, a decision can be made regarding appropriate treatment. In someone young, several alternatives to facelift may be available such as Ulthera, SmartLipo, and laser or chemical peel. In older patients, a facelift and neck lift is frequently necessary... more

Facelift after Massive Weight Loss at 21

From the photo, I would not recommend a facelift. However, fillers or fat grafting to restore some of the volume or help with the tear trough may be appropriate. Find the plastic surgeon with ELITE credentials who performs thousands of procedures each year. Kenneth Hughes, MD Los Angeles, CA

Facial aging in the young

I dont think people in their twenties should be considering facelifts but there are other procedures that make sense young patients with premature aging can consider blepharoplasties, browlifts, fat grafting, fraxil, fillers

Sagging skin after weight loss - need fat grafting

You are a great candidate for facial grafting. At age 21 you should not need a face lift. Find a surgeon with experience in fat grafting - good luck!

Sam Naficy, MD

80 reviews

Seattle Facial Plastic Surgeon

www.seattleface.com

Give your skin time to adjust and Consider Facial Volumizers

It is difficult to imagine that you would be a candidate for a facelift or other surgical methods at your age. Once you have reached your goal weight, allow your skin some time to adjust. Start a medical grade skin care regimine in the meantime to help your skin snap back into shape. Also, drink lots of water to stay hydrated. Quite possibly you may want to consider Scupltra or another injectable filler to add volume to your cheeks to give you a more youthful, rested... more

Ross A. Clevens, MD

25 reviews

Melbourne Facial Plastic Surgeon

www.drclevens.com

An In Office Evaluation is Required

Patients really need to be evaluated in person or at least in pictures before deciding upon procedures. Degree of droopiness and skin quality are very important determining factors.

Methods to try before resorting to a face lift

A facelift is probably not necessary at the age of 21. You should get to your desired weight and then wait a few months to see how your skin adjusts. From there you should start with injectable fillers such as: Sculptra Juvederm possibly injections of your own body fat. A facelift would be a last resort for a 21-year-old and if necessary I would consider a mini-facelift such as the Lite Lift ™.

Sagging Skin After Weight-loss at 21. Is a Facelift my Only Option?

Since fat loss during weight loss cannot be directed at one area or another, it is hard to predict what more weight loss will do to your facial appearance. At your age I would suggest getting to your desired weight and then letting things settle in for a few months prior to deciding what to do. At your age I think that non-surgical options like Sculptra should be considered first though, versus a surgical procedure

Sagging Skin After Weight-loss at 21. Is a Facelift my Only Option?

IMHO, no Face Lift is required at 21 and this seems to be supported by the photo. The photo, in my aesthetic opinion, shows excess fat in the lower face, flat cheeks, thin lips, wide nasal tip and lower eyelid fat bags. Of all of these, the most important aesthetically to create a youthful, more attractive face would be cheek and lip augmentation. You could start using a filler like Perlane to augment the cheeks and Juvederm to the lips and at... more

Facelift after weight loss

Facelift after weight loss: at your age you may get some contraction of the skin fillers are probably the best place to start. sculpta, radiesse, juvederm ultimately fat grafts

Facelift after weight loss

At your age your skin will contract and tighten on its own to a significant degree. You may notice loss of fullness in the mid cheek just under the lower eyelid. This relative flattening may respond well to the use of injectable fillers like juvederm or Restylane or possible Sculptra to add volume very specifically to where it has been lost after weight loss. In addition, if you actually have some skin laxity that does not improve with time a minimally invasive skin tightening... more

Ralph R. Garramone, MD

7 reviews

Fort Myers Plastic Surgeon

Do NEED a Facelift after Large Weight Loss?

You are young and have great skin. I would continue to lose weight in a healthy fashion. Ultimately, having a normal weight will be a MUCH better asset than a tight face. Once your weight is stable and are healthy you will have some rebound and tightening of your skin. More tightening can be achieved with noninvasive methods such as Sciton's SkinTyte or Laser skin resurfacing such as Sciton ProFractional Treatment. I would delay proposing a Facelift to some of your age and skin for at... more

Facelift can be an option after weight loss

With very significant weight loss there can be laxity in the cheek and neck, and for some facelift is a very good option. Given your young age and better potential for skin elasticity to take hold facelift may not be for you however, and non surgical options might be better. Best of luck, peterejohnsonmd.com

Facelift at age 21 ?? (photo)

You are to be sincerely congratulated and commended for losing the extra weight, and hopefully, you'll be able to keep it off. A smile will instantly lift your face, which is why so many surgeons post photos of their post surgical facelift patients smiling. I don't see sagging in your face or neck at all. Your upper lid marginal reflex distance is lower than normal, and you have about 1 mm scleral show beneath your corneoscleral limbus and lower eyelid-cheek... more

No, a facelift is not your only option.

Thank you for your question. Congratulations on losing weight and I appreciate your courage in reaching out for professional advice. From the photo you sent I can tell that you are unhappy with the loose skin you have right now. It may help you to know that there is a good chance that this is temporary. After your weight has stabilized, that is, not going up or down by more than 5 pounds, I recommend you wait a full 12 months before having any procedures done. If after... more

You have your youth on your side!

Now that surgical weight loss procedures are more common there is more attention being paid to the changes associated with this weight loss. With significant weight loss fat is lost everywhere. There are some areas that are more diet resistant than others but we loose fat everywhere. I think you can expect some skin contraction over time. Maybe up to a year or so. Personally I would be reluctant to perform a facelift now because of your age and because your weight is not really... more