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Who Has the Most Risk of Scarring After Surgery? (Age-wise)

I asked a question about facelifts on young people previously, and some answered saying that younger clients scar worst than older clients. However, it would make more sense that an OLDER person would be at more risk of scarring. Therefore, wouldn't it make sense that the younger you are in getting a needed (mid) facelift, the better?

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22 Doctor Answers | Asked by Juliabars in Seattle, WA

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Facelift scarring

Scarring after a facelift results from several different factors. Younger patients have a more intense healing process that can lead to more scarring than older people. Excess tension on the closure can lead to separation of the incisions and widen the scars. Certain racial groups are prone to greater scarring. The use of slowly absorbing sutures can help minimize scarring. The optimal age for a facelift is determined by the patient and the physician. Best... more

Facelift scars

Most facelift scars heal quite nicely regardless of age. Individual scarring tendencies as well as the skill of the surgeon are more important factors in how your scars will heal. Facelift scars typically heal very nicely regardless of age. Proper placement of incisions are also a very important factor in obtaining scars that will be ideal.

Scarring Risk for Surgical Patients

Age, in general, has very little to do with the risk of abnormal or hypertrophic scarring. Genetic background can create the most difference between patients regarding abnormal scarring (meaning is their skin type prone for "over-zealous" scar formation). The area of the body in which the scar is placed is also an important factor. Chest, back, shoulders and other areas of the body where the skin is thick makes visible scarring more probable... more

Scarring after surgery

All higher organisms (that would be you!) heal wounds and incisions with scarring. This is in contrast to some life forms healing with regeneration (starfish come to mind). In general, older patients scar less than younger patients. I'm not sure why, but I'm sure it has to do with inflammation, collagen formation, etc. Older patients make us look really good in the scar department. Their scars fade and flatten out quickly and we can often... more

Scarring after a facelift

In my opinion if you have the aging signs that a facelift will address then you would benefit from the procedure. The procedure leaves behind a scar. In my experience it is very unusual to have a problematic scar after a facelift. The skin of the face usually heals quite well. There are a number of factors which may lead to a problematic scar but age is not one of them in the age group of patients who may have this procedure say 40 - 70. If you apprehensive about... more

Ralph R. Garramone, MD

7 reviews

Fort Myers Plastic Surgeon

Age and Scarring after Facelift Surgery

If you want, need, and would benefit from facelift surgery do it regardless of your age. There are many factors that influence scarring after trauma or surgery, but age does not make a significant difference except in very young children when scarring can be problematic.

Richard W. Fleming, MD

9 reviews

Beverly Hills Facial Plastic Surgeon

www.bevhills.com

Scarring risk after facelift

In general facelift incisions heal very well in anyone when the wound is closued properly and without excess tension. as others have mentioned in some very young patients there may be excess incision scarring, but this is more relavent with children/teenagers rather than someone who's a facelift candidate. I think the take home message is that your age shouldn't be a concern as it relates to your risk for poor incision healing after surgery.

Risks of Scarring - Age Wise - after Surgery

As a general rule older people tend to make better scars and younger people have a tendency to make thicker or more noticeable scars. This is especially true in children. This sounds counterintuitive but if you think of it as younger people just having a more vigorous wound healing process, so much so that the collagen they produce healing a wound can almost go beyond what is necessary, and result in a more visible scar. None of this is really important though when it comes to facelifts.... more

Who Has the Most Risk of Scarring After Surgery? (Age-wise)

I'm not sure who said "younger patients are more prone to scarring" as I completely disagree with that statement. For Face Lifts, I don't believe age has any factor in how well the incision heals. It's more influenced by how tightly the incision is closed, if it's closed in multiple layers and what's used to close the incision.

Facelift scarring in the young and the elderly.

Facelift scarring in the young and the elderly is a moot point. For 35 years I have done facelifts on younger and older patients and have not had scarring issues in either group. Some Asians I have found make a thicker scar.

Toby Mayer, MD

7 reviews

Beverly Hills Facial Plastic Surgeon

www.bevhills.com

There are a reliable group of generalities regarding scarring

All things being equal in an injury or incision: Younger patients scar more than older The darker the patients, the more likely the scar is going to become thick The more tension placed on the areas - the more likely it is to scar Patients who have developed dense scars or keloids elsewhere are likely to heal in the same fashion again Patients who have healed a prior similar area well are even more likely to do well once again with the same incisions. If... more

Nathan Mayl, MD

7 reviews

Fort Lauderdale Plastic Surgeon

Who Scars Worse - children or the elderly?

In general the older you are the less noticeable your scars are. That is because scaring is actually a measure of how well you heal. A child for example heals so well that they make excess collagen and have a more robust blood supply so create a red ropy scar. i.e. the heal "too well". and it can take a year or longer for it to finally calm down. Contrast this with someone in their late 80's. At that age they have thin skin, make collagen slowly with decreased blood supply to... more

Who scars more poorly? Younger or older?

Who scars more poorly? Younger or older? I have had this discussion with many patients. You are correct in the sense that younger people tend to heal faster, more reliably. However, with regard to scarring, it is not so much a matter of whether one will have a scar after surgery (everyone does). It is a question of how perceptible the scar will be. In the vast majority of patients of any age, facelift scars are well camouflaged based on their proper placement and meticulous closure. Younger... more

Scarring after Surgery

In general, the elderly and young children or infants tend to form better scars. Kenneth Hughes, MD Los Angeles, CA

Scarring in Facelifts More Related to Technique

Although older individuals tend to have less noticeable scars than younger patients, the possibility of poor Facelift scars is more closely correlated to technique than age. Most adverse scarring events associated with facelift are related to excessive wound tension at the time of skin closure. This is in turn related to inadequate tension placed on the deeper tissues (SMAS).

Scarring the old and young with face lifts

It has been in my experience that older patients don't scar as robustly as younger patients. But that shouldn't be the determining factor for whether you get a face lift or not. The surgeon should be able to carry out your face lift with minimal scarring. But if you are young you should consider some newer ideas like filling your face in very new and thoughtful ways.

Philip Young, MD

6 reviews

Bellevue Facial Plastic Surgeon

Who will get facelift scars

I don't get many scars in facelifts.It is the same agewise. Some Japanese get broader scar.Awell perfored facelift not too tightly pulled by an expert wll have few scars

Risks in Facelift Scarring

This is a good question as there are multiple factors involved in creating a good scar. Incision placement, wound tension, you personal ability to heal are all contributing factors. Age is also influential as young people have a more robust healing response in comparison to those who are older. This response can produce more prominent scars. Taken together, most individuals who have a facelift procedure have excellent scarring as long as the facelift is performed in a thoughtful and... more

Age and Facelift Scars

Although it may be somewhat intuitive to feel the way you do about older people being at higher risk for scarring from facelift surgery, it is NOT true. There are several factors including skin elasticity, skin type and basic cellular aspects of older skin which makes it more "forgiving". In my practice in New York, I have developed the Quick Recovery facelift (for candidates), which produces a shorter scar as the incision is a lot smaller and does not go to the temple. Because of... more

Facelift Scars

Genetic makeup and surgical approach/skill are more important in regards to scarring than age. Patients of all ages tend to heal well after facelifts.

Well placed face lift scars are almost never a concern.

Hi. 1) I think I can assure you that if you are not happy after a facelift, it won't be because of the scars. They are hidden and they fade. 2) If you are talking about a mid facelift, then there are no scars, because the operation is done through the mouth. see video

Scars don't depend on age

The extent of scarring you will experience after a facelift is more dependent on your genetic tendencies to scar than your age. I have seen beautiful scars in both age groups and have had to revise thick scars as well in both age groups. Don't worry that you may be too young or too old based just on the scars.