Facelift revision surgery (aka a secondary facelift or rhytidectomy) is performed for a variety of reasons. This type of facial plastic surgery can:Â
According to Dr. Jill Hessler, a board-certified facial plastic surgeon in Palo Alto, California, common reasons people request revision facelifts include:Â
Related: 5 Signs of a Botched Facelift
Doctors on RealSelf say you should wait at least one year after the original facelift before considering revision surgery. This allows the tissues to fully heal, swelling to resolve, and any scar tissue to mature, which makes it easier for your facial plastic surgeon to evaluate your concerns and make the appropriate treatment plan to address them.
“When having a revision, you want to minimize the risks as much as possible. Sometimes waiting a little longer means a reduced risk of problems,” says Dr. Amir Nakhdjevini, a plastic surgeon in Royal Tunbridge Wells, England.
Don’t worry that a second facelift will somehow be “too much” for your face. “Women can have multiple facelifts over a lifetime without issue—as long as they’ve chosen a good plastic surgeon and have had the proper technique performed,” says Niles, Illinois, plastic surgeon Dr. Sam Speron.Â
That being said, having a series of facelifts does increase your risk of a distorted appearance. Choose a highly experienced, board-certified plastic surgeon or facial plastic surgeon to perform any revision procedure.
Pros
Cons
The price you pay will depend on your surgeon’s level of experience, their practice location, the extent of your procedure, and the type of anesthesia you receive. The most experienced, in-demand facial plastic surgeons often charge upwards of $60,000 for revision facelift surgery.
If you’re comfortable returning to your original surgeon to fix complications from your prior facelift (that aren’t due to you not following aftercare instructions), they may reduce or waive their surgical fees. Your surgeon should have reviewed their policy on revisions with you prior to your original surgery.
The facelift revision photos in our gallery have been shared by the provider who performed the procedure, with the patient's consent.
There can be benefits to returning to your first surgeon for your revision, especially if you were happy with the results of your first facelift for many years and just need a bit of a refresh.Â
Even if you aren’t pleased with your results, it can be useful to start by getting the opinion of your original surgeon. “Discuss your concerns with your surgeon and ask them what they perceive about your results, since they have your preoperative photographs,” says Jacksonville, Florida, facial plastic surgeon Dr. Scott Trimas. Ask your surgeon to print your before and after photos so you can both review the images and come up with a plan to improve your results.Â
One RealSelf reviewer reported that not only did her original plastic surgeon address her concerns without charge, but “he even fixed a few little blips that he didn’t like that I hadn’t noticed.”Â
Related: What Should You Do If You Don’t See the Results You Want Post-Procedure?
If you’re not comfortable returning to your original surgeon or they’re not responsive to your concerns, ask the office for your records, so your new surgeon can review them.
When choosing a surgeon to perform a secondary facelift, look for a board-certified plastic or facial plastic surgeon who has vast experience performing revision facelifts, with an extensive before and after photo gallery to show for it.Â
“Ask how many facelift surgical procedures they do in a week, a month, or a day,” Dr. Hessler advises. “You want a surgeon who is not racing through to complete multiple surgeries in a day, but you also want a surgeon in which the majority of their practice is facelifts.”Â
“Most of the time, revision plastic surgeries require a greater degree of precision than the original procedures, simply because they necessitate an understanding of how the tissues have already been altered and affected by previous surgeries,” explains Dr. Paul Nassif, a facial plastic surgeon in Beverly Hills, California. “Care must be taken not to disrupt the underlying structures of the face in a way that would result in excessive scarring, issues with the nervous or lymphatic systems, or undesired aesthetic results.”
There’s no single best surgical technique or treatment plan for a secondary facelift. Your treatment plan will depend on your concerns, goals, and budget, as well as your surgeon’s recommendations and technique.Â
Facial plastic surgeons commonly revise SMAS facelifts that failed to adequately address the midface or jowls. In such cases, a deep plane lift is typically performed under general anesthesia or IV sedation. The surgeon will go under the SMAS layer to release key ligaments and reposition fallen tissues before trimming away excess skin.Â
Expect your recovery to be as long (or longer) than that which followed your primary facelift.Â
If your primary facelift results—your jawline and neck—have held up well, but you’re seeing other age-related changes that bother you, ancillary surgical or nonsurgical procedures may give you the results you’re after.Â
To avoid disappointment, discuss all your concerns with your plastic surgeon to determine if—and to what degree—they can realistically be addressed.
Updated October 16, 2023