{"id":11188,"date":"2019-10-04T14:13:24","date_gmt":"2019-10-04T21:13:24","guid":{"rendered":"https://www.realself.com\/news\/?p=11188"},"modified":"2023-10-12T10:05:15","modified_gmt":"2023-10-12T17:05:15","slug":"signs-good-candidate-facelift","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https://www.realself.com\/news\/signs-good-candidate-facelift","title":{"rendered":"5 Signs You\u2019re a Good Candidate for a Facelift\u2014and 4 Signs You\u2019re Not"},"content":{"rendered":"

This article has been medically reviewed for accuracy by New York board-certified facial plastic surgeon, Dr. Dilip Madnani<\/a> on September 9, 2020.<\/em><\/p>

If there’s one guarantee in life, it’s that we’re all getting older. Neurotoxins<\/a>, fillers<\/a> and lasers<\/a> can stave off the signs of aging for years, but sometimes those line smoothers and volume boosters just don’t turn back the clock as far as we’d like them to. And unfortunately, no number of pricey lotions or extensive skincare routines will erase the most telling sign of aging: sagging skin<\/a>. <\/p>

As we grow older, the skin slackens as fat and muscle underneath it breaks down. The result? Drooping cheeks, a sagging jawline, and the dreaded turkey neck<\/a>. For many who experience this kind of facial laxity, surgery—specifically, a facelift<\/a>—becomes an appealing option, and about 121,531 people<\/a> chose this face-firming alternative in the United States in 2018.<\/p>

For those interested in becoming one of the thousands of people who have undergone a facelift, it’s always recommended to consult with a board-certified plastic surgeon in order to definitively know whether you’re ready for this kind of cosmetic surgery. However, there are<\/em> a few indicators you can look for on your own in order to determine if you’re a potential candidate for a facelift. Here, we tap three top doctors for the five signs that you may be ready to go under the knife and the four signs that you’re not.<\/p>

Interested in facelift?<\/small><\/div>Find Doctors Near You<\/a><\/div>

You’re a good candidate for a facelift …<\/strong><\/h2>

If you have sagging jowls<\/strong><\/h3>

No surprise here, but the most significant sign that a facelift may be ideal for you is when skin along the jawline droops. “You can tell somebody is a good candidate for a facelift when they have loose and sagging skin around their neck and on the sides of their face,” explains Dr. John Tutela<\/a>, a plastic surgeon in Livingston, New Jersey. “Sometimes this will obscure their jawline, and [the area] where the corners of their mouth meets their jaw often [sags].” This loose, hanging skin along the bottom of the mouth and jawline is a major complaint for most pre-operative facelift patients, and it’s corrected during surgery. <\/p>

If your “neck bands” become prominent<\/strong><\/h3>

If the thick bands running up and down your neck—called the platysma muscle—appear loose, are clearly visible and hang down drastically, surgery may be recommended. According to Dr. Tutela, seeing platysma muscles as one or two discrete bands along your neck as well as a loss in the sharpness between your jaw and neck is a sign that a facelift (often in conjunction with a neck lift<\/a>) could be beneficial. <\/p>

If you can smooth your skin by pulling back on it<\/strong><\/h3>

We’ve all watched our grandmothers or mothers tug back the loose skin on their face to imitate a tighter, more youthful look. And now, if sagging skin plagues you, you may be doing it yourself. It turns out, this is actually a helpful way to tell if you would benefit from a facelift. “A good rule of thumb is to gently pull up and back on one’s skin with fingers placed right in front of one’s ears,” says Beverly Hills, California, plastic surgeon Dr. Sarmela Sunder.<\/a> “If improvement in the jawline can be achieved with that maneuver, then the individual may be a good candidate for a facelift.”<\/p>

It’s valuable to note, however, that even if the skin is sagging significantly, it’s important that your complexion itself is in good condition before heading in for a facelift. After all, it could make a big difference in the outcome of your surgery. <\/strong>“Patients who have significant sun damage don’t typically have great results with a facelift alone and would do better with the combination of a facelift and some sort of resurfacing procedure to address the sun damage,” says Dr. Sunder. Since sun damage can manifest itself in the form of fine lines, wrinkles<\/a> and pigmentation<\/a>, many patients with subpar-quality skin cannot address all their complexion’s needs with just a facelift on its own.<\/p>

If you frequently need filler to maintain your look<\/strong><\/h3>

If other methods, like injectables, just aren’t cutting it when it comes to the kind of youthful appearance you’re going for, you probably need to take your anti-aging routine to the next level. NYC facial plastic surgeon Dr. Matthew White<\/a> claims that “[if] you need multiple syringes of fillers every six months to maintain [the desired] effect—which can be costly—or if you have tried other noninvasive treatments and they were not effective,” scheduling a facelift consult is advised.<\/p>

There is also a point where fillers stop giving desired results. If you feel that fillers are not working anymore, you may have hit a critical point in the natural aging process where minimally invasive or non invasive options are no longer producing adequate rejuvenation.<\/p>

If you pass the “ligament look-down” test<\/strong><\/h3>

Ligaments, the connective tissues that build our face shape (as well as hold together our other body parts!), typically stretch and droop as we get older. To get an idea of how drastically your ligaments have stretched out, simply do the “ligament look-down” test. “[This] involves taking a photo of yourself looking down at your lap and comparing it to a picture taken from above,” says Dr. White. To do this at home, start by standing and bending at the waist. While in this position, take a selfie looking directly into your camera. Return upright and bend your head and neck backward, looking up to the sky, and take another photo of yourself. Compare the two photos: if they look the same, a facelift isn’t recommended. But if looking upward significantly changes your facial shape in comparison to when you’re looking down, then a facelift to tighten the appearance of the ligaments might be best.<\/p>

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