{"id":27993,"date":"2024-08-02T15:14:07","date_gmt":"2024-08-02T22:14:07","guid":{"rendered":"https://www.realself.com\/news\/?p=27993"},"modified":"2026-04-02T15:35:27","modified_gmt":"2026-04-02T22:35:27","slug":"facelift-myths","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https://www.realself.com\/news\/facelift-myths","title":{"rendered":"5 Facelift Myths Doctors Want You to Stop Believing"},"content":{"rendered":"

America is in its facelift era. The stigma surrounding this cornerstone of facial rejuvenation has all but dissolved, thanks largely to celebs like Kris Jenner<\/a> and Denise Richards debuting fresh faces with enviably natural-looking results.<\/p>

“After a decade plus of fillers, injectables, and other noninvasive options promising to turn back the clock, more patients are turning to modernized and highly tailored surgical options, understanding that these can be the most effective path to their desired look,” says Dr. Renata Khelemsky, a facial plastic surgeon in Brooklyn, New York. There’s a growing awareness that a good facelift doesn’t result in an unnatural, windswept result, as today’s before and after photos<\/a> attest. <\/p>

Despite the facelift’s widespread popularity, there are still many misconceptions out there. Let’s debunk five of the most common facelift myths. <\/p>

1. Facelifts require a lot of downtime<\/h2>

Yes, a facelift is a major surgery, but it doesn’t come with the lengthy recovery<\/a> that many people assume. <\/p>

Patients think they need to block out two months during which they can’t even be around people, and that’s not the case, notes Dr. Carl Truesdale<\/a>, a double board-certified facial plastic surgeon in Beverly Hills, California. There’s downtime, of course, and everyone heals at different rates, but after about two weeks, most people look good enough that they can see their family and friends, he says. <\/p>

Dr. Kimberly Lee, a facial plastic surgeon board-certified in otolaryngology in Beverly Hills, California, agrees, adding that advances in adjunctive therapies that previously weren’t available—homeopathic supplements, hyperbaric chambers—further help accelerate the recovery process. <\/p>

Contrary to popular belief, there’s also not a lot of pain involved post-surgery. Most people experience a feeling of tightness rather than significant pain, notes Dr. Khelemsky, who adds that the discomfort is typically very easily managed.<\/p>

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

2. A facelift is performed on your entire face<\/h2>

People often think that a facelift addresses the entire face, but it doesn’t address the eyes or forehead. That’s why many patients add on<\/a> an endoscopic forehead lift and\/or blepharoplasty<\/a>, for full facial rejuvenation. <\/p>

“A true facelift addresses only the lower third of the face,” Dr. Truesdale explains. Some surgical techniques will also incorporate the cheeks and the neck, he adds, noting that the deep plane facelifts he performs, for example, cover the area from cheekbone to clavicle. Regardless, don’t expect the upper third of your face to be touched. <\/p>

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