Why is it taboo to get a face lift under 40? If there is skin to lift, why not?

Hello and thank you for your question. Certainly there are risks with any procedure, even dermal fillers- but the risks of more involved and invasive procedures like surgery are significantly greater. The surgery itself imposes risks- there can be damage to tissues (skin, muscle), surrounding structures (e.g. nerves and blood vessels), decreased/absent sensation to certain areas of the face, weakness or even paralysis to certain facial muscles, wound healing issues, infection, asymmetries, and abnormal scar formation. Not only are there risks from the surgery itself, but there are risks from anesthesia too. And surgery itself imposes physiologic stress on the body so you have to be healthy and optimized to undergo surgery.
All these risks must be weighed against the potential benefits for each surgery. Given that most people would receive a more significant benefit from these facial rejuvenation procedures when they are older compared to when they are younger, generally the benefits for these procedures make surgery more justified in patients over 40 years old, compared to getting them done sooner when the risks outweigh the minimal benefits.
Of course every patient is different and every surgeon is different, so things must be considered on a case by case basis to see what is the most appropriate for your particular situation. I hope this helps!
Best wishes,
Dr. Donald Groves
Plastic Surgeon

A facelift in a younger patient isn’t taboo, as much as it is typically not needed in younger patients who don’t have the skin excess to warrant the surgical recovery and scars (although hidden). Still, in patients that have enough skin laxity/excess which can be genetic, or related to weight loss, a facelift is definitely an option on a younger patient. I think that it is somewhat taboo, simply because traditionally most facelift surgeons would tell a patient to wait or seek non-surgical options first.

There is no age limit when face lift should be performed. Most of our patients seek this type of surgery in their late forties and mid fifties. However, it is possible that a younger age person may have benefit od face/neck lift; other less agressive procedure like may also be considered. This is best to discuss with a board certified plastic surgeon with good reputation in face/neck lift.

There is no one ideal age at which to have a facelift. The criteria that should be met include anatomical aging changes such as looseness/sagging of skin and facial soft tissue, that is a real problem for the patient. And the surgeon must feel that surgery will achieve a nice, noticeable improvement. Just because the patient complains of something, if the surgeon doesn't feel there is enough looseness to make a reasonable improvement, then surgery isn't warranted. Another aspect is the patient's perspective on dealing with aging changes. At a younger age, you can have less invasive, smaller procedures to improve early aging changes and maintain your appearance with subtle improvements along the way. This approach involves different procedures every few years. Some patient like that approach, while others wait until they have developed more advanced aging signs and have a more comprehensive surgery to turn the clock back quite a bit.

It’s nit taboo to do a facelift under 40, it’s just that very few patients really get any benefit from it. Consider the expense, scars, and risks and it’s overall not a great idea. I’ve seen some facelifts done on younger people and they look terrible. That’s because the good surgeons refuse to do them and they end up going to someone who dies a poor job

Hi, sarac22! Thank you for your question.
Some of the procedures you mentioned are for rejuvenation, while some are for beautification. For example, a lower face lift is to go back in time. A brow lift or mid-face lift is more of a beautification process, helping with some rejuvenation. That is the reason why we do not recommend every operation at any age. In lower face lift there is usually scars in front of ears, which will be more visible in younger patients. In midface lifting, we usually utilize the endoscopic technique, where the scars are hidden in the hair bearing scalp. To evaluate better, you can send us your photos.