I am 36 years old. Do I need a facelift? (Photo)

Thank you for your question. At your age, you are probably too young for facelift surgeon. Try and find an experienced surgeon in your area who can assess the benefits of a non-surgical facelift with fillers (injectables). While they are not a direct replacement for surgery, when done effectively, they can provide a lifted appearance which may help significantly. 

If you feel that your face does not reflect how young you feel inside, you may be a candidate for a facelift. During your #consultation, your skin texture and elasticity, as well as your underlying skin structure and your facial bone structure will be evaluated. Based on this evaluation, your board certified plastic surgeons will create a custom surgical plan, detailing specific techniques and recommendations to meet your goals. In doing so, he or she should be sure to have a full understanding of what results you expect. If you are not a #candidate, your surgeon can make other suggestions to address your concerns and objectives.However, if you learn that you are a candidate, this may be helpful. Patients who desire facial rejuvenation that is affordable, quick, and effective should consider the Lite-lift™. Like the Life-Style™ facelift, this is a modified facelift that can be performed in the office with a local anesthetic and improve signs of aging around the neck, jawbone and lower face. These procedures are not "Thread-lifts" or "String-lifts". We do not use the "barbed" sutures employed in these other lifting operations. The Lite-lift™ uses longer lasting techniques that are discussed below. Because the incisions are limited, there is less bruising, swelling and healing time for most patients. Many patients can be back to work in one to two weeks looking rested and more youthful.The best candidates for #LiteLift are patients 35-60 years old with early changes of the lower face and the neck. Older patients who cannot or do not wish to have a longer operation or general anesthetic can be improved with a Lite Lift™.Lite Lift™ surgery is individualized for each patient. The best candidates for Lite Lift™ surgery have a face and neck line beginning to sag, but whose skin has elasticity and whose bone structure is well defined and do not smoke.

I’m a cosmetic surgeon certified by the American Board of Cosmetic
Surgery and I’ve been in practice for over 20 years. I’m also a specialist in
oculofacial plastic surgery and have been practicing in Manhattan and Long
Island during this time. Face lifting and facial rejuvenation surgery is
something I do a lot.



I would first ask you if your appearance at age of 36 is a significant
change from when you were 34 or 35. Basically, I try to dissuade patients in
your age group from having very invasive procedures like facelifts. Most of the
time, when we evaluate patients in your age group, the skin just doesn’t move.
A combination of lesser invasive procedures that have some value would be
appropriate for you. We also have to make sure that there haven’t been any
physical, medical or emotional stresses in your life that can be affecting your
appearance. Lifestyle factors are things that I always establish before we
discuss procedures.



There are certainly many options to help you look a little better.
Looking at your upper eyelids, there’s a role of addressing the perception of
the brow and the forehead sagging by maybe reducing the upper eyelid skin with
a conservative upper eyelid blepharoplasty. There may even be some benefit in
doing a Botox® brow lift. This is using Botox® in a way to raise the brows a
little. When it comes to areas like the outer corners of the mouth or the
mesolabial folds, there are times when we do filler to help soften harsh or
strong expressions. There are certainly a lot of different options.



In addition, we also ask for the elements of your facial appearance
that you are unhappy with, or aggravated or accelerated by genetics, medical,
or other life-related issues. Ultimately, you have to come up with a plan that
is practical for you but avoiding surgery is probably a first priority for now.
There are certainly a lot of different options out there for people in your age
group without going towards facelift. The youngest patient I did facelift on
was 37-years-old, but this patient had a very thin face and a very loose skin.
It was a genetic trait and so we did a very limited facelift. It’s not the type
of lift that I would do in a 67-year-old.



I suggest that you meet with qualified experienced cosmetic surgeons,
discuss your options and then prioritize them so that you can intelligently and
strategically do things that you won’ t later regret. Meet with a doctor who’s
going to spend a lot of time with you and whom you are comfortable with. I
spend a lot of time with my patients and I want to learn about their lifestyle.
There’s so much to health, fitness and wellbeing that have be factored in when
we think of the success of any cosmetic procedure. It all has to work together.
I hope that was helpful, I wish you the best of luck, and thank you for your
question.



This personalized
video answer to your question is posted on RealSelf and on YouTube. To provide
you with a personal and expert response, we use the image(s) you submitted on
RealSelf in the video, but with respect to your privacy, we only show the body
feature in question so you are not personally identifiable. If you prefer not
to have your video question visible on YouTube, please contact us.