Skin-only facelift in early 30's?

Question

I've consulted with a few surgeons & they agree that I have some premature aging with enough skin laxity to be a candidate for an endoscopic/ponytail facelift. However, I've read about the scarring that can occur from repositioning the tissues underneath the skin, further making future lifts more difficult. (I intend to have multiple lifts done in my life, I'm not a filler fan) Can a skin-only facelift be beneficial for young patients who don't want the invasiveness but want that snatched look?

Lexie Wang, MD · Answer

Hi tlc. I would not recommend doing a skin only facelift for several reasons- (1) it'll make you look really fake and stretched , (2) it is only likely to create more laxity down the line with results probably only lasting a few years and thus probably not worth your money, (3) if you're worried about dissection causing scarring for future lifts, this will still involve dissection so it doesn't really help you avoid the problem. Have you tried any of the other skin tightening procedures (like microneedling/RF)? Or you could also consider fat grafting instead of filler?

Michelle Lee, MD · Answer

Great question! 
I don't recommend a skin-only facelift. When the tension of the lift is on the skin it can cause a very unnatural, "pulled" look. Additionally, these lifts typically do not last. I often see patients seeking another surgery shortly after. On the other hand, in a deep-plane facelift where the underlying tissues are lifted/repositioned and the skin is gently "re-draped" on top, it can achieve a very natural looking lift and typically lasts significantly longer. 
I hope this helps!

Stephen Prendiville, MD · Answer

A skin only facelift is not a great procedure at any age.  In fact, the worst thing to do in facial rejuvenation is to agree to a poorly performed or premature procedure.  It is rare for someone in their 30's to have indications for any type of facelift procedure, so be careful out there.

Andrew Miller, MD · Answer

In general, a facelift (of any kind) is not done for skin laxity. It's done for descent of deeper tissues and the skin just comes along for the ride. In your early 30's, I doubt that there is a lot of deeper tissue falling yet. For skin that is looser, it's better to work on skin rejuvenation techniques including peels, Fraxel, etc., because pulling on the skin with a lift is only going to give problems over time.

Jacob Tower, MD · Answer

Hello, hope you are well. In my practice it is very rare for someone of your age to be a candidate for a facelift (of any type). The reason is that skin-only facelifts have poor longevity and relatively high potential for unsightly scarring. Nowadays, we have better minimally invasive treatment modalities for early aging with bipolar RF and microneedling. You may want to consider these other options (Morpheus8 and/or FaceTite, for example), before committing to a facelift.
Best,Dr. Tower

Jeffrey M. Darrow, MD · Answer

You have the benefit of having strong, elastic skin when you were in your 30s. A small amount of skin laxity can be corrected with a mini lift without any treatment of the deeper layers.  This would enable you to gain an improvement while minimizing the invasiveness of your surgery. This can most likely be performed under local anesthesia if you are amenable to it. In the future, when the deeper layers tend to relax,  then you would benefit from tightening of that deeper layer, in addition to smoothing the skin over the top of it to maintain that “snatched” look you seek.  Best wishes.

Ronald J. Edelson, MD · Answer

I’ve done a few facelifts on women in their 30s but for the vast majority it is too young. Endoscopic facelifts do nothing and a skin only facelift will have scars that might not be worth it

William Portuese, MD · Answer

Much more information is needed to make sure you're a candidate for a facelift procedure. Please Post a full set of facial and neck photographs from all angles in a chin neutral position to make a better determination. If you only want hey skin only facelift, you're basically performing a pre-1973 style face lift. It's very important tighten the fascia layers and muscle layers underneath The skin, so that there's no tension on the skin itself which results in a very minimally detectable incision.

Mats Hagstrom, MD (license on probation) · Answer

Without including pictures, we can’t make an assessment. Without an assessment, we can’t give you quality recommendations.
I’m guessing if you have premature facial aging, an underlying problem is most likely related to bone structure.
Soft tissue problems tend to follow, skeletal issues.
I see no reason why somebody would not include SMAS tightening in conjunction with a facelift if the dissection is already going to be performed.
Either do a facelift and do it right or wait until the time is correct.
Quality facial aesthetics is some thing not all plastic Surgeons have mastered and seeking out senior top providers is definitely worthwhile.
Facelift are not that common on individuals under the age of 40. I was in my mid 40s when I had my facelift. I was also extremely selective of who I wanted to do the procedure. The surgeon I chose was about to retire, and I wanted to have the procedure done by that provider and jumped the gun a bit because of it. I have no regrets about having a facelift and brow lift but then again I had the honor of having Bruce Connell MD do my procedure.
Best,
Mats Hagstrom, MD

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