Will losing 20lb affect my deep plane facelift results?

Question

Will losing 20 pounds (10 kilos) affect my deep plane facelift results? My surgeon said my face will look even better if I get fitter after the surgery but now I have seen comments that losing more than 10 pounds will affect the results. I have 20 extra pounds and haven’t been able to lose them due to back problems. I was planning to start losing them after I heal from the facelift but am I carrying too much extra weight? I’m not obese, my bmi is normal atm, though.

Hakim Said, MD, FACS · Answer

Hi Joan, 
This is a great question about timing surgery with weight loss. Of course, the ideal situation is to reach a stable ideal weight and stay there for a while before surgery. The tricky part is sometimes knowing when you have reached a stable point, especially since many people cycle in a range all the time, and that is normal. I like to tell people that 20 lbs or less of weight fluctuation has a modest to minimal impact on tightness. More than that (like 30# or more) will start to require a revision to retighten a surgical result. That threshold really depends on age and skin elasticity and genetic factors. I have seen patients spring back after more weight loss than that and still look good, but 20# is a point where most people will still look fine. Also you never know if this is actually your new stable weight, and you might be waiting forever for the number to get lower than that. So, if you are within 20# of your goal, I would say you are basically ready for surgery, and unlikely to mess it up even with a little more weight loss. Go for it!
Hope that helps!

Jeffrey H. Spiegel, MD · Answer

If you are a small person where losing 20 lbs is significant, then it may matter a lot.  It also depends upon your age. A young, larger person could lose 20 lbs and look better. An older or small person will lose 20 lbs and the face will now look less tight and some wrinkles could return. It is best to be close to your preferred weight at the time of surgery, but if you are not, there are other variables to consider!

Brian M. Harmych, MD, FACS · Answer

Deep plane facelift results can be affected by weight loss since weight loss would cause a decrease in facial fat volume. However, weight loss will affect deep plane facelift results less than traditional facelift or SMAS facelift. If your BMI is normal, you may not need to worry about this as much.

Daniel J. Gould, MD, PhD · Answer

Weight loss before surgery is a good idea, in fact it will dramatically improve your recovery and it will improve your ultimate results at the ideal weight you ultimately maintain.

Georgios Orfaniotis MD, FRCS(Plast) · Answer

It depends. When it comes to facelift surgery, loosing weight is not as important as it is in other breast and body procedures. On the other hand losing 10 kilos may still have an impact on some facial areas. Some people may lose facial volume, which can be easily replaced by fat grafting- something that may have not been part of the original planning when you were 10kg heavier. Every face is unique and you may fall into this category where the face remains unchanged despite weight loss. In my opinion however, for optimal results, all cosmetic surgery should be planned and performed when patients are close to their ideal weight. Best wishes

Will losing 20lb affect my deep plane facelift results?

Answers (8)

Answer: Definitely should lose weight before

Answer: Definitely should lose weight before

Answer: Losing weight after Facelift

Answer: Losing weight after Facelift

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Will losing 20lb affect my deep plane facelift results?

Answers (8)

Answer: Definitely should lose weight before

Answer: Definitely should lose weight before

Answer: Losing weight after Facelift

Answer: Losing weight after Facelift

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Recommended reading

Everything you need to know about Deep Plane Facelift

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.