Facelift 43 Years Old?

Thanks for your question.  The timing of a facelift is not dependent on someone's age but rather the features of the face.  If the cheeks have begun to droop, the jowls have appeared, and the neck has developed loose skin with lack of contour then a facelift may be indicated even if someone is in their early 40s.  There are different types of facelifts however.  There isn't one surgery which is a facelift.  Some facelift procedures are more involved than others and the more involved ones typically take longer and provide for a more dramatic improvement.  In a younger patient however the most aggressive facelifts typically aren't needed.  A mini-lift with SMAS plication may be all that is needed to give a nice improvement with minimal scarring.  This often gives a nice change which allows for more graceful aging and since it is a less involved procedure has a quicker recovery.  Good luck.

    There are a few experts in facelift who take more than 6 hours in a facelift, and their results are excellent.   A facelift with upper and lower eyelids would take me 2.5 hours in the average person. 

You are probably on the young side of the spectrum for a facelift but this may however be appropriate in your case. Typically the procedures you describe would take 3-4 hours to perform at one sitting. Speak to your surgeon again to clarify the surgical plan and consider a second opinion if you are unsure. Attached here is a video that talks about what a facelift can and cannot do. 

There are different types of facelifts available, and the best procedure for a patient really depends on their needs. Photos would help to provide you with the best advice. At 43 years of age, and based on the description you provided, you appear to be a candidate for a less invasive facelift. A procedure like this will not typically last the length of time you mentioned. I would recommend speaking with your surgeon about this further prior to having any surgery, and seek another opinion if necessary. 

Operating times will vary, and really depend on your individual circumstances, but a facelift with upper and lower eyelid surgery does not generally last 8.5 hours. This is especially the case with a younger patient who does not appear to have many issues. Time in surgery can vary depending on:

1) Complexity of your particular case
2) Amount of work that is necessary to reach the pre-established goals of the surgeon and patient

Did your surgeon give you a rundown of what would be performed during surgery that would cause it to last that long? If you are not comfortable with the information you received, I would recommend seeking a second opinion. I hope this helps and good luck!

At your age, you may be a candidate for a facelift.  People age very differently so it is difficult to give you an opinion based on your age alone.  Facelifts that are done with a SMAS technique, which in my opinion gives the most natural and lasting results, will take the amount of time you have been told.  You should consider that while a smaller procedure, such as a minilift, could provide some improvement, the results may not be as significant or long lasting.

 

 

Dear calgal87,


Since we cannot tell because there are no photographs, you may just want to get a second opinion

It is not too uncommon to have a facelift in your forties and patient satisfaction is higher when facelifting is done earlier, but you need to be an appropriate candidate


Best regards,

Nima Shemirani

Yes, it's certainly possible that you might benefit from a facelift in your forties.  But it's hard to tell from your description, and without the benefit of either photos or an in-person exam whether there might be other, less invasive methods for you - fillers, resurfacing, mini-facelift, just to name a few...


If you have questions about this surgeon's approach, a second opinion might be in order.

Everyone ages a little differently. Some of the best results are in younger women. If there is really looseness in either the skin or the support beneath the skin, facelift surgery might well be the right solution. Seven hours might be a little long but if your surgeon can give you the results you are looking for, the extra time is worth it. Get some other opinions until you are confident. That's also worth the extra time. Good luck.

There can be a lot of variation from surgeon to surgeon in the length of time a procedure can take.  And I would not say that the faster surgeon would necessarily give you better results.  Having said that, I do think that 8 1/2 hours is on the long side to complete a facelift and upper and lower blepharoplasty.  I would recommend getting another opinion, just so that you have some options.