What's the Maximum Number of Facelifts You Can Have?

There is no set maximum number of facelifts that
a person can have; instead, how many facelifts can be performed while still
retaining a natural appearance depends solely on the individual and will vary
due to a number of factors, including when they first had a surgical facelift,
skin quality, and surgeon technique. Generally, a facelift lasts for around 7
to 10 years, depending on how well you take care of your skin afterward,
genetics, and lifestyle. No facelift is permanent, because the aging process
continues to happen no matter what cosmetic procedures you have done. Facelifts
are also not the only means of rejuvenating the appearance; some people may
find that non-surgical procedures such as Botox, fillers, or laser resurfacing
can help extend the life of their facelift or help push back the age that they
have their first facelift at. Instead of worrying about how many facelifts you
can have, concentrate on getting the highest quality facelift possible that is
tailored to your unique concerns, and remember to always visit a
board-certified facial plastic surgeon for your facelift surgery.

As long as the facelift is modified for the pattern of aging in each person's face it should always look natural regardless of how many have been performed. It is also possible to perform a facelift on someone who was made to look unnatural by a previous facelift and make them look better. Just because someone has a facelift, it does not prevent them from being able to have another one at some point in their lives. After a facelift, the results should be permanent when performed correctly, however, aging will continue. The patient will age from a new set point. Regardless of whether or not another facelift is performed in a patient's lifetime, they should always look better after the first one than if they never had it done, even 20 years later. It should be 10-20 years before another surgical treatment may be in the treatment plan, however, this will also depend on the patient's goals, genetics, lifestyle, health, environment, etc.   Theoretically, there is no limit on the number of facelifts that someone can have. It should be in the treatment plan if it will address whatever component of aging is visible at that time. Each time it's done, the plan and vectors of tightening will have to be different. There will likely be less skin removal with each subsequent facelift. 

Patients who
undergo facelift procedures continue to age because of the unrelenting effects
of gravity. For this reason, it’s not unusual for patients who undergo facelift
surgery to request additional facial rejuvenation at a later date. Although
there’s no absolute maximum number of times a facelift can be performed, most
surgeons agree that 3 to 4 times is the upper limit.No two patients are ever the same.
The management of redundant facial skin varies from patient to patient and
depends on multiple variables. The decision to perform multiple facelift
procedures depends on the patients specific anatomic findings and unique
aesthetic goals. It’s therefore important to tailor surgical rejuvenation to
the individual patient. In some patients, one facelift will address their
aesthetic needs for a life time, while other patients may require multiple
procedures to satisfy their needs. Each facelift removes additional
skin and subcutaneous tissue. For this reason, patients who undergo facelifts
can develop an unnatural appearance. In some cases their skin can appear
stretched and windblown. Patients considering secondary
facelift procedures should consult a board certified plastic surgeon with experience
in this area. This surgeon should be able to formulate a treatment plan that
not only helps them look younger but natural as well.

You can have as many facelifts as you'd like, as long as they're suitable for you and can address the concerns you have. However, one properly done should be enough!

There really is no given answer as to the amount of face lifts that you can have during your lifetime. It really depends upon the type of face lifts that were done, the quality of your skin, and various techniques that might also be used. Generally we tell our patients the facelift should last about seven years. Obviously the patient who seeks a facelift for the first time at age  45 has a very different sense of aesthetics than that of the patient who seeks her first facelift at the age of 70. What also helps is the reason introduction and popularization restoring volume to the face with the injections of fat as opposed to just pulling thinner skin tighter. This will also help extend the life of a facelift.

The amount of laxity in the skin and soft tissue would determine when a patient would have their first Facelift, more so than age. Many have had their first in the 40's. A good Facelift usually lasts 8 to 10 years, or more with good skin care and avoiding over exposure of the sun. So it is possible to have 3 or 4 in a lifetime, if the patient is in good health. But it is very important to choose a qualified Board Certified plastic surgeon that will advise you for your personal situation, as this is a very individual procedure, with many factors to consider. You do not want the "over done" look we have all seen that many celebrities end up with. In their quest to stay youthful for the camera, they have convinced their surgeon to do much more than they should have.

The real question is how many facelifts should you consider having? It really depends on not only facial aging, but also the type of procedure that you had initially. Having a secondary “re-do” facelift needs to be done so you can have natural results based upon pre-operative analysis of your aging process to prevent or correct facial distortion. Of course, if the patient has facial distortion from a previous facelift it can be more difficult to correct. You see this in Hollywood movie stars and famous personalities that have had several facelifts and have facial distortion and asymmetry. Truly, our profession is not portrayed well by these types of patients because we are truly into “face protection” not “witness protection” programs and we should perform our facial rejuvenation surgery to prevent such problems.

There is not a maximum number of facelifts a patient can have.  The limits of whether a patient can have a facelift is in laxity in soft tissues of the face.  

There really is no limit as to the number of facelifts that you can have.  As long as you need one, you should be fine and get a good result.  When a facelift is not really needed and a facelift is performed anyway is when people get a look that appears "fake."  Signs that a facelift is necessary include prominent nasolabial folds, significant jowling, and excess hanging skin of the neck.

There really is no answer to this question that applies to all people. Some people have one lift and do well for the rest of their lives. Other people, see to need facelifts more often. It is a combination of the surgical technique, the patient's genetics and environmental factors.