Why do some women have a pulled look to their eyes after a Facelift?

Facial plastic surgery should always natural and be unnoticeable except for giving the patient a more radiant, rested and healthy appearance. A pulled look to the eyes is completely unacceptable and will not happen if the facial plastic surgeon is well trained, experienced, and an expert in facial anatomy and aesthetics. Don't let the bad effects of poorly performed surgery dissuade you from getting the procedures you need to feel better about yourself. The women around you who look amazing and yet seem to have had no work done at all could very well be examples of expertly performed facelifts and mini lifts. Please research and find the most skilled facial plastic surgeon to help you.

The pulled eye appearance usually occurs when a mid face lift is performed with the lower face lift. I am not a big fan of mid face lifts for this reason and prefer to improve the area by adding volume rather than physically lift the mid face, as it has repercussions to the surrounding structures such as the eyes. Other times, other procedures such as a lower eyelid blepharoplasty is also performed with the facelift. Some surgeons use techniques that alter the outside corners of the eyes while performing the lower eyelid surgery and this can also result in the look you are referring to. 
My advice is to review the befores and afters of your surgeons facelifts, make sure they do plenty of facelifts surgeries, ask to speak to patients and review your surgeons credentials and reviews. 

You ask a very perceptive question. Unfortunately, many patients have a pulled look around their eyes or a windswept look in the lower face following facelift surgery. The pulled look around the eyes comes from a midface lift in which the cheeks are pulled up too much, or from lower lid blepharoplasty in which the lower eyelid is tightened too much (or both). A lower facelift, which addresses the neck and jowls, can result in a windswept look or tightness around the mouth if the deeper layers are not adequately released and then pulled with stitches. Since the jowls are more mobile than the area of the nasolabial folds and midface area, the facelift results in uneven tension and a distortion of the natural appearance. 
Alternatively, especially when a patient has had more than one facelift, excessive tension on the skin can produce tightness, primarily around the mouth. Ideally, the deeper layers should be adequately released, resulting in even tension, and the skin should simply be redraped in a snug, but not tight fashion.

Ultimately, the skill of the surgeon is more critical than the technique. Consider experience, before-and-after pictures, patient reviews, and word of mouth reputation when choosing your surgeon. 


In my experience of performing 2,000 facelifts, I’ve found patients can invariably keep the surgery secret from colleagues, friends, and even close family if they choose, once the recovery process has progressed. It generally takes 2 weeks to comfortably return to work.

The key to an expertly performed facelift is to make it look natural, without the tell-tale signs of surgery.  There are many details that need to be taken into account when your surgeon is planning his or her approach, such as the condition of your skin, presence and direction of any skin wrinkles, the direction of muscle laxity, the amount of volume loss, and the change in position of your facial volume to name a few.  A facelift should be tailored to each patient's unique aging pattern.  It's best to discuss these concerns prior to your procedure. The surgeon that you have chosen should be able to explain how and why your results will look natural with the approach that's been planned. 

A pulled look after facelift is never acceptable.  In the several thousand of these procedures that I have personally performed,  I always side on the natural look vs the operated look.  The goal is to allow the individual to look more attractive and well-rested but not identifiable as a surgical patient!Patients need to seek out a physician with board certification and copious experience.Best of luck!