How many years can one look younger with a facelift?

Generally a face lift can take 10-12 years off of a patients appearance. Regarding Hollywood stars looking much younger than their actual ages, this can be attributed to a number of factors. Consider that these stars have not been progressively aging and then they have a facelift and BAM, they look 30 years younger. There are many factors  that may have helped these stars continue to look young. Maintaining a healthy weight and not yo-young on the scale. Staying out of the sun and wearing good sunscreen when outdoors. Not smoking. Not drinking. Healthy diet. Plenty of exercise. Starting a good skin care regimen at a young age. Then comes the surgery and fillers. Botox, Juvederm, face lift, neck lift, brow lift and eye lift are all tools in the plastic surgeons tool box. These tools can help turn back the clock. We have all seen examples of disasters when these tools have been overused or used by untrained or inexperienced doctors. But when these tools are used properly, the result can be wonderful!

Modern SMAS facelifts are designed to take facial shape and skin tone back towards how they were before the ageing process caused the face to sag excessively. This is usually around 8 – 12 years of rejuvenation in treated areas. This means that if you are 50, it helps you return to the appearance of say 40 years of age in treated areas and the final result still appears age-appropriate for your decade of life. Naturally the ageing process does continue, however sun protection, good skin care and a healthy lifestyle should reduce the development of future ageing changes. A further benefit of modern SMAS deep support techniques is that they slow the ageing process in the treated area so, although the surgery cannot ‘stop the clock’, you should age slower than your friends.

This is a great question, because it is very frequently asked in my practie.  However, the answer isn't straight forward, because the primary goal of a facelift is to make you look better.  In certain circumstances, where a patient looks prematurely aged (see the link below), a facelift can take away 20 years or more.  In discussing results with my patients, a typical response is that they feel more confident about their appearance in photos, and in public.  Although I cannot comment on what procedures a particular celebrity did or didn't have, their appearances are most likely attributable to great genetics, a healthy lifestyle, and possibly aesthetic procedures. 

I tell patients that after a facelift, when combined with volume restoration with fat transfer, skin resurfacing if necessary, and eyelid surgery if necessary, they can reliably turn back the clock about ten years. In some patients with minimal sun damage or skin wrinkling and excellent skin elasticity, the rejuvenation effect can be even greater. Genetics play an important factor, as well, and patients who address aging changes early will cumulatively have greater effects over time than the patient who waits until the aging changes are more pronounced. The surgical techniques and the aesthetic sense of the surgeon make a big difference. For every Christie Brinkley, there are numerous examples of celebrities who unfortunately look “done”.

A well-done facelift will take off about 10 to 20 years from your face while still looking natural and appropriate. Celebrities who are able to age gracefully generally are blessed with good bone structure and skin, plus spend a great deal of time and money to maintain it. In addition to finding facial plastic surgeons with expertise in aesthetics, they use skin resurfacing techniques such as lasers, ultrasound and chemical peels, plus well-placed fillers and Botox. You can find plastic surgery professionals with the same level of expertise as those the stars use throughout all areas of the country. For instance, I studied with some of the top facial plastic surgeons in the world in Beverly Hills, but I practice in North Carolina. I hope this helps.

This questions is very difficult to answer but the best way to answer it is to say that first the patient will look better because aging normally changes  aour look to not attractive and lack of energy, second able the patient will look more dramatically younger if has age prematurely and more tissues are involve.

A well done facelift that includes peri-orbital rejuvenation (brow lift etc) and fat grafting will dramatically 'de-age' the face without a tight or 'done' appearance. There are a variety of facelift techniques available, but in general, a more extensive procedure (not a 'quick' lift or 'mini' facelift) will deliver a more stable result over time.

Thank you for your great question. I typically tell patients they should expect to look roughly 10 years younger. This being said I also have patients that look significantly younger after their face lift. You should find a board certified plastic surgeon in your area who is a member of ASPS and ASAPS. You should also find someone who specializes in facial rejuvenation procedures. When considering a face lift you need to look at facial rejuvenation overall. Some patients need a face lift alone, others need fat transferred to restore volume that has been lost with aging. Additional procedures such as laser resurfacing can reduce the fine lines and wrinkles, improve tone and texture and give the skin a more youthful appearance. Some patients need their eyes done as well. It takes an experienced surgeon who can look at the face and determine which combination of procedures should be performed to deliver youthful and beautiful results.



Once you have the facial rejuvenation procedures, you need to protect that investment and maintain it. Broad band light treatments quarterly will lift pigment and stimulate collagen is a great option. Botox and fillers as well as a great skincare program including Retin A and a good sunscreen are also important to maintain your results.





There are several factors involved including the age of the patient, quality of skin, sun exposure and more. Not all patients are the same and not all patients get the same results. Find someone who will design an individualized plan that will achieve your desired goals.

Aging is a multifactorial process.  Both environment and genetics influence how well people age.  It is true that surgery can roll back the years but proper skin care, diet, avoidance of toxins, play an important if not a more important role in keeping one youthful.  No secrets. Just common sense and a good surgeon.  Best wishes, Dr. T. 

While there is no real specific answer, most would agree that you would probably look 5 to 10 years younger after the procedure. Each person is different. The younger you are when you undergo the procedure, the less dramatic the result — but it will be a longer-lasting result. Your elastic fibers would be better than someone who is older, and your result will be more resilient than someone older. And the exact opposite is true as well: The older you are, the more dramatic your results will be — but they will not last as long. Spending more money does not mean that you will look better. You have seen many celebrities who have spent fortunes on their faces and have horrendous results. It is important that you choose a surgeon who will provide you with natural results that will not look like you had "bad surgery." Plastic surgeons are like magicians: You can’t figure out the secret of a trick if it is done well, and the same is true with good cosmetic surgery.