How Do I Maintain the Tightness of my Facelift a Year Later?

Question

I had a SMAS facelift 2 years ago. My face went from being very tight to somewhat lax in a year. Disappointed with the 12k I spent. My ps did not tell me it would loosen this fast. After a year I had a mini tuck with skin removal. Skin was tight and cheeks were real high. It's been a year since the mini tuck and my skin has loosened up AGAIN and my cheeks sag. I am so disappointed. How do celebrities keep that tight skin (ie: Cher)? How often can I have a mini tuck to keep my skin tight?

Larry S. Nichter, MD, MS, FACS · Answer

The longevity of your facelift depends on a few key factors - the health of your skin (elasticity, sun damage, nicotine use, heredity, age, etc) and the skill of your surgeon. To maintain your results most likely requires skin care maintenance and fillers. Here is what you should know:

	You age by three factors - sagging (through gravity and time), loss of volume (counteracted by fillers), and skin texture (determined by environmental and genetic factors). Your fillers should maintain and enhance your effect of a facelift if placed appropriately by addressing one of the causes of aging..

	Facelift and Skin resurfacing procedures (laser, Ulthera or Thermage ) and fillers are synergistic so as long as you wait until the Sculptra injection site is soft you should do fine. Not a problem and there is no problem with the timing for a facelift. Sculptra, Radiesse, Jeuvederm, Restylane and other fillers address volume issues, resurfacing procedures corrects surface flaws associated with aging and face lifting addresses the sagging loose skin. Resurfacing procedures address skin texture, color variation (e.g. sun spots)- so all three are synergistic and complementary. It is very common in my practice to do all three approaches to rejuvenation at the same time.

Benjamin C. Marcus, MD · Answer

Hi

	There are multiple elements that determine how long a lift lasts:

	1. How old you are at the time of the left. If you are in your late sixties it will loosen up much faster than if you have the procedure at 51

	 

	2. Exposure- patients who smoke or get lots of sun will see results fade faster 

	 

	3. Technique used- some techniques such as the deep plane facelift do last longer

	 

	 4. bad luck- some patients tend to develop laxity no matter what we do. Even in these cases if you look at before and after photos I am sure you still look much improved 

	 

	Folks who need have any laxity are often getting small tuck or may simply have a better genetic hand dealtj to them

Steven L. Ringler, MD, FACS · Answer

Thank you for your question. Many patients experience relaxation of the facial skin following a facelift. The skin will relax to varying degrees depending on the patients skin quality. Having more surgery is not always the best option, because it can distort the facial contours and look un-natural. Keep in mind that the quality of the skin plays a major role here, so anything you can do non-surgically to improve the skin quality will help. This would include skin care products, radio-frequency or ultrasound treatment, chemical peels or laser peels. You should discuss these options with your surgeon. Good luck.

Evan Ransom, MD, FACS · Answer

Thank you for the great question. Facelift results and longevity will vary based on a number of factors, including your specific tissue characteristics (elasticity, sun damage, amount of fat, etc.) and the specific techniques used in the operation. Not all facelifts are created equal, and not every technique is suitable for every patient. Facelifts that primarily lift the skin, with maybe some suturing in the SMAS layer, will have a shorter lifespan than deeper techniques. Should you decide to go forward with another procedure, I would recommend seeing a handful of surgeons to discuss what could be done differently (e.g., a deep plane facelift) or the use of non-invasive tightening strategies for a few years before pursuing more surgery. Best of luck!

Kenneth Hughes, MD · Answer

Facelift maintenance usually needs to be done every 2 to 7 years depending upon patient demands and patient constitution.  I would try to resist the urge to touch up the facelift every year.  The face always swells following the facelift, and the swelling helps to make for a more youthful look for the first 6 weeks or so.  Fat grafting can be performed to allow for the volume improvement to be permanent.

Babak Azizzadeh, MD · Answer

You may consider doing Ulthera annually. You may have poor elasticity that predisposes you to persistent laxity.  Because I am unaware of the method that your surgeon used to perform a facelift, it is difficult to know how the SMAS was treated. If you are losing trust of your plastic surgeon, get a second opinion from a facelift specialist.

How Do I Maintain the Tightness of my Facelift a Year Later?

Answers (12)

Answer: Facelift Techniques and Tuck-up Rates

Answer: Facelift Techniques and Tuck-up Rates

Answer: Facelift Maintenance

Answer: Facelift Maintenance

Answer: Maintaining Face Tightness

Answer: Maintaining Face Tightness

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Everything you need to know about SMAS Facelift

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How Do I Maintain the Tightness of my Facelift a Year Later?

Answers (12)

Answer: Facelift Techniques and Tuck-up Rates

Answer: Facelift Techniques and Tuck-up Rates

Answer: Facelift Maintenance

Answer: Facelift Maintenance

Answer: Maintaining Face Tightness

Answer: Maintaining Face Tightness

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Recommended reading

Everything you need to know about SMAS Facelift

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