Do facelifts performed in your 30s age poorly?

Great question... and honestly I haven't heard or read anything that supports the claim of an early facelift interfering with aging. Once the skin is manually lifted you will still continue to age. You may want to have another procedure done later in life, but that wont be because you had one now. I think that if after weight loss you have saggy skin that really bothers you its best to just get it fixed. 

Thanks for your question. Early thirties is, in general too early to have a surgical Facelift except when the tissues have become very lax from excessive weight loss. You can have a volume restoration with fat/fillers or a non surgical facelift or even one with minimal scar. You would need to be examined in person to discuss options. Please find an experienced Board certified Plastic surgeon who can examine you and help you with all your concerns. All the best!

A Mini Facelift can usually be an option on most realistic patients anytime after the age of 35-40. It really depends on your anatomy and genetics. It is best to talk to your surgeon because everybody has different techniques and recovery time is usually based on a number of factors. 
If we are just talking about a short scar facelift, this can typically be done in the office under local anesthesia. Usually there are no drains, no outside stitches, and patients can go out in public the same day, although I usually recommend they low for the first couple days. Most of the initial swelling is from the numbing medicine and your body absorbs it within the first 4-6 hours. Obviously the body heals with swelling and inflammation and usually that maxes out at two days and then starts getting better. Most of these patients take no pain medicine and usually feel very comfortable going out in public within a few days.  I usually call my patients the night of surgery and check on them the next day. If everything is fine the next day, I then let them shower and they do not need a dressing over their incisions. They can usually start using make up after a few days.  At the two week check up, I usually have people start working out and then after six weeks they can do whatever they want. 
I routinely tell people to take a few days to a week off work and to hide out but some people are very nervous especially celebrities and I usually tell them to hide out for two weeks. As with any scar on the human body, initially scars are red, hard and raised and it typically takes six months to a year for them to become a soft thin white line. 
Additionally with recovery, there're many things we do to expedite healing such as nerve blocks during surgery, oral supplements, skin care and scar therapy recommendations, lymphatic massage sessions that are included in our pricing.
I strongly feel that it's very important to have an honest conversation with your surgeon about your particular situation, lifestyle, work environment and specifically which procedures you're having done so that you both have the most honest answer about your recovery and are realistic with expectations and results.
Surgery is not for everyone. In today's day and age, there are many nonsurgical options to consider although surgery usually gets the most improvement specifically of the jowls.
I would recommend that you see a board-certified plastic surgeon in your area that is a member of both ASPS & ASAPS and performs a lot of facelifts but also offers all the nonsurgical options such as injectables and laser treatments. Go over your concerns with them and make sure above all, you walk out of there with several options and an idea of the pros and cons to each of them as well as realistic expectations. 
I hope this helps and wish you all the best in your surgery and event. If it does, please take a moment to up vote this answer on the “respond” button on the top right.  

There is a small population of patients who do benefit from face lifting at an earlier age. I am not aware of any good study that has been performed that indicates that an early facelift speeds the aging process, especially after one has had significant weight loss. It could also be argued that for some, creation of scar tissue resulting from a facelift surgery under the skin may slow down the aging process.  As always a good exam would be required by your plastic surgeon to determine if you are a candidate and also to discuss with you implications as you get older. Other variables include the heaviness of your face, the quality of your skin, the muscles of your neck among other factors.

Typically facelift surgery is performed in patients that are in their late 40s and  older.  In certain circumstances a facelift can be performed in patients in their  30s.   Most  commonly this occurs in patients that have significant weight loss or life style and genetics have led to premature aging.  See a qualified facelift specialist with years of experience and see if you are a candidate for the procedure. Less invasive procedures  such as facetite and facial fillers are helpful to correct early signs of facial aging.