22yo with loose skin on face after weight loss, should I have a facelift? (photos)

Question

Last year I've lost around 10kg due to stress and an extremely poor diet. I've now noticed that I have extra skin on my lower face which seems to be sagging and making my face appear more square and older. Even when applying moisturizer I can feel the excess skin on my face rolling under my fingers. I’m 164cm and dropped from 54kg to 47kg over the course of a few months. I have recently started gaining back weight (since January or so) and now weight 52kg. However, I feel like my skin

Scott C. Lindsay, DO · Answer

Thanks for your question. You are far too young for this kind of procedure. Some good skin care, lasers, microneedling, etc will go a long way for you. Good luck!

Jonathan Kulbersh, MD · Answer

Hello, and thank you for your question. While you do appear to have loose skin, your signs of aging and degree of skin laxity are too mild to make you a candidate for a facelift. With your concerns, you may already benefit from skin tightening treatments, courtesy of laser and energy devices, including Profound RF (microneedling combined with RF energy). You may also consider a PDO thread lift (uses dissolvable sutures to lift tissue and tighten skin for a noticeably younger appearance). A combination of Botox and dermal fillers can also tighten and lift the skin, enhancing your facial contours and creating a non-surgical facelift. I recommend scheduling an in-person consultation with a reputable board-certified facial plastic surgeon. Your surgeon can assess your skin quality and facial profile, recommend the best treatment or combination of treatments, and ensure the best possible results.

Michele A. Shermak, MD · Answer

Hello!
There are well defined anatomical fat compartments in the face. With weight loss, those compartments deflate and can result in laxity. This process occurs normally with aging too, so younger patients feel like they look prematurely older after weight loss. 
You have options! I would say that filler would be a good start to reconstituting the fat compartments. You can use fillers like Restylane Contour or Allergan Voluma to fill and lift the cheek, which also secondarily can improve adjacent areas. Fat is another excellent option, and the fat stem cell effect may be helpful with your complexion.
You can consider a mini lift of the face which can be done under local anesthesia with limited incision around the ears.
I would recommend you see a board certified plastic surgeon. You can find one at plasticsurgery.org.
Best of luck to you!

Warren Schutte, MD · Answer

Hello, it appears from your photos that although you may have some excess skin following your weight loss, you are not a candidate for facelift at this point. Maybe years down the road you will be a better candidate but for now I would recommend focusing your efforts on skin protection and skin quality. Wear sunscreen everyday look into skin treatments that boost collagen production and lead to thicker healthier skin (treatments such as CO2 laser, Lutronic's Genius RF microneedling and LaseMD).

Jorge Espinosa, MD · Answer

The age for having a facelift surgery depends on each patient if you want to come for a consultation we can look at your case and define if you are a good candidate for this kind of surgery

22yo with loose skin on face after weight loss, should I have a facelift? (photos)

Answers (5)

Answer: Loose skin after weight loss

Answer: Loose skin after weight loss

Answer: Facelift surgery depends on each patient

Answer: Facelift surgery depends on each patient

Recommended reading

Everything you need to know about Facelift

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

22yo with loose skin on face after weight loss, should I have a facelift? (photos)

Answers (5)

Answer: Loose skin after weight loss

Answer: Loose skin after weight loss

Answer: Facelift surgery depends on each patient

Answer: Facelift surgery depends on each patient

Browse related questions

Recommended reading

Everything you need to know about Facelift

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