Is It Safe for a Woman with Rosacea to Have a Face and Necklift?

In most cases, having Rosacea does not increase your chances of experiencing complications. You should be able to have a facelift or neck lift, but I strongly suggest you consult your surgeon and discuss your concerns prior to surgery.

There should be no major problem with rosacea and a face lift.  A couple of minor issues:


Rosacea makes your skin more vascular so you are at slightly increased risk for bleeding

Rosacea makes your skin more sensitive to healing ointments you may be using

While I personally have never had this problem, I do feel it is something to be concerned with, and as a result, I would have you obtain preop clearance from your dermatologist, stating that this facial surgery is not a risky procedure.

No, as long as you don't have an active skin infection, rosacea does not affect the safety of a facelift. As a matter of fact, the rosacea can be treated with a Laser at the same time as the facelift.

I hope this helps.

Certainly a face and neck lift could be considered in someone with skin like yours.  However, because your skin may be somewhat thin and, perhaps, more fragile than more normal skin, care should be taken to perform any lifting or tightening at a level deep to the skin. 

I believe that this is the most effective method of performing a face and neck lift in all patients to give the most natural final outcome with as little tension on the skin as possible.  In this way, any scars are as well hidden as possible, the skin does not look unnaturally thinned out, and what I refer to as the “wind tunnel” look is easily avoided.

Go ahead and schedule your facelift! It may flare up due to the stress of the surgery, but should subside in no time.

Kind regards, Dr. H

  Certainly, it is safe.  The presence of rosacea (which is so very common) is not at all a contraindication to having face and neck lift surgery.   I hope this puts your mind at ease.  Good luck with your procedure!

Hi there-

Unless your rosacea is an extreme case, there should be no reason it compromises your surgeon's ability to safely perform a facelift for you.

Make sure you communicate your diagnosis and any medications (including topicals) with them.

There should be no issue undergoing facelift surgery with "normal" rosacea - a very common skin disorder. Out-of-control inflammation should be treated first though. I have noted some additional oozing during the surgery. Interestingly, bruising and recovery after surgery is usually not increased.

Facelift surgery is generally safe in the setting of rosacea provided that the inflammation is under control. I would not recommend surgery if topical steroids are being used as these can impair wound healing. Klaron (sodium sulfacetamide) is a prescription strength lotion that can dramatically improve the rosacea - be sure to be guided by a board certified dermatologist to prepare your skin optimally. Then, always seek the expertise of an experienced board certified plastic surgeon for best results. Good luck!