What percentage of facelifts need a revision?

It is uncommon to have a facelift revision.  However minor changes such as a fold of skin or raised area can be addressed and up to 5% of the cases.The the minor procedures which can be easily done under local anesthesia only without any significant down time.Regards Dr. J

Revision is used for such a wide variety of reasons that it would be very difficult to give you meaningful answer. Most of the revisions after face lift are minor, done in local anesthesia with a minimal additional cost like facility fee, etc. Mayor revisions that require twilight anesthesia and extensive time are nor frequently seen in established practices. Hope this helps.

Even in the best facelifts it seems that there are some imperfections. A small scar there or a little looseness here are inevitable. Minor revisions that can be done under local anesthesia are typically simple fir the surgeon. The need to redo most of the facelift is unusual  and may require general anesthesia and these are much less common. We get asked all the time whether charging again, even if just anesthesia and operating room fees, is typical. I charge fir some but if I can perform the surgery with minimal expense I often do it at no cost. It really depends on the surgeon policy but can be done on a case by case basis, which is what I do.

hello,It is great that you are asking this question !  The term 'facelift' has many component parts and some components have a higher 'touch up'  or 'revision' rate.  So, it is somewhat hard to answer this question. But let me give you some ideas...The best thing to do is ask the surgeon's office who you consulted with to explain the 'revision' or 'touch' up policy for the procedure you were quoted for.  Generally speaking most surgeons offer 'revisions' at a fractional cost of what the original surgery was.  A large part of the 'revision cost' depends on whether it will require sedation or whether it could be done locally (like the dentist office).In my practice, brow lifts, lower facelifts, and  mid facelifts rarely , if ever, have the need for a revision.  The procedures which do at a very low rate may require a 'touch up' are Fat Transfer to face, and sometimes the Lip Lift to achieve the most ideal symmetry.    Generally speaking my facial procedure revisions are all local procedures (comparable to going to the dentist) where the patient is charged a flat total rate (generally around $750 total) , and this amount is noted in our  office literature in advance of the original surgery.If your revision requires IV sedation , we normally charge the regular fees for the OR and anesthesia (as these are fixed costs) , but my professional fee is discounted to $500/hr. In some instances, my professional fee is waived, if there is some unusual circumstance.Hope this helps!Ricardo L Rodriguez, MDBaltimore, Maryland

Hi Zibaroo, 
There isn't a clear answer to this question, as each surgeon will have their own rate of needing to do some revision work. Because patients seek revisions for many reasons, it is difficult to generalize this number broadly. Similarly, each surgeon has a different policy about the cost of additional work after you've already had a procedure done. I'd suggest that if you've already undergone a facelift and are considering a revision that you speak to your original surgeon to clarify the policy regarding fees for additional work. If you are considering surgery and haven't had anything done yet then ask your surgeon about his or her personal revision rate and clarify the policy for revisions. Generally speaking most surgeons are very up front about this sort of thing. Good luck!

Facelift revisions are not uncommon and there is no clear percentage of having the risk to undergo revision yet. Usually, however, revisions are only minor and should only involve minimal cost and downtime. Complications after surgery is a case to case basis and should be discussed with your board certified plastic surgeon as he/she will now your condition best.

Your question is a good one but cannot be accurately answered online. First, the better the facelift surgeon and the more you stay away from mini procedures and do the "real" ones, the less the revision rates. Second, the more you strictly follow postop instructions, the lower the revision rates. Third, the better your tissues and the less prior procedures you have had, the lower the revision rates. Fourth, the less sun damage and weight fluctucations you have had, the lower the revision rates. Fees will vary widely and need to be discussed with individual surgeons.