What Are the Pros and Cons of a Face Lift?

Starting with the cons: You will need to put your life "on hold" for about 2 weeks while you are healing. This takes some planning for most people to be out of the public eye for this period of time. Secondly, it can be expensive depending on what combination of procedures you have done. Third, you could end up with an "overdone" look, so be very careful in picking your surgeon.

Now looking at the pros: The first most obvious is the feeling of a new lease on life, rolling the clock back 10 or more years is the main motivation. A popular comment at the time of consultation is, "I want to look as young as I feel".  Another popular reason these days is feeling more competitive in a youth driven job market. The boost in self esteem helps many gain the confidence needed to seek reemployment.

A facelift can help when the main issue is loose skin and deeper tissue descent in the lower face and neck. The potential benefits are a sharper jawline, less jowling, improved neck contour, and a more durable result than non-surgical tightening when laxity is significant.

The tradeoffs are surgery, anesthesia, recovery time, scars around the ears and hairline, swelling, bruising, and risks such as bleeding, infection, nerve irritation, asymmetry, or scar concerns. A consultation should clarify whether the problem is skin laxity, volume loss, or surface aging, because each requires a different plan.

When a facelift is performed by an expert facelift surgeon on a good surgical candidate the results can dramatically enhance ones beauty.   The procedure is the most powerful tool in facial rejuvenation.   The cons include recovery time and rare surgical complication.    

A nicely done facelift can look absolutely great.  These are among my happiest patients.  But it is surgery which does involve some risks, including scars, bleeding and infection.  If you go to a reputable, experienced surgeon, the risks are low.  Also check out the surgeon's work and serif the work looks natural.  Good luck!

There’s definitely pros and cons
associated with facelift surgery. 
For this reason, it’s not unusual for patients to spend significant
amounts of time evaluating this issue.

Facelift surgery is the most
powerful tool that’s available for treating facial aging.  The procedure has the ability to remove
excess skin and reposition sagging skin. 
The results of this procedure can be dramatic. It’s safe to say that no
other therapeutic intervention has this type of impact.  In addition, compared to other anti-aging
maneuvers the procedure has a relatively long duration.

In contrast, it’s important to
remember that it’s a major surgical procedure, that has a
lengthy recovery, significant costs, scarring and the potential for
complications.

Despite this, most patients are
extremely happy with the results of this procedure and describe it as a life
changing experience.

Pros - Look like you feel, more self confidence,  make you feel like "you're back !"

Cons - Face Lifts are real surgery and as such like most things in life (like driving for example) there are real risks - The risks are too numerous to list if you want to consider the uncommon and rare ones but things like excessive bruising or hematoma (blood clot under skin that may need to be removed), damage to nerves, and wound healing problems especially if you are a smoker or have high blood pressure not controlled.

The key to minimizing these risks is picking the right surgeon. To do so focus on the skill and experience of the surgeon. Always check out his/her before and after photos and ask to see long term results and most of all that he is trained and a board certified plastic surgeon.

Let's consider the downside first: expense and recovery time, and fear of looking overdone and fake. Advanced techniques have really minimized recovery time, and a more natural look is the norm these days. The benefits of a facelift are that it does what no nonsurgical procedure does to restore a more youthful and healthy appearance. The key is to think of it as a 3-dimensional operation, rather than simply pulled and tightened skin.

The facelift procedure is one of the most dramatic procedures an individual can undergo, it helps to restore the basic balance to the aging face, by softening the jowls and redefining the neck line.

The cons are it needs to be performed in a fully licensed and accredited surgery center, not a back room. This is important to reduce chances of infection, and manage potential complications such as bleeding.

Choose your doctor carefully, they should specialize in the face. Ask to see their patient photos to make sure their aesthetic or look is what you are looking for. I prefer a natural look, some doctors like a pulled dramatic look.

Pros:


Provides excellent rejuvenation of the lower part of the face and upper neck, shaving 10+ years off one's appearance

Incisions can be well disguised and almost invisible

Safe when done by the right person with the right training and in the right situation

Healing time that is not too too long, 7-14 days

Not painful

Totally natural appearance when done by the right surgeon (look at lots of before and after photos to make sure your goal for natural look is the same as the surgeons)


Cons:


Cost

Recovery time, 7-14 days

Unsafe when done by an improperly trained surgeon (stick with a facial plastic or plastic surgeon)

Can leave an unnatural, wind-swept look when done improperly (look at their before and after photos)

When performed well, this procedure can address so many of the stigmata of aging with lasting results.  I feel it is a better rejuvenation tool and investment than repeated fillers.  The down side is that it requires a skilled physician to deliver natural looking results.  No one ever want to see a broad scar in front of the ear and a pulled tight look.  The obvious downside also is that this is your face. Every millimeter counts.  It's also not unusual to have numbness for a prolonged period following surgery.

Good luck!