How many time in whole life can I have facelift and still look natural?

The best thing about Facelift procedures are that you can have as many as you need.  A typical facelift will last 7-12 years.  But, there are patients who benefit from a "tuck-up" procedure earlier.  A typical Facelift involves tightening and supporting the SMAS layer which will result in a natural and lasting result.  The Lifestyle Lift Company recently closed its doors as a result of poor outcomes secondary to facelifts being performed without proper suspension and tightening of the the SMAS layer.  This is one of the most important and critical aspects of facelifting procedures.Some very reputable facial plastic surgeons have suggested that all patients undergo a "tuck-up" facelift about 12 months after their facelift.  I do not feel this is necessary in most cases.  However, we do agree that certain patients who lack great anatomy, who have poor elasticity, or have significant sun damage do in fact benefit from these minor tuck-up procedures.Facelifts are now commonly performed under local anesthesia so that performing facelifts more frequently is not risky and an be performed safely. 

The unnatural look you are referring to can arise from poor technique on the part of the facial plastic surgeon, a loss of volume in the patient's midface that could be easily corrected by performing a fat graft during surgery, or a psychological affliction such as body dysmorphia that compels the patient to undergo surgery again and again – even though it's not needed.

If you are physically and mentally health, a facelift is a dramatic and very satisfactory anti-aging procedure that can turn back the clock by 10 to 15 years. It should keep you looking younger than your peers for up to a decade or more. After that time, you may opt for another surgery. This can be repeated as long as you are healthy and your skin quality is good. The scars are hidden behind the ears and should not be visible, even with multiple procedures. Many of my repeat patients are in the 70s and 80s. I hope this helps.

A well executed facelift should last many many years. Occasionally a revision needs to be done. Almost never is a third facelift required.

Good question and sure to get a variety of answers. One poorly performed facelift can ruin your whole day and set the stage for more difficult revisions later. However, a good surgeon can do multiple facelifts on a person because they are properly performed. More importantly, it is not necessary to keep repeating the same procedure as there are intermediate procedures which can "tuck-up" the result and reinforce the original result. Find yourself a competent surgeon who you trust and relate well with and follow their advice. Many of my patients have been with me over 30 years and the dialogue between Dr. and patient is critical to good decisions.

The short answer is as many as you feel you need. But the real issue is that it depends on how the facelift was done, and especially on the incision design. Most of the unnatural looks are created by poor incision design and placement. The incision should not cause hair loss (or shifting of the hairline) at the temple/ side-burn area or hair loss of the hairline behind your ears. You never want to have your ear change it's shape or position especially around the earlobe and the area in front of the ear. And you don't want to see visible thick scarring. All of this will make you look altered/ operated, and limit future surgery options. Consult with an experienced facial plastic surgeon and discuss these issues.

As long as a facelift if done correctly the first time, an individual can have multiple facelifts without looking overdone. Once a patient has a result that appears overly done or overly pulled it would be difficult for them to achieve a natural look again. I recommend that an individual begin having anti-aging surgical procedures at an early age or when they first become bothered by a feature that is showing signs of age. This allows patients to maintain an “ageless” appearance without appearing as though they’ve had facial cosmetic surgery. Additionally, as we age our health declines and therefore having surgery earlier in life can create less surgical risk.

A facelift can be done on a patient multiple times. The important thing is to make sure that the person looks natural. The true workhorse worldwide of facelifts is the SMAS based facelift. A facelift that do not address the SMAS is bound to fail early as it does not have the necessary support. It does not matter if it is a full facelift or a mini facelift, make sure that the SMAS is addressed.Then look for before and after pictures of secondary facelift patients (patients that had a facelift before) and see how natural the patient look. Interview the physician and go with the one that gives you the best gut feeling after your research.Hope this helps,Dr. Gustavo A. DiazDouble Board Certyified in Facial Plastic Surgery

Thank you for the excellent question.  Facial rejuvenation including face lift can be performed an indefinite number of times and still maintain a natural result.  An unnatural result can occur in just one face lift procedure if the procedure does not take into account the important aspects of facial rejuvenation.All the best,Dr. Remus Repta

There is no consistant answer to this. Generally with each revision the risk of appearing "over pulled", unnaturally tight or distorted increases.  What happens is each time the skin is pulled back and removed it looses elasticity. Also more fibrosis developes underneath the skin. This contributes to lack of a elasticity of the deeper tissues and the skin also appearing "stuck down". Each time the skin is pulled tighter increases the chance that the ear position can be distorted or the incision around the ears widened. However carefully performed second and even third face lift results do not have to appear unnatural.Around 10 years plus or minus a few years is a typical duration for a facelift maintaining a good result. Of course many factors including the individuals genetics, weight fluctuations and health habits will contribute to the duration of an acceptable result. Fortunately there are many options that's help us avoid the over stretched "Beverly Hills Wind Tunnel" appearance. Nonsurgical skin tightening procedures such as TherniTight can forestall secondary features for years. It has also finally become recognized that maintaining volume in the face is fundamental to not only obtaining an attractive but also youthful appearance. The problem with these procedures is that they require a great deal of finesse, the ability to visualize three dimensionally and artistry to be truly successful.

The short answer is usually 2 maybe 3 facelifts as needed over the course of a lifetime. There are many genetic factors  that are taken to play such as fatty deposits in the neck, inelastic skin, sun exposure, and smoking. The important concept here is to look very natural and not look pulled, tightened, or wind- tunneled.