“Hey, Doc. What’s the perfect age to have a facelift?” It’s a common question for plenty of women and men considering the procedure. And the answer might surprise you: There is no single perfect age. Because everyone ages differently, the answer will be different for every person based on personal factors like how quickly your face is aging, how comfortable you are with those age-related changes, and, of course, your personal preferences, lifestyle, and treatment goals.
That said, there are some compelling reasons why having a facelift when you’re in your 40s or even 30s might make sense. Here’s what you should know.
Although most people tend to associated facelift surgery with people in their 50s or 60s, one of the main advantages of having a facelift while you’re younger is that the results can be much more subtle. When you’re younger and your face is displaying some of the earlier signs of aging, a facelift doesn’t involve dramatic lifting and repositioning of the muscles and tissues. The results you get will help you look more youthful — essentially turning back the clock on facial aging but without the dramatic change associated with the major lifting that’s needed when you get older. Many women and men don’t like the idea of having a very dramatic change in their appearance, so having a facelift performed while you’re young — then having routine touch-ups in specific areas as needed — is a really good way to avoid that while still achieving a very natural, more youthful, more energized result.
Another reason to consider a facelift when you're younger: The healing process may be faster and any resulting scars (although already hidden) may be less noticeable since your skin tends to regenerate more rapidly and more completely than it does when you get older. Plus, younger patients tend to require less invasive procedures since the underlying muscle and other tissues haven't experienced as much sagging or loss of natural elasticity. Similarly, when you're younger, your face is still producing ample amounts of collagen and elastin — much more than you have when you're in your 50s and 60s. That means that when your face is gently lifted, your natural collagen and elastin can work with your underlying muscle to retain those youthful contours and fullness. In fact, when you have a facelift in your 30s or 40s, your results may last longer, which means you won't need touch-up procedures as often.
So does that mean if your 30s and 40s are behind you, it might be too late for a facelift? Not at all! As a top facelift surgeon in New York City, Dr. Elliott Rose is skilled in performing the multi-vector facelift technique, which focuses on reversing — literally — the downward “drift” that causes most of the signs of facial aging. In the multi-vector approach, the areas of the face that tend to droop and sag with age — the jawline, cheeks, brows, and eye area — are gently lifted in the opposite direction of gravitational pull. Since each of these areas aging differently, approaching them individually and addressing them independently means you can expect a more natural result based on the amount of aging your face is experiencing.
The bottom line is this: The perfect age for a facelift depends on you — the signs of aging you’re showing, your long-term goals, and even the way your genetics play into your personal aging process. The best way to know if now is the ideal time for a facelift for you is to talk to Dr. Rose and find out about all the options that can help you look your best at any age. To schedule your evaluation and consultation, book an appointment online today.
