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A 47-year-old female asked:
What is latest age for good results from first facelift? is it worth the risk then?
32 doctor answers • 49 doctors weighed in
Dr. Caryl Mussendenanswered
Obstetrics and Gynecology 48 years experience
FACELIFT AGE LIMIT?: This is a questions that cannot be answered based on age. A person's face and skin needs to be evaluated by a plastic surgeon who can make this assessment. If you have the interest, get 2 opinions. Make sure you see that physician's before and after pictures. There may be non surgical methods as well that can improve your skin.
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6.2k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Dr. Mike Bowmananswered
ENT and Head and Neck Surgery 21 years experience
Health over age: There isn't an age limit...General health concerns are more important than age. I might not offer an procedure to a 50 year with overall poor health. Conversely, a patient in their 70's with good health and realistic expectations would be a great candidate. A consultation with a qualified facial plastic surgeon will get you recommendations to achieve your goals. Best wishes!
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6.2k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
1 comment
Dr. Robert Buchanan commented
Plastic Surgery 54 years experience
I have done a facelift on a lady in her upper 80's who was in excellent health. She did excellently and loved the results. She married a younger man a few years later.
Oct 6, 2013
Dr. Frederick Covilleanswered
Plastic Surgery 41 years experience
You're never too old: Facelift surgery, if appropriate for you, has a lot to do with your overall health and the quality of your skin. The potential risk from the surgery itself is small relative to other types of surgery, and a facelift can always be done under local anesthesia. However, the older you get, more attention should be directed at getting your skin healthy first, then adding any surgery - better results.
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6.2k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
Dr. Jeffrey Pollardanswered
ENT and Head and Neck Surgery 23 years experience
No limits!: If you are in good health then you may be a candidate for a facelift. The results will depend on your anatomy and the quality of your skin. Ancillary procedures may help to augment a lift and also improve skin quality at the same time. Make sure you have realistic expectations and discuss the predicted outcome with your surgeon. Options exist for anesthesia so be informed about that as well.
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6.2k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Dr. Jeffrey Pollardanswered
ENT and Head and Neck Surgery 23 years experience
No Limits!: If you are in good health then you may be a candidate for a facelift. The results will depend on your anatomy and the quality of your skin. Ancillary procedures may help to augment a lift and also improve skin quality at the same time. Make sure you have realistic expectations and discuss the predicted outcome with your surgeon. Options exist for anesthesia so be informed about that as well.
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6.2k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Dr. Tito Vasquezanswered
Plastic Surgery 27 years experience
None: Overall health and personal expectations are better indicators than age alone. There seems to be a greater trend toward having facelifts earlier in life than waiting until you are older. Depending on the the particular aging problems, it may be reasonable to address these with less risky types of facelift that provide dramatic results nonetheless.
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6.2k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Dr. Mike Bowman commented
ENT and Head and Neck Surgery 21 years experience
hopefully it improved your skin, in which case it will afford a better facelift outcome.
Nov 22, 2011
Dr. Frederick Coville commented
Plastic Surgery 41 years experience
If anything, it should enhance your results. However, if you still have fine wrinkles in that area, or around your mouth, you should probably have additional treatments to improve this. This may or may not involve lasers. That depends on what your surgeon is most comfortable offering you. A facelift will not, however, improve your chin wrinkles, ask a lot of questions to understand what is possibl
Nov 22, 2011
Dr. Jeffrey Pollard commented
ENT and Head and Neck Surgery 23 years experience
I often combine laser resurfacing around the mouth with my facelifts. I would not expect this to have any negative impact on a future facelift procedure. An exam will help to identify any potential issues with lifting. Best of luck!
Nov 23, 2011
Dr. Lawrence Rufanswered
Plastic Surgery 54 years experience
Only relative limits: It is worthwhile to review dr. Pollard's comments with which i agree. My youngest patient for facelift was 34yoa with a severe congenital facial asymmetry & my oldest "1st timer" was 82yoa. Both were in good health for their age & both did well. By the way, neither of them smoked or used other tobacco products which reduce blood flow to tissues & risk tissue loss.
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6.2k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Dr. Lawrence Rufanswered
Plastic Surgery 54 years experience
Universal facelift: "a rose is a rose is a rose" ignores each flower's uniqueness. Often patients present with a desire to "have the same thing done as my friend mary." they fail to realize that we are all made just a little, or a lot differently. Some have more fat, skin, sag, tan, wrinkles, muscle laxity, etc. Than others.This calls for the plastic surgeon to have experience with many different styles of facelift.
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6.2k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Dr. Gary Solomonmanswered
Plastic Surgery 44 years experience
None: There really is no latest age. There is always a benefit, as long as you are healthy medically.
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6.2k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
Dr. Barry Pressanswered
Plastic Surgery 46 years experience
No specific limit: Agree fully with dr. Pollard. But it is generally agreed that the older one is when he/she has a facelift, the longevity of the results will be less. I tell my patients over 70 and those with inelastic skin that their facelift may only last for a year or so. If they choose to proceed and they need a tightening after a year, i will do this without a surgeon's fee.
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6.1k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Dr. Eric Changanswered
Plastic Surgery 24 years experience
Skin gets thinner: As we age, our skin gets thinner. So a facelift on someone who is 80 or 90 is more challenging. It can be done but not quite as robustly. Most people get a first facelift in their 50s to 60s. Sometimes earlier.
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6.1k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Dr. MICHAEL STORCHanswered
Plastic Surgery 54 years experience
General health: The key factor is one's overall state of health. Age is not the deciding factor. Medica clearance should generally be obtained prior to any such surgery.
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6.1k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Dr. Otto Placikanswered
Surgery - Plastics 36 years experience
No easy answer: There is no easy answer to this. It is an inverse relationship. The older you are then more work needs to be done. The younger you are the less work needs to be done. All other things being equal, a great facelift on a 90 year old will never look as good as a modest facelift in a 45 yearl old. Then there is everything else in between the two extremes!
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6k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Dr. ELizabeth Kinsleyanswered
Plastic Surgery 36 years experience
Any age: You can have a facelift at any age if you are in good health. While there are always risks involved with surgery and anesthesia, these are usually minimal in a person in good health, so go for it!
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6k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Dr. David Sherrisanswered
Facial Plastic Surgery 35 years experience
Depends on health: Facelift can be done at any age in an adult with excellent results. Yet, successful healing and results depend on the patient being in good health and being cleared medically for surgery.
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5.8k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
Dr. Brock Ridenouranswered
Plastic Surgery 38 years experience
No age limit: Age is only one factor in deciding when to consider facelift surgery. Patients should be physically and emotionally healthy and be confident that a facelift operation will satisfy their goals and expectations when facelift surgery is performed in the early stages of aging, the result often appears more natural and lasts significantly longer. However, there is no cut -off age for facelift.
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5.8k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
Dr. Francisco Agulloanswered
Plastic Surgery 22 years experience
None: A facelift can be performed at any age as long as you are in good health.
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5.8k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
Dr. Robert Schnarrsanswered
38 years experience
Medical : Facelift can be performed at any age i recommend after 60 medical clearance should be performed by your internist.
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5.8k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
Dr. J David Holcombanswered
Facial Plastic Surgery 31 years experience
Depends : Chronological age is less important than current health status. Certainly facial rejuvenation surgery is commonly performed on individual in their early to mid 80's but it can also be done safely even into the 90's. Risk can be reduced with appropriate anesthesia and procedure choices.
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5.7k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
Dr. Barry Pressanswered
Plastic Surgery 46 years experience
No definite limit: I have done a facelift on an 85 year-old. As a general rule, the older the patient, the shorter will be the benefit from a facelift because of loss of skin elasticity. I think there is minimum benefit from a facelift in most people before the age of 40. Also, the people we see with unnatural results from facelifts generally have had too many procedures, not necessarily bad ones.
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5.7k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Dr. David Sherrisanswered
Facial Plastic Surgery 35 years experience
Depends: If you are healthy and your medical doctor clears you after evaluation and testing there is no real age limit for facelift. See a surgeon to discuss your options!
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5.3k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
Dr. Catherine Winslowanswered
Facial Plastic Surgery 36 years experience
"worth it" usually!: Risks of facelift depend on your overall health. The oldest person i lifted was a young 92 year-old! good results can be obtained at all ages based on your overall health. Visit a facial plastic surgeon to see what results are possible for you, and good luck!
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5.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Dr. Jeffrey Rosenthalanswered
Plastic Surgery 46 years experience
Health not age: It is best to evaluate a patient for a facelift in regard to their physiologic age or how healthy they are. Individuals across the age spectrum may have a facelift if the are in good shape.
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5.2k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
Dr. Joseph Campanellianswered
Facial Plastic Surgery 31 years experience
Great result any age: My youngest patient was 38, my oldest 89 and they both had great results. The difference is that the technique used was entirely different in these two patients. Choose an experienced, board-certified plastic surgeon who has the technical ability to customize the surgery to your aging pattern and you will be thrilled. Risks for a facelift are minimal.
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3.8k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Dr. Suzanne Gallianswered
ENT and Head and Neck Surgery 26 years experience
Age for facelift: There is no specific age to have a facelift. Truly it depends on the patient's individual anatomy and surgical goals. Have your face evaluated by a board certified facial plastic and reconstructive surgeon to determine what procedure is best for you.
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3.7k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
Dr. Larry Nichteranswered
Plastic Surgery 38 years experience
Too Old for Facelift: As long as you are in good health it is not the chronological age but the physiological age that determines if you are "too old". I have done facelifts on several women in their 80's with great results. The risk is dependent mostly on other medical conditions present at the time of surgery.
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3.5k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Dr. Taylor Polleianswered
Facial Plastic Surgery 14 years experience
No age limit: There is not age cutoff for facelift benefits. Primary facelift is done from age 40 to 90+, with extremely food results at all ages. It just depends on your state of health and your expectations. Whether it is worth the risk depends on how valuable the desired changes are to you.
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3.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Dr. Louis Galliaanswered
Surgery - Oral & Maxillofacial 47 years experience
Any age.: If healthy, any age. See facial plastic surgeon for best results.
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2.9k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
Dr. Brian Maloneyanswered
Facial Plastic Surgery 37 years experience
Latest Lift Age: The latest age for a lift depends on the patient's health. The oldest patient I performed a first time facelift on was 85. She had a family history of longevity and was in great health. She was able to feel so much better about her appearance.
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2.7k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Dr. Azita Madjidianswered
Surgery - Plastics 32 years experience
45 to 65: however, anatomy and skin quality are more important than age. I just did a facelift on a 79 year old with excellent skin and health. She looks 69.
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2.1k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Dr. Darryl Blinski commented
Plastic Surgery 48 years experience
Kind of response! I classify Facial Rejuvenation in 2 ways: #1 Types of possible treatments. Which include 4 subdivisions: a. Non surgical as in fillers, Botox, peels, lasers, PRP. b. minimal surgical, as ThermiTight RF, Ultherapy, Thermage, fa grafting +{RP. c. Surgical i.e. mini FL, midi FL, Full FL. d. combination of those. The other classification is based solely upon surgical intervention.
Oct 22, 2015
Dr. Gustavo Diazanswered
Facial Plastic Surgery 32 years experience
Health is important!: Age is only a number. The most important factor in order to consider a patient as a candidate for surgery is the overall health of that patient. If you keep yourself healthy, we can keep you looking young through the years. Consult with your Facial Plastic Surgeon for an evaluation. Hope this helps!
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1.7k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Dr. Robert Steelyanswered
Plastic Surgery 30 years experience
Health not age: Good Afternoon!
Age is not a contraindication to cosmetic surgery- general health is. I have 80 year olds in my practice that can run circles around most 50 year olds and have done exceedingly well with cosmetic facial surgery. As far as "waiting too long" until I have cosmetic facial surgery, improvements can be made at any age as long as general good health is there.
I hope this helps
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1.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Last updated Jan 5, 2019
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