How long a facelift lasts, and when it can be repeated

When the deep supporting layer of the face, the SMAS, is lifted and secured, the result usually lasts many years. For a SMAS facelift a period of around seven to ten years is commonly quoted before the changes become noticeable enough for people to consider further surgery. A full (circular) facelift, which treats several areas at once, is expected to last for a similar or slightly longer time.

A facelift repositions tissues that have already descended, but it does not change the biological processes behind ageing. After surgery the skin continues to lose collagen, the ligaments gradually weaken again, facial fat slowly redistributes and the bones of the face change shape over the decades.

There is no fixed date for a second operation. People usually start thinking about it when they notice:

• that the jawline is becoming less defined again;
• new, small jowls along the jaw;
• loose skin returning under the chin or on the neck;
• the cheeks descending and the nasolabial folds deepening;
• heaviness in the brows or upper face, which the first operation did not treat.

A facelift can be repeated, and secondary facelifts are a well-established part of plastic surgery. Many surgeons prefer an interval of several years and usually decide based on how the face has changed rather than on the calendar. A second operation is often less extensive than the first, because the tissues were already repositioned once.

People often compare a facelift with non-surgical lifting when thinking about how long the effect will last. The difference is large:

• RF and ultrasound devices tighten the skin slightly; the effect usually lasts months to about a year and needs maintenance sessions.
• Thread lifts give a mild lift that often lasts around one to two years.

You cannot stop ageing, but you can slow it down and help the result last:

1. Protect your skin from the sun every day. Ultraviolet light is one of the main causes of collagen loss.
2. Do not smoke. Smoking damages the small blood vessels and speeds up skin ageing.

City Medical Centre performs surgical facelifts only: a standard SMAS facelift, a full (circular) facelift, a neck and lower face lift, and an endoscopic brow and temple lift. Device lifting and threads are described here as general information; the clinic does not offer them. The surgery package includes a year of post-operative follow-up with your plastic surgeon until the final result, so the surgeon monitors how your face settles and answers your questions along the way.