A facelift (also known as a rhytidectomy) is a general term for any surgical procedure that improves signs of aging in your face and/or neck by repositioning or removing skin, fat and/or muscle. Signs of aging that a facelift can restore include:

Relaxed, sagging skin on your face.
Deep fold or crease lines between your nose and the corners of your mouth.
Facial fat that has fallen or is lacking.
Drooping skin on your cheeks and/or jaw (known as jowls).
Loose skin and extra fat in your neck that looks like a “double chin.”
Facelifts are considered cosmetic restorative surgeries and cannot fundamentally change your appearance or stop the aging process. They also can’t treat superficial wrinkles, sun damage or irregularities in your skin color. Facelifts are very individualized surgeries that are unique to each person’s face and their result goals.

​

Who gets facelifts?

​

In general, you’re a good candidate for facelift surgery if:

• You’re physically healthy and don’t have a medical condition that affects your body’s ability to heal.

• You don’t smoke.

• You’re mentally healthy and have realistic expectations for facelift results.

The best candidates for facelift surgery are those patients who have signs of facial aging, but who still have some skin elasticity. Generally, this includes patients who are in their 40s to 60s, although people who are younger or older than that range can sometimes be candidates for surgery.