A facelift (rhytidectomy or meloplasty) can be quite an extensive procedure. It involves adjusting the facial tissues, and sometimes even the deeper tissues (such as with a deep plane facelift or SMAS rhytidectomy).
However, since the procedure’s results don’t necessarily last forever, some potential candidates may be thinking about the realistic number of times that a facelift can be performed in a lifetime.
Whether you’ve already had a facelift procedure in the past and are wondering what happens as the years go on, or you’re considering surgery for the first time and thinking ahead, understanding the possibilities and limitations of additional facelifts can be helpful along your journey.
In this blog, we’ll go over the amount of times a facelift can be performed. Ultimately, it will depend on a mix of timing, individual anatomy, your personal preferences and the type of facelift you have had.
How is a facelift performed?
Before getting into how often you can have a facelift, it helps to understand what the procedure actually involves – in particular, how extensive it may be.
Firstly, there are multiple types of facelifts, including a standard facelift (rhytidectomy), a mini facelift, a deep plane facelift, and an SMAS facelift (rhytidectomy). Each type of procedure is performed slightly differently and this can actually impact how long your results will last, and therefore, how many additional facelifts you may decide to undergo in the future.
A standard facelift typically focuses on re-adjusting the skin, to remove excess skin and tighten remaining tissue. A mini facelift is a less extensive option that can focus on just the lower part of the face, and can be sufficient for a more minor to moderate change. As a more advanced approach, the deep plane facelift addresses the facial tissue beyond the SMAS layer, which is much more extensive, but can provide longer-lasting results.
Ultimately, how the procedure is performed will depend on the type of facelift you have and how your individualised procedure is performed to tailor to your needs and features.
Your initial facelift (rhytidectomy) results aren’t necessarily permanent
While surgery does technically permanently alter the targeted tissue, the natural ageing process will continue.
Over time, your skin and underlying tissues will still continue to change. These changes actually occur due to a variety of factors, including the natural depletion of collagen and elastin production in the skin, gravity, genetics, and factors like smoking or excessive UV ray exposure (which can speed-up the depletion of collagen and elastin).
It’s for this reason that a patient may have more than one facelift in their lifetime, but it will always depend on the extent of the changes that occur. Often, a second or revision procedure does not need to be as extensive as the first procedure.
How many facelifts can a patient realistically have in their lifetime?
Essentially, there isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer when it comes to the number of facelifts you can have in a lifetime. Some people are content with a single facelift in their lifetime, while others might choose to have two or even three spaced out over the years.
In general, most people who choose to have more than one facelift tend to space them out by at least 10 to 15 years, depending on the type of procedure they initially had.
However, it’s not necessarily just about how much time has passed – the condition of the tissue, level of change, and whether previous surgery has affected the deeper structures in a way that limits what’s possible next time will all influence whether or not a second procedure is suitable.
For example, when it comes to the condition of the tissue, if the first facelift was a more conservative lift (such as a mini facelift) there may still be good tissue mobility and volume left to work with later on. On the other hand, if you’ve already had a deep plane facelift and are considering another one a decade later, Dr Rastogi may need to take a slightly different approach to avoid over-tightening or over-correcting the area.
Three facelifts over a lifetime isn’t unheard of, but each one becomes more complex, especially if the previous surgeries involved significant repositioning of the deeper layers. It’s also worth noting that recovery can take a bit longer with each subsequent procedure, particularly as skin elasticity reduces with age.
How is a second (or revision) facelift performed?
When planning a second or third facelift, Dr Rastogi needs to account for existing scar tissue, altered blood supply, and how the underlying anatomy was handled in previous surgeries. Essentially, the technique needs to be more tailored.
In some cases, Dr Rastogi may need to focus more on areas that weren’t addressed previously, or perform a different type of facelift using different techniques.
This is why you may not need as extensive of an approach the second time around – however, it is also why repeated surgeries may become more complex over time.
Sometimes, a full facelift may not be necessary, and more focused procedures (such as those focused on the eyebrows, around the eyes or jawline) may be sufficient enough to make the added adjustments.
It will all depend on the quality of facial tissue, your personal expectations and preferences and what will realistically be possible.
Dr Rastogi: Facelift (Rhytidectomy) in Double Bay, Sydney
Whether you have previously had a facelift or are thinking about undergoing the procedure for the first time, speaking directly with Dr Rastogi is always the best way to receive accurate and tailored advice.
If you have had a facelift performed by Dr Rastogi in the past and are considering having a revision procedure, speaking to the same surgeon who is familiar with how the procedure was performed can help. However, if your previous procedure was performed by another doctor, Dr Rastogi can still closely assess the condition of your facial tissue and determine what is possible.
When you’re ready to book a consultation, you are welcome to contact our team in either Sydney.
