Facelift Longevity Uncovered: What to Expect from This Transformative Surgery

From the glitz of Hollywood to the stylish streets of Manhattan’s Upper East Side, it appears that facelifts are becoming a favorite among both men and women.

Yet, amidst tales of Kris Jenner’s transformation and perhaps your own relative’s seamless surgery, the reality regarding the longevity of these cosmetic enhancements often seems overlooked.

These often costly procedures, with price tags soaring over $100,000, aim to turn back the clock. By removing or adjusting skin and muscle, they target signs of aging in the face and neck, promising a more youthful appearance.

Though facelifts are far from novel, they have certainly shed their taboo status and are now openly discussed at social gatherings. Even the stars are candidly sharing the names of their go-to surgeons along with the specifics of their cosmetic endeavors.

Just last year, Kris Jenner, the savvy matriarch of the Kardashian clan, turned heads with her latest look. At 70, her refreshed appearance—crafted by renowned plastic surgeon Dr. Steven M. Levine, aptly nicknamed the ‘facelift maestro’—quickly became a hot topic online.

Denise Richards, 55, also followed suit, undergoing a dramatic lift by Beverly Hills surgeon Dr Ben Talei last year, along with a temporal brow lift, upper blepharoplasty, lip lift and fat grafting.

But while some onlookers are hailing these facelifts as an ultimate miracle, it’s important to understand just how long their results are likely to last, especially if you’re considering going under the knife any time soon.

And, hint: it won’t last forever.

‘A facelift typically lasts 10 years, and often longer,’ New York City-based plastic surgeon Dr Ira Savetsky, who has performed many celebrity face lifts, told the Daily Mail.

‘It doesn’t stop aging—it resets the tissues to a more youthful position, while gravity, collagen loss, skin laxity and volume changes continue over time,’ Dr Savetsky explained.

He said that although facelifts are meant for a ‘long-term’ and ‘durable improvement,’ it’s not a ‘permanent result,’  

‘There is no specific expiration date,’ he said.

Dr David Shafer, of Manhattan’s Shafer Clinic Fifth Avenue, agreed that a facelift can ‘reset the aging clock,’ but it won’t stop you from aging.

‘A good rule of thumb is that a facelift rejuvenates your appearance by about 10 years,’ Dr Shafer told the Daily Mail.

‘Results depend on technique, age, skin quality, lifestyle and continued maintenance treatments,’ the plastic surgeon said. 

So, although your facelift may not look impeccably intact when you’re 80, it can still provide a dramatic difference in your appearance. 

Dr Shafer also explained that facelift procedures are becoming more and more sophisticated as time goes on.

Now, many procedures include structural tissue rearrangement, volume replacement, bio stimulation with PRP/PRF, and energy-based resurfacing, he said. 

However, it’s definitely not uncommon for results of a facelift to change over time.

‘It is normal,’ Dr Shafer told the Daily Mail.

‘As the tissues settle and patients continue to age, the appearance will evolve,’ he said.

Because of this, many patients will opt for maintenance treatments, like Botox, filler and even ‘metabolic interventions’ like GLP-1s.

‘The goal is for those changes to occur gradually and naturally,’ Dr Savetsky explained.

But at the end of the day, some still may be left unhappy with their facelift procedure – as it was rumored that Jenner herself was, something she later debunked. 

However, if you are feeling this way, Dr Savetsky warned not to ‘rush’ into getting another procedure.  

‘First, give your face adequate time to heal, then discuss your concerns openly with your surgeon,’ he told the Daily Mail.

‘If you’re still not satisfied, seek a second opinion from a board-certified plastic surgeon experienced in facelift and revision surgery,’ he said.

‘They can help determine whether the issue is correctable and what the safest options are.’