Facelift (rhytidectomy)

What is a facelift?

A facelift (rhytidectomy) is an operation that lifts and repositions the deeper, sagging tissues of the lower face and neck — not just the skin — to soften jowls, deep folds and a loose neckline. Modern facelifts work mainly on a layer of tissue beneath the skin called the SMAS, which is why a well-done facelift looks natural rather than 'pulled'.

A facelift treats sagging and laxity. It does not improve skin texture, fine surface lines, sun damage or volume loss on its own — those are addressed in other ways, sometimes at the same time. It also doesn't stop the clock: you continue to age naturally afterwards, so a facelift turns the clock back rather than freezing it.

Types & techniques

There isn't one single operation. The right approach depends on you — which is something to discuss with your surgeon.

Facelift techniques compared

There's no single 'best' technique — the right one depends on your face and your surgeon's judgement. This is a discussion to have at your consultation.

Preparing for your surgery

• Have at least two consultations with the surgeon who will operate, with time in between to reflect — you should never feel rushed.
• Stop smoking and vaping well before surgery (surgeons usually ask for several weeks): smoking dramatically increases the risk of skin and wound problems after a facelift.
• Tell your surgeon about all medicines and supplements — some, including aspirin and certain anti-inflammatories and herbal remedies, increase bleeding and may need pausing.
• Arrange time off (most people plan 2–3 weeks) and someone to drive you home and help for the first day or two.
• Sort out the practicalities in advance: loose button-up tops, extra pillows, soft foods, and easy access to your medicines.
• Get to a stable, healthy weight beforehand, and follow any pre-operative skincare your surgeon recommends.

What happens

On the day, the surgeon marks your face while you're sitting up. The operation is done under general anaesthetic or sedation with local anaesthetic.

The cuts are placed where they heal discreetly — typically starting in the hairline at the temple, running in the natural crease in front of the ear, and curving behind the earlobe into the hairline. For the neck, a small additional cut is often made under the chin. Through these, the surgeon lifts and repositions the deeper SMAS layer, tightens the neck if needed, removes a small amount of excess skin (without tension, so the result looks natural), and closes carefully. Fine drains are sometimes used overnight, and a supportive dressing is applied around the face and head.

Is this operation right for me?

A good consultation should explore whether it's the right choice for you now — including reasons to wait or consider something else.

Before you decide

Use this as a shared-decision checklist. The aim is not just “can this be done?”, but whether it is right for you, now, with the risks and alternatives clearly understood.

Anaesthetic choices

The safest option depends on the operation, your health, the facility and your surgeon/anaesthetist. Ask what is planned and why.

Smoking is the single biggest avoidable risk factor for skin and wound problems after a facelift — surgeons routinely ask you to stop well beforehand. Ask your surgeon how they protect the facial nerves and how often their own patients have a complication.

Published figures to discuss

Facelift studies report complications differently, but haematoma is consistently the most important early risk to ask about. Smoking, male sex, high blood pressure and longer combined procedures can change the risk materially.

These are literature figures, not a personalised prediction. Your own risks and likely benefits depend on your circumstances, your health, and how your care is carried out and followed up.

Recovery — what to expect, and when

Facelift recovery is a gradual process measured in weeks for the obvious bruising and months for the final result. The timeline below is a general guide — recovery is quicker for smaller lifts and a little longer for more comprehensive ones, and everyone heals at their own pace.

• Swelling that is uneven — one side more than the other — and that can track down towards the neck or collarbone with gravity
• Bruises changing colour from purple to green to yellow as they fade
• Numb patches around the ears, cheeks or neck, with tingling or itching as feeling returns
• A tight, stiff feeling that eases over 2–4 weeks
• A small amount of clear or pinkish ooze from the incisions in the first days

Aftercare

• Sleep on your back, propped up on extra pillows (around 30 degrees), for the first couple of weeks to reduce swelling.
• Keep the incisions clean and dry as instructed; pat — don't rub — and avoid getting your face wet until cleared.
• Avoid bending forward, heavy lifting and anything strenuous for 4–6 weeks; gentle walks are fine from around week 2.
• Avoid harsh skincare (retinols, acids) until your surgeon gives the go-ahead, and avoid saunas, swimming and hair colouring for around 3–4 weeks.
• Don't smoke — it seriously raises the risk of skin and wound problems.
• Eat soft foods at first if chewing is uncomfortable, and stay well hydrated.
• Go to all your follow-up appointments so healing can be checked.

• Extra pillows to sleep propped up
• 2–3 weeks set aside before any big social events
• Loose, button-up or zip tops (nothing pulled over the head)
• Soft foods in the cupboard for the first few days
• Help at home for the first day or two
• High-SPF sunscreen and a wide-brim hat for later
• Clinic's 24-hour / out-of-hours number saved

Scars and how they heal

Facelift scars are placed where they hide well — in the hairline at the temple, in the natural crease in front of the ear, and curving behind the earlobe into the hairline (plus a small scar under the chin if your neck is treated). They are pink and slightly raised at first and fade over many months to become thin, pale and, for most people, very hard to spot.

Giving them the best chance to fade means following your surgeon's scar-care advice once the wounds have healed (often from around 2–3 weeks) — this may include silicone gel or strips and gentle massage — and, importantly, keeping the scars out of the sun and protected with high-SPF sunscreen for at least the first 6 months, as sun exposure can darken a healing scar permanently.

⚠ Get urgent help if…

• Rapidly increasing swelling, tightness or pain on one side of the face, sometimes with a hard, very bruised area (possible haematoma — contact your surgeon urgently)
• A high temperature, or spreading redness, warmth or yellow/green discharge around an incision, especially with fever or chills (infection)
• An area of skin along the incisions that turns dark or dusky
• New weakness or inability to move part of your face, such as not being able to smile evenly or close an eye
• Severe or worsening pain not relieved by your medication
• Calf pain or swelling, breathlessness or chest pain (possible blood clot — call 999)

Who to contact: your surgeon or clinic first (keep their number to hand). For urgent advice when you can't reach them, call NHS 111. In an emergency, call 999.

General guidance — it doesn't replace the specific advice your surgeon gives you.

Results & realistic expectations

A facelift can give a firmer jawline, a cleaner neck and a more rested appearance that takes years off — and, done well, it looks like you, not like surgery. The change is visible once bruising settles at 2–3 weeks, but the result keeps refining for months as swelling resolves and scars fade, so patience is part of the process. It addresses sagging, not skin quality or volume, so some people combine it with other treatments for the best overall result.

There's no fixed expiry date, but many people enjoy the results of a full facelift for around a decade, sometimes longer, while smaller or 'mini' lifts generally last less long because they do less. You continue to age naturally afterwards, so the lift sets the clock back rather than stopping it. Looking after your skin — sun protection, not smoking, a stable weight and good skincare — helps the result last.

Combining with other procedures

Because the face ages as a whole, a facelift is often combined with other procedures for a balanced result: a neck lift (very commonly), eyelid surgery (blepharoplasty) for heavy lids, a brow lift for the upper face, or fat transfer to restore lost volume in the cheeks. Combining procedures in one operation can mean a single recovery, but it also makes the surgery longer — your surgeon will advise what is safe and worthwhile for you, and there is no obligation to do more than you came for.

Follow-up & long-term care

Most surgeons see you several times as you heal — often at around 1 week, 2 weeks, 6 weeks, and again at a few months — to remove stitches, check healing and guide your scar care. A good clinic also gives you a 24-hour contact number for anything urgent in the early days.

• Protect your skin from the sun every day with SPF 30+ — the most effective anti-ageing habit there is
• Don't smoke, keep a stable weight, eat well and stay hydrated
• Keep up a good skincare routine; some people add non-surgical treatments over time
• See your surgeon for the occasional check if anything changes

Revision and secondary surgery reality

• A facelift does not stop ageing. A secondary facelift may be considered years later, but it is usually more technically complex than the first operation.
• Minor revisions are more often about scars, small asymmetries, earlobe position or residual neck/jawline concerns than redoing the whole lift.
• A good surgeon should separate “normal settling and swelling” from a true revision issue, because final judgement can take months.

Ask your surgeon for their own revision rate, what counts as a revision, and what is included in the written aftercare policy.

What good aftercare looks like

• A 24-hour contact route for rapidly increasing swelling, bleeding, severe pain or facial weakness.
• Planned early review for dressings/drains and stitch removal, then later review for scars and settling.
• Clear written advice on sleeping position, washing hair, activity, make-up, hair colouring and scar care.
• A named person responsible for aftercare — not just a generic call centre.

What affects the cost

Costs vary a great deal between people and providers, and we don't publish prices. What matters is understanding what drives the cost and making sure your quote is complete. The main things that affect it:

• The consultant's fee and how complex the procedure is for your anatomy and goals.
• The anaesthetic, theatre or clinic facility, and whether an overnight stay is needed.
• Any implants, garments, dressings, imaging, pathology or special equipment required.
• How much follow-up is included, including wound checks, scar care and later review.
• What the written policy says about complications, revisions or unexpected return to theatre.

• The consultant, anaesthetist and hospital/facility fees, itemised.
• All planned follow-up appointments and who provides them.
• Dressings, garments, medicines, implants or pathology fees where relevant.
• What happens, and who pays, if there is a complication or revision is needed.
• Cancellation terms, cooling-off period and whether any deposit is refundable.

On the NHS? A cosmetic facelift isn't funded by the NHS — facial rejuvenation is a private procedure. See your GP only if you have a specific medical concern.

You're entitled to your total cost in writing — including aftercare and any revision — before you decide.

Consent traps and marketing red flags

These are not small details. They are often where patients lose choice, time to reflect, or realistic expectations.

Choosing a surgeon safely

• Check your surgeon is on the GMC Specialist Register for this area.
• Make sure they practise at a CQC-registered location, and look for membership of bodies like BAAPS or BAPRAS.
• You're entitled to a two-stage consent process with time to reflect (a cooling-off period). The surgeon who will operate must consent you — not a salesperson.
• Be wary of pressure: time-limited offers, discounts or deposits taken before you've had time to think are red flags, not bargains.
• You're entitled to your total cost in writing — including aftercare and any revision — before you decide.

How Vuemedics verifies every consultant →

Take this to your consultation. A good surgeon will welcome every one of these.

• Which technique do you recommend for my face, and why — and what would a smaller or larger operation change?
• How do you protect the facial nerves, and how often do your own patients get a haematoma or other complication?
• Would I benefit from treating my neck, eyelids or volume at the same time — and what if I don't?
• Where exactly will my scars be, and how should I care for them?
• How long should I realistically expect the result to last for someone like me?
• Are you on the GMC Specialist Register for this area, and which Royal College or professional body are you a member of?
• Will you be the surgeon who carries out my operation, and who looks after me afterwards?
• What are the risks for someone like me, and how often do your own patients have a problem or need it repeated or redone?
• What does a realistic result look like — and what can this operation not achieve?
• What are my options, including waiting, doing nothing for now, or choosing a different approach?
• Can I have written information, results and aftercare instructions in a format I can use, including any accessibility or communication support I need?
• What is the total cost in writing, including any follow-ups, and how much time do I have to decide?

Find a verified surgeon for facelift

Every consultant is GMC-checked and independently reviewed. Search by postcode and distance, or switch to a map. Ordered by rating, relevance and recency — never by who pays.

How we made this page

Medically reviewed by a GMC-registered consultant. Written in plain English, checked against NHS, NICE, GMC and relevant Royal College / specialist-society guidance, and kept under review. No clinic paid to appear on this page, and we publish no pricing. This is general information to help you prepare — it is not a substitute for advice from your own clinician. How we review our guides →

Source hierarchy: UK regulator and NHS/NICE guidance first, then relevant Royal College or specialist-society guidance, then peer-reviewed evidence for procedure-specific figures where available.

Sources & standards: NHS — Cosmetic procedures BAAPS — patient safety BAPRAS — considering cosmetic surgery GMC — cosmetic interventions guidance Facelift complications review — PMC

Reviews reflect patients' experience of care, not clinical outcomes. For procedure volumes and outcome data see PHIN.

Last medically reviewed 2026-09-21. Spotted something wrong or out of date? Report an error in this guide.