The Best Candidates for a Face Lift

The best candidates for a face lift (medically known as a rhytidectomy) have one major thing in common: they have realistic expectations. While a face lift can give self-esteem a boost by generally improving facial features, a person’s appearance is still unique and a good surgeon will not drastically change it. Good candidates know that a lift will not halt the aging process, but can make them look younger for a good length of time. Psychological stability is the primary criteria for a good face lift result and experience.

Physically, the best results from a rhytidectomy tend to be achieved with men and women who have laxity in their cheek and neck, with strong and prominent bony structures underneath. He or she is not necessarily seeking a change in their overall appearance, but looking to pull up the sagging skin of the face and neck, which are more susceptible to gravity than other parts of the head. Candidates may also be looking to improve sagging due to sun exposure, which speeds up the loss of elasticity in the facial skin.

Also, the best candidates for a face lift will understand that a good plastic surgeon will subject them to a battery of questions and physical tests before deciding whether to perform the lift, and to what extent. He or she will want your honest answers to your expectations. But he or she will also check your blood pressure and ask whether you have had problems with clotting, and what medications you take, even over-the-counter (this is extraordinarily important because there are several that thin the blood).

The reputable doctor will also ask (and require your honest answer) about whether a lift candidate has any allergies, whether the potential patient scars easily, what prior surgeries he or she has had, whether the patient has had any history of cold sores or blisters on the mouth, and whether he or she smokes, drinks, or uses drugs recreationally. Also, whether the candidate has had a history of acne or keloid problems.

There is no ideal age to have a face lift, but obviously, someone who is very young and does not appear to have much need for improvement yet should be screened for psychological issues. Other than that, skin texture and condition tend to be more important factors than age. A good rhytidectomy patient has some flexibility in their skin. This is ideal, because facelifts stretch the facial skin to remove wrinkles, and optimally healing requires some suppleness in the skin.

Also, loose skin on the neck and/or face gives the surgeon the ability to simultaneously tighten skin and remove wrinkles while allowing enough “tuck” skin for hiding the scars. In other words, the more material one has to work with, the better!

As mentioned above, a strong bone structure is helpful because it provides the necessary support for the skin to remold to the face in the proper way. Candidates with what are sometimes called “weak” features might do better having facial implants as an alternative, or in tandem with a face lift.