How to Be a Great Candidate for Facelift Surgery

Dr. Philip Miller

May 29, 2018

If you’ve been considering a facelift surgery, you might be wondering whether the time is right or whether you’re even a candidate. It’s important to think about, since your plastic surgeon will be evaluating the factors that would make you a good facelift patient and those that would make a facelift the right procedure for you.

Learn more about what it means to be a good candidate for facelift surgery in NYC before you walk into your first consultation.

The Facelift and Signs of Aging

First and foremost, any candidate for facelift surgery should be experiencing noticeable signs of aging. Facelifts can help correct symptoms like loose, sagging skin on the face, fatty deposits gathered around the chin and jaw, the formation of jowls in that area, and lines and wrinkles in the lower third of the face. These factors are all caused by aging and the effects of gravity, which team up to break down the elastin in skin and drag it downward. Fat is also susceptible to gravity, shifting downward throughout the years, leaving the upper portion of the face with less volume and accumulating where it’s not wanted.

Still not sure a facelift can help you? Some surgeons recommend you stand in front of a mirror and, with two fingers, gently lift and pull back the skin around the bottom jaw. If this makes you look instantly younger, imagine what could happen if the effect was created surgically. Check one off the list; you may be a candidate for a facelift if these symptoms sound familiar.

The Patient’s Health and Habits

Another large factor in determining your eligibility for surgery involves your own personal health and well-being as well as your lifestyle and habits. As your surgeon might tell you, a facelift surgery is meant for men and women who are in overall good health and do not smoke. Good health means that your recent medical history does not include any serious illness that might hinder your ability to heal. Checking to be sure that you are in good health is the surgeon’s best way to minimize your risks of complications following surgery, so be open and honest about your medical status.

The very best candidates for facelift surgery are also committed to caring for their skin, even before walking in for their surgery. These people understand that caring for their skin can help it to look younger and fresher over time, and they will continue to care once the surgery is over and they are focused on preserving their results. Skin that is well cared for responds well to these surgeries and helps the results last much longer than they might otherwise.

Your Weight: A Surprising Factor

There’s no magical number on the scale or BMI calculation to determine whether you are a good facelift candidate, but there are some interesting points to consider about being overweight and seeking this procedure. For starters, if you are overweight, but at a stable weight, many doctors may consider performing the surgery for you. If you are overweight but planning to lose more than 20 pounds, it’s better to wait until you have stabilized at your target weight.

Why all the fuss about weight? Your surgeon in New York won’t deem your surgery successful unless your results look natural. For overweight patients, it can be more difficult to gauge how much fat and skin to remove. Your face may be left looking unnaturally puffy or too thin, directly disproportionate to the rest of your body. Depending on how overweight a patient is, facelift surgery may also be an unsafe option. If weight is a concern you have, talk to your doctor. Every surgeon has his own level of comfort (and experience) when dealing with overweight patients, so you’ll never know if and how much weight you need to lose unless you ask.

Facelift Results and Satisfaction

Finally, the last important factor in determining your eligibility for a facelift is whether or not you have realistic goals for your surgery. On average, a facelift can deliver results that make patients look about 10 years younger. If you’re expectations are too far off that mark, you’re going to be unpleasantly surprised. An experienced, credentialed plastic surgeon doesn’t want to promise you just anything to make you get the surgery; in actuality, he is much more concerned with making sure you understand the capabilities and limitations of the surgery. Discuss your expected facelift results at length with your plastic surgeon to be sure you are both in agreement on the changes and finished look. You should have a good understanding of what is possible with this procedure before walking into your consultation, but definitely a better one as you walk out of it. If you’ve given your results a thought and you feel you’re a good candidate for facelift surgery, then it’s time to make your move and book an appointment.

Get Started With a Consultation In Our New York Office

Determining if you and a facelift are the right match for each other can be hard without the right plastic surgeon to guide you. To make sure your results are the best they can be, be sure to schedule your facelift surgery with a reputable, specialist facial plastic surgeon. Dr. Philip Miller has specialized exclusively in facial plastic surgery, offering over 20 years of experience. A recognized expert in facial rejuvenation procedures, Dr. Miller has been invited frequently to share his specific techniques with peers at various national facial plastic surgery conventions. He has been voted among the Best Doctors in America each year since 2007 and has also been named a Top Doctor of New York. To schedule a consultation with Dr. Miller, contact his office located at 60 East 56th Street, Third Floor in New York City, by calling (646) 791-3025.

Next, learn about the effects of weight loss and facelifts

Dr. Philip Miller

Focusing exclusively on the face for more than two decades, double-board certified facial plastic surgeon Dr. Philip Miller blends art and science with innovation and skill to provide thousands of patients with impeccable results. He is known for pioneering the NatraLook methodology for rhinoplasty, facelifts, neck lifts, and other cosmetic procedures for the face.