How Old is Too Old for Facial Plastic Surgery?
How Old is Too Old for Facial Plastic Surgery?
You are only as old as you let yourself feel.
There really is no age cutoff for facial plastic surgery, but there are a few considerations that take priority as you get older.
First, what are the problem areas that bother you the most, and what are your goals for improvement? Having a good understanding of the aging process can help guide these decisions.
Patients in their 30s and 40s are ideal candidates for non-surgical options like skin treatments, Botox, and fillers as the only things needed to keep them looking their best before turning to surgery. Two notable exceptions are eyelid lifts and rhinoplasty (“nose job”) which we commonly perform on younger patients.
Surgery is Often the Best Option
Once you get into your mid to late 50s and beyond, surgical options are usually a much more appropriate option for truly improving the problem areas. Sagging around the jowls and the neck is by far the most common complaint that Dr. Rodwell sees from new patients, but a close second would have to be sagging and loose skin around the eyes and brow.
Procedures such as a facelift or eyelid lift can quickly turn back the clock and knock years off of your appearance. One thing that is important to consider though is that there are limitations with these procedures. You cannot expect to look 20+ years younger. If you try to get to that endpoint that is when your results start looking unnatural, tight, pulled, and plastic. Nobody wants that.
The other point that goes along with that is that for a woman having a facelift at age 54 it will be less obvious that she has “had something done” than if she had waited until 74 to do anything.
Read our blog article How Long Does a Facelift Last to learn more.
Think of the changes you get with facial plastic surgery as a ladder. You can expect to move up or down 1 or 2 spots easily, but no surgery is ever going to take you from one end of the ladder to the other. With a good understanding of the aging process and some of the limitations of certain procedures, your expectations will be more appropriate, and your results will be far more natural looking.
Your Health is a Priority
With increasing age there is a tendency to often have a few more medical problems than you might have had 10 or 20 years ago. As long as you are in good overall health, the risks associated with facial plastic surgery are very low.
However, it is always wise for patients over the age of 50 to have a checkup with their primary care doctor to get a clean bill of health before having facial plastic surgery. This includes blood work, an EKG, or other tests that might be indicated.
There is no harm in learning more about your options regardless of your age.
Dr. David Rodwell specializes in facial cosmetic surgery including facelift and necklift procedures. To learn more about your options and what to expect after these procedures call our office at (843) 628-1415 to schedule a private consultation.