Am I Too Old For Some Type Of Facelift?

Q: Dr. Eppley, I am 74 years old and am really beginning to show my age. I really hate the loose skin on my face and my neck wattle. I have read about a facelift procedure that sounds almost too good to be true.. I like that it is done under local anesthesia and there is little recovery. Do you think that it would be a good choice for me? I have attached some pictures of what I looked like last year at our family Christmas party.

A: These marketed and franchised forms of facial rejuvenation are simply scaled down versions of a facelift.  This is typically a “mini” lift of the jowls (primarily) and the neck (secondarily and more limited) that is sometimes performed in the office with no general anesthesia. Understandably this makes it very appealing to some people. But just because it is appealing does not mean it is a good choice for everyone. Whether it can meet your expectations and is worth the cost is a key question for every patient who undergoes limited types of plastic surgery. This is particularly true when trying to improve the degree of facial aging that exists in someone 74 years of age.

You do have a significant amount of loose skin and the very presence of a neck wattle illustrates your degree of facial aging. On the one hand, these mini-facelifts will not produce an ideal result. So if your goal is a smooth and completely uplifted neck and jowl line, you will be disappointed. If, however, you can accept that some improvement is better than none then it may be a reasonable choice.

Rather than getting hung up on a marketed facial procedure, you would be likely better served to consult with a number of plastic surgeons and get a customized approach to your facelift needs.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana