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how much does a facelift cost

Surprising Facts about Facelifts

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Plastic surgery is a subject people talk about constantly, often in the context of celebrity gossip. As a double board-certified plastic surgeon, I’m glad that awareness of cosmetic surgery is spreading, but I’ve noticed that there is a lot of incorrect information floating around as well. If you’re considering a facelift (or any other elective surgery, for that matter), it’s a good idea to educate yourself about the procedure. With that goal in mind, here are a few facelift facts that may surprise you.

Surprising Facts about Facelifts

Fact #1: More and more men are getting facelifts.

People typically think of plastic surgery as appealing to women because women have more of a tendency to by concerned about their appearance. But in our modern society, more and more men are acknowledging that they could stand to feel more confident in their appearance and that there’s no shame in working toward this goal. Just compare the last few years as an example – in 2016, 11.3% of facelift patients were men, while it was just 8.1% in 2010*.

Fact #2: For nearly 70 years, facelifts only treated the skin.

The first known facelift was performed in 1901, and from that procedure until 1968, a facelift only consisted of removing excess sagging skin and lifting the remaining skin to a higher position. This put all the tension on the skin and had a tendency to give patients the dreaded “wind tunnel look.” Facelifts have evolved since then, and today they typically involve restructuring the underlying muscle and other facial tissue as well. After all, these underlying tissues change with age as well, so raising the skin alone won’t give the natural-looking results that come from the more well-rounded facelifts performed today. Keep in mind, however, that some surgeons still do facelifts that make patients look “windblown” or “overdone, ” so it’s important to find a board-certified plastic surgeon with extensive experience performing facelifts, and to look through the surgeon’s facelift before and after photos before you commit.

Fact #3: Facelifts are becoming more and more popular for the 65+ crowd.

Most people think of a facelift as a procedure for people in their 50s, perhaps early 60s, but recent trends show that there’s no age limit for enjoying your appearance. In fact, in 2016, patients age 65 and older accounted for over 30% of facelift patients in the US – the highest percentage since the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery began tracking this data in 1997*.

Fact #4: A typical facelift addresses the lower 2/3 of the face.

It’s easy to see how patients would assume that a facelift lifts the entire face. However, the lower 2/3 and the upper 1/3 of the face need to be rejuvenated in different ways. For patients with sagging skin throughout their forehead, I typically suggest a brow lift, also called a forehead lift or an upper facelift.

Fact #5: Every facelift is different.

The human anatomy is incredibly complex and it varies slightly with every patient, and facial aging is no exception. Because each patient ages in their own way and at their own pace and has different goals for their results, every good facelift is customized to fit the patient. Surgeons also have their preferred techniques, like the Band Aid Facelift I developed to reduce recovery time, scarring, swelling, bruising, and cost for my patients.

Fact #6: A facelift doesn’t remove all signs of aging.

Some patients assume, “If Botox® gets rid of my crow’s feet and a facelift is more extensive than Botox®, the facelift will remove my crow’s feet as well as my sagging skin and other signs of aging.” Unfortunately, there is no “one and done” procedure for facial rejuvenation. Facial aging happens in several ways at once, and while a facelift focuses on the structure of the face and the contours of the skin, it doesn’t address the more superficial issues. That’s why most facelift patients also get Botox® injections, facial filler injections, and/or laser treatments to reduce their fine lines, wrinkles, and age spots.

Fact #7: Facelift have risen by nearly 22% in the US since 1997*.

In recent years, the cosmetic world has been favoring a more natural look, but that doesn’t mean plastic surgery has slowed down. Patients are simply seeking procedures that give them a more natural-looking result, like mini facelifts and other minimally invasive options.

Fact #8: Facelifts may be more affordable than you think.

I see patients all the time who say, “I’ve wanted a facelift for years, but I assumed I couldn’t afford it, so I never looked into it.” In reality, cosmetic surgery is more accessible than many people realize. There has also been an increase in minimally invasive facelifts like my Band Aid Mini Facelift in recent decades, and when these procedures are performed in-office with gentle numbing rather general anesthesia, they can be about half the cost of a traditional facelift. Keep in mind that not all surgeons perform mini facelifts this way, though, so be sure to ask specific questions in your facelift consultation.

A facelift can make a great difference in a patient’s confidence on a daily basis, but only if it’s done correctly and performed by an experienced, qualified surgeon. Take your time to research board-certified plastic surgeons in your area. If you live in the Atlanta area, schedule a consultation at my plastic surgery office where I can meet with you directly to discuss your options.

*Statistics are from the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery.

How Much Does a Facelift Cost?

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We all have aspects of our appearance that we don’t love, whether it’s excess fat, signs of aging, an anatomical quirk, or what have you. So why isn’t everyone getting plastic surgery? While it actually is more common than most people realize, the cost is usually the largest issue that holds patients back. For that reason, the cost of cosmetic surgery is always one of the primary questions patients ask in an initial consultation. As a double board-certified plastic surgeon who specializes in facelifts, I’m happy to offer a bit of insight to help you budget for plastic surgery.

How Much Does a Facelift Cost

Cost of a Facelift

There are a number of variables that affect the price of a cosmetic surgery, like the surgeon’s experience, the location of the office (because some metro areas have higher costs of living than others), the extensiveness of your procedure, and more. For this reason, a true “average” isn’t really achievable, but various sources have put the average cost of a facelift anywhere between $7,000 and $12,000. At my own plastic surgery practice, a traditional facelift generally costs between $7,000 and $7,500, although many patients choose to add other facial rejuvenation procedures into the surgery, like an eyelid lift, a brow lift, and/or liposuction under the chin. This will raise the price of the facelift, but it will be much less expensive than if you had received each procedure in a separate surgery.

There is, however, another option that is significantly less expensive. In fact, the vast majority of my facelift patients actually choose to have the Band Aid Mini Facelift instead. The Band Aid Mini Facelift is a procedure I developed and have been performing with great success for twenty years. It’s performed in-office with gentle numbing rather than general anesthesia, and this is possible because of advanced, minimally invasive techniques. On top of an easier surgical process, the Band Aid Mini Facelift also has a much easier recovery, with about half the recovery time and much less swelling, bruising, and scarring than a traditional face lift. While it’s not suitable for a more extreme degree of aging, the Band Aid Mini Facelift is actually a great option for nearly all of my patients, offering the ability to take as much as a decade off your appearance with minimal inconvenience. Because it’s performed in-office and is less time-consuming, the Band Aid Mini Facelift costs less than $5,000, compared to over $7,000 for a conventional facelift*.

Plastic Surgery Expenses

When you’re planning the financial side of your cosmetic surgery, it’s important to know that you won’t just have one transaction. In fact, there are a number of fees involved, and they all vary from one patient to the next, but when you schedule a plastic surgery consultation, you’ll receive a more specific outline of the expenses you can expect. The primary costs involved in cosmetic surgery include:

  • Surgeon’s fee
  • Fee to use the operating room
  • Anesthesia fees
  • Specialty compression garments to wear after the surgery
  • Prescription medications
  • Pre-surgical medical tests

It’s not surprising that some forms of plastic surgery can carry a hefty price tag considering the amount of time, sources, and training that is required to perform it. But while the overall cost may give you sticker-shock, my patients truly come to their follow-up appointments and future appointments raving about how thrilled they are with their results and how strongly they feel that their new confidence is worth the price. If you want to learn more about face lifts, my Band Aid Facelift, or other cosmetic surgery procedures, remember to follow me, Dr. John LeRoy on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+.

*Prices as of October 2017. Pricing may change in the future.

Ask Dr. LeRoy: What Makes a Band Aid Facelift Cost-Effective?

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Ask Dr. LeRoy What Makes a Band Aid Facelift Cost-EffectiveThere are many factors involved in planning a plastic surgery. Even after deciding to pursue surgery, you’ll need to choose a surgeon, a procedure, a date, and more. The planning process is far more complex than can be explained in a single blog, so today, I’ve chosen to focus on one specific aspect which is among the first questions many patients ask: cost. Medical procedures are certainly not something which should be decided on the basis of, “the cheaper the better,” but at the same time, the most expensive option is not always the ideal one for you. This is one reason why so many patients are drawn to my Band Aid Mini Facelift.

The Band Aid Facelift is a plastic surgery I developed twenty years ago. Using specialized techniques, I am able to achieve a natural-looking rejuvenation in-office with the use of gentle numbing, resulting in less recovery time, scarring, bruising, and swelling than a traditional facelift. While these advantages alone make the Band Aid Mini Facelift a terrific choice for many of my patients, they also allow it to be a more affordable option. Plastic surgery involves several different costs, like the surgeon’s fee, the anesthesia costs, and the facility charge. By reducing the length of the surgery, using only gentle numbing (rather than general anesthesia), and performing the minimally invasive procedure in my comfortable office (rather than the expensive operating room a more comprehensive surgery requires), my Band Aid Face Lift lowers the cost on all three fronts.

While your budget shouldn’t be the only factor in planning your plastic surgery, it should be on the priority list for a number of reasons. First, part of a successful healing process involves limiting your stress and allowing your body to rest. This is more difficult to do when you’re worried about whether you’ve overspent, and if you’re taking unpaid time off work to recover, it can make you feel pressured to return to work before you’re truly ready, which could result in unwanted or even dangerous setbacks in your healing. Second, it’s best to be financially comfortable enough to allow for other potential procedures in the future. While complications requiring medical treatment are very rare with a Band Aid Mini Facelift, patients often enjoy “topping off” their results with Botox®, Dysport®, or facial fillers to smooth any remaining fine lines, and non-surgical skin firming or laser treatments down the line can also refine your results, reduce age spots or other surface imperfections, and even minimize the appearance of surgical scars.

Cost will certainly be involved in your plastic surgery planning, but it should only be one part of the equation. Remember, if it seems too good (or too inexpensive) to be true, it probably is, so if a surgeon’s price seems surprisingly low, you should find out why – perhaps they aren’t telling you all the fees involved, or they have limited experience and therefore need to charge less than a more proficient surgeon. Costs and financing are just a few of the many factors to research while you’re preparing for plastic surgery, and as a double board-certified plastic surgeon, I’m happy to help. To start discussing how you can become your most confident and beautiful self, schedule a consultation with me, Dr. John LeRoy. Or, for more helpful tips, follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+.