Facelift Before and After: Real Results and Timeline

Before and after photos are the clearest way to picture what a facelift does, and they are worth a careful look. A good pair shows a firmer jawline, smoother cheeks and a neck and lower face that look rested. It also leaves out things a photo cannot show, like how long the result took to settle and what the patient started with. This guide covers both.

What a facelift changes

The before photo usually shows the signs of tissue that has moved down over time:

Jowls along the jawline that blur its edge.
Flattened cheeks, where the midface has dropped.
Deeper folds running from the nose to the corners of the mouth.
Loose skin at the lower face and upper neck.

Much of this comes from the SMAS, the layer of tissue under the skin that connects the facial muscles to it, slowly descending. Dr. Newman addresses them directly, by repositioning the SMAS back to where it once sat. In a good after photo, the jawline is cleaner, the cheeks sit higher and the face looks like the same person, rested.

What a facelift does not change is just as important. It does not treat fine lines, sun spots or skin texture, and it does not add back volume that has been lost from the cheeks and temples. Those are separate treatments, and an after photo that shows smoother skin may include them.

The timeline from before to after

The after photo in a gallery is not the first week. The result arrives in stages:

The first week: bruising and swelling are at their peak. You go home the same day with a light dressing.
Weeks 2 to 3: bruising and swelling largely resolve. Most patients feel comfortable in public, with light makeup, by the end of week 2.
Months 1 to 3: the face softens and settles. Some firmness in the cheeks is normal, though others cannot see it.
Months 3 to 6: the final result becomes fully apparent as the last swelling resolves.

For the week by week detail, see the facelift recovery guide.

Why good facelift results look natural

The tight, windswept look people fear comes from one technical error: pulling the skin under tension. When the deeper structural layer is lifted and secured instead, the skin can lie over it without pull, and the result looks refreshed rather than operated on.

The technique depends on the face. Dr. Newman selects his technique based on your anatomy and the degree of aging present. A deep plane approach lifts the SMAS and the fat above it together, which suits faces with more midface descent or deeper folds. Dr. Newman uses deep-plane technique when a patient's anatomy indicates it will produce the best result. See deep plane facelift and facelift vs. mini facelift for how the options compare.

How to read facelift before and after photos

Photos are only evidence if they are honest. A few things to check in any set:

Same angle, same light, same expression. A slight chin tilt or softer lighting can flatter a jawline on its own.
Look at the side view. The jawline and the angle under the chin show the most change, and the area around the ear shows how the scars healed.
Check the earlobe and hairline. A pulled earlobe or a shifted hairline at the temple is a sign of tension on the skin.
When was the after photo taken? A photo taken weeks out may still show swelling. A fair after photo is taken once the face has settled.
Find a face like yours. Age, skin quality and how much the tissue has dropped all change what an after photo looks like.
Look for the label. Real galleries say the photos are actual patients, shown with consent, and that results vary.

For more on comparing surgeons as well as photos, see choosing a facelift surgeon in Beverly Hills.

Dr. Newman's facelift results

The facelift procedure page shows a selection of actual patients who have consented to share their photographs. Each patient is unique, so results vary. When you look through them, use the checks above: compare the jawline and the side of the face, and look for a patient whose starting point is close to yours. The patient gallery covers other procedures as well.

Why results differ from patient to patient

Two people can have the same procedure and very different after photos. The main reasons:

Skin quality. Skin with some elasticity left drapes better over the lifted tissue.
Bone structure. A strong jaw and cheekbones give the lift something to sit on.
How much has descended. Heavier jowls and deeper folds change more, and may need a deeper technique.
What else is done. A neck lift, eyelid surgery or fat transfer to restore volume often appears in the same after photo.
Age and health. Dr. Newman evaluates each patient individually, and candidacy depends on anatomy and health rather than age alone. See best age for a facelift.

About the scars

Every facelift leaves scars, and an honest set of photos will let you see them. Dr. Newman performs a careful preoperative marking of the planned incisions, which are positioned to be concealed within the hairline and natural skin creases. Most of the incision follows the curve of the ear. For how the scars heal over the first year, see facelift scars.

Keeping the result

A well-executed facelift typically produces results that last 7 to 10 years or longer, depending on skin quality, genetics, sun exposure and lifestyle. Your face keeps aging, but from a fresher starting point, so years later you still look younger than you would have without surgery. Sun protection, a stable weight and not smoking help the result last. See how long does a facelift last.

The short version

A facelift lifts the deeper tissue that has dropped with age, which tightens the jawline, lifts the cheeks and smooths the lower face. Swelling largely resolves within a few weeks, and the final result shows over 3 to 6 months. When you look at before and after photos, compare like with like, check the side view and the earlobes, and make sure the after photo was taken once the face had settled. For planning, see lower facelift and facelift cost in Beverly Hills.

See what a facelift could do for you

A consultation looks at your skin, your tissue and your bone structure, and gives you an honest picture of what a facelift can and cannot do for your face before you decide anything.

Request a Consultation

Bruising and swelling peak in the first week and largely resolve by weeks 2 to 3. Final results become fully apparent over 3 to 6 months as the last of the swelling resolves.

Not when the result is natural. When the deeper tissue is lifted instead of the skin being pulled tight, people tend to notice that you look rested, and patients often hear comments about a new hairstyle or a great vacation.

A well-executed facelift typically lasts 7 to 10 years or longer, depending on skin quality, genetics, sun exposure and lifestyle. You keep aging, but from a fresher starting point.

The incisions are placed within the hairline and natural skin creases around the ear, so they are hard to see once healed. Good photos show the side of the face so you can judge this yourself.

That look comes from pulling the skin under tension. A facelift that repositions the deeper structural layer lets the skin lie naturally, which avoids the stretched look.

The facelift procedure page shows a selection of actual patients who consented to share their photographs.

No. A facelift treats sagging and descent. Fine lines, sun damage and pigment are treated separately, often with skin treatments before or after surgery.