Brace for your least-favorite answer: it depends.
Which is not to say anyone can get a facelift at any age. It simply means that we all age differently. Some blessed creatures age must slower than others and have the pleasure of being called “miss” after 40, while the rest of us were getting “ma’am” at 25.
There are certainly advantages to a middle-aged facelift. Most people in their 30s to 40s still have pretty decent tissue volume, meaning the results will be more natural looking, which is really the point. You want people to think “she looks so rested,” not avoiding eye-contact with you. Fewer risks tend to be involved with the younger set and healing also happens more quickly.
I read an article in Harper’s Bazaar about a woman who got a full facelift at 35. She explains that she always had saggy skin and knew it was only going to get worse. I think by the age of 30, we can pretty accurately guess where the effects of aging are going to present themselves, most often because it’s hereditary. And, consequently, different for everyone. At 30, I knew I would look forward to jowling and hooded eyelids (procedures for which I’ve already started a fund). Now, eleven years later, I could get a facelift, but there are a few other important factors to consider.
One being the cost. According to statistics from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, the average cost of a facelift in 2017 was $7,448 (this can vary widely and doesn’t even include the cost of anesthesia). I need a new roof, so there’s that. There’s also the recovery time to consider. Mama’s got stuff to do. I certainly can’t hideout in my house for weeks as I heal. I also have a really bad case of FOMO.
Finally, I simply know it’s not my time. Not yet anyway. Of course, I’m still being proactive because there are other ways to “slow that roll,” so to speak. A little Botox here, a filler there, maybe even some smaller surgical adjustments along the way to get me through.
So, when’s the right age for a facelift? You’ll know—or at least you’ll know when it’s time to consult with a facial plastic surgeon who can help determine the best procedure for you that will give you the results you want.
