Face & Neck Lift

A facelift cannot stop time. What it can do is set the clock back: excess fat is removed, the underlying muscle layer is tightened and the skin of the face and neck is redraped — so the face looks rested rather than pulled.

At a glance

Operating time

3–4 hours

Anaesthesia

General

Hospital stay

One night

Recovery

10–14 days

Back to work

2–3 weeks

How it is performed

A facelift is one of the most individual operations in plastic surgery. At consultation the skin, the fat and the underlying bone are assessed together with your goals, and the technique is chosen accordingly. It can be done alone or combined with a forehead lift, eyelid surgery or nose reshaping in the same session.

Before surgery, medical conditions that could cause problems — uncontrolled blood pressure, clotting disorders, a tendency to heavy scarring — are checked. Aspirin and similar drugs are stopped in advance. Smoking is the single greatest enemy of healing here: it restricts blood flow to the skin and must be stopped for at least two weeks before and after surgery.

Incisions follow the hairline and the natural creases in front of and behind the ear, so that mature scars fall in shadow and hair. If your hair is very short, growing it out a little before surgery makes the healing phase easier.

Who is it for

Men and women whose face and neck have begun to sag but whose skin still has elasticity and whose bone structure is well defined.
Most patients are in their forties to sixties; the operation is done successfully in the seventies and eighties as well.
Deep creases between nose and mouth, a slack jawline with jowls, folds and fat deposits around the neck.
Patients who understand that a facelift makes them look fresher — not like a different person.

Recovery timeline

Days 1–2
Rest with the head elevated. Swelling and bruising peak; discomfort is controlled with prescribed medication.
Week 1
Dressings and sutures are removed in stages. Bruising begins to turn.
Weeks 2–3
Most patients feel presentable and return to work. Camouflage make-up covers residual bruising.
Weeks 4–6
Strenuous exercise, sunbathing and alcohol are reintroduced gradually, on the surgeon's advice.
Months 3–6
Swelling fully settles, scars fade and the definitive result becomes visible.

Risks & honest expectations

Complications are infrequent in trained hands, but no outcome is entirely predictable: anatomy, healing and reaction differ from person to person.
Hematoma — a collection of blood under the skin — is the most common early problem and may need to be drained.
Temporary injury to the nerves that move the facial muscles can occur; permanent injury is rare.
Infection and reactions to anaesthesia are uncommon.
Poor skin healing is most likely in smokers.

The information on this website is for general information only and is not a substitute for a personal medical consultation. Every surgical procedure carries risks; outcomes vary from person to person. Content is reviewed by Dr. H. Seçkin Öksar, Board Certified Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeon.

Questions about this procedure

Will it look obvious?

The aim is the opposite: tightening the deeper layer rather than pulling the skin is what keeps expression natural. Friends usually notice that you look rested, not that you have had surgery.

Can I have eyelid surgery at the same time?

Yes — a facelift is frequently combined with blepharoplasty or a forehead lift, which means one anaesthetic and one recovery period instead of two.

How long does the result last?

The face continues to age, but from a younger starting point. Most patients keep the benefit for many years, and a limited secondary procedure can refresh it later.

Related procedures

All procedures

Face

Contact

Start with a conversation

Tell us what you are considering. You will get an honest answer about whether it is the right procedure for you — including when the answer is no.

+90 532 722 84 52 WhatsApp

Yeşilbahçe Mah. Metin Kasapoğlu Cad., Gökhan İş Merkezi No:19 D:9, Muratpaşa / Antalya, Türkiye