How Long Does a Facelift Last? Surgery Results Explained

From Hollywood red carpets to Manhattan’s Upper East Side, facelifts are no longer whispered about in private — they have become one of the most talked-about cosmetic procedures for both women and men.

Still, somewhere between Kris Jenner’s headline-making transformation and the more discreet surgery your aunt had years ago, a key question often gets overlooked: how long do facelift results really last?

The high-end procedure, which can cost more than $100,000, is designed to create a younger-looking appearance by removing or repositioning skin and underlying muscle to soften visible signs of aging in the face and neck.

Facelifts have been around for decades, but the conversation around them has changed dramatically. What was once considered taboo is now dinner-party chatter, with some celebrities openly naming their surgeons and detailing the work they have had done.

Last year, Kardashian matriarch Kris Jenner, 70, went viral after unveiling a noticeably refreshed look created by famed plastic surgeon Dr Steven M Levine, who has been dubbed the “facelift maestro.”

Denise Richards, 55, also embraced a major refresh last year, turning to Beverly Hills surgeon Dr Ben Talei for a dramatic lift, along with a temporal brow lift, upper blepharoplasty, lip lift and fat grafting.

But as social media praises these celebrity facelifts as near-miraculous, anyone considering surgery should understand what the procedure can — and cannot — promise when it comes to longevity.

The short answer: even the best facelift is not permanent.

‘A facelift typically lasts 10 years, and often longer,’ New York City-based plastic surgeon Dr Ira Savetsky, who has performed many celebrity face lifts, told Our News Outlet.

‘It doesn’t stop aging—it resets the tissues to a more youthful position, while gravity, collagen loss, skin laxity and volume changes continue over time,’ Dr Savetsky explained.

He said that although facelifts are meant for a ‘long-term’ and ‘durable improvement,’ it’s not a ‘permanent result,’  

‘There is no specific expiration date,’ he said.

Dr David Shafer, of Manhattan’s Shafer Clinic Fifth Avenue, agreed that a facelift can ‘reset the aging clock,’ but it won’t stop you from aging.

‘A good rule of thumb is that a facelift rejuvenates your appearance by about 10 years,’ Dr Shafer told Our News Outlet.

‘Results depend on technique, age, skin quality, lifestyle and continued maintenance treatments,’ the plastic surgeon said. 

So, although your facelift may not look impeccably intact when you’re 80, it can still provide a dramatic difference in your appearance. 

Dr Shafer also explained that facelift procedures are becoming more and more sophisticated as time goes on.

Now, many procedures include structural tissue rearrangement, volume replacement, bio stimulation with PRP/PRF, and energy-based resurfacing, he said. 

However, it’s definitely not uncommon for results of a facelift to change over time.

‘It is normal,’ Dr Shafer told Our News Outlet.

‘As the tissues settle and patients continue to age, the appearance will evolve,’ he said.

Because of this, many patients will opt for maintenance treatments, like Botox, filler and even ‘metabolic interventions’ like GLP-1s.

‘The goal is for those changes to occur gradually and naturally,’ Dr Savetsky explained.

But at the end of the day, some still may be left unhappy with their facelift procedure – as it was rumored that Jenner herself was, something she later debunked. 

However, if you are feeling this way, Dr Savetsky warned not to ‘rush’ into getting another procedure.  

‘First, give your face adequate time to heal, then discuss your concerns openly with your surgeon,’ he told Our News Outlet.

‘If you’re still not satisfied, seek a second opinion from a board-certified plastic surgeon experienced in facelift and revision surgery,’ he said.

‘They can help determine whether the issue is correctable and what the safest options are.’