Facelift
A facelift repositions what has descended — jowls, midface, neck. It does not resurface skin, refill lost volume, or reverse ageing generally. Understanding that distinction is the difference between a satisfied patient and a disappointed one.
What a facelift does — and what it does not
A facelift is frequently misunderstood as a general anti-ageing treatment. It is more specific than that.
What it addresses well
- Jowls and loss of jawline definition
- Descent of the cheek and midface
- Loose skin and banding in the neck, where a neck lift is included
- The deep folds running from nose to mouth corners, partially
What it does not address
- Skin quality, texture or pigmentation. Sun damage and uneven tone need resurfacing or medical skincare, not surgery.
- Fine lines around the eyes or mouth. These are surface-level and respond to other treatments.
- Volume loss. Ageing faces lose fat as well as position. Repositioning without restoring lost volume can produce a tight, hollow look — the very appearance most patients fear. Fat transfer is often combined.
- The upper eyelids or brow. Separate procedures.
Why so many facelifts look obviously “done”
This is the concern nearly every patient raises, and it deserves a direct answer. The operated appearance — a face pulled sideways, a widened mouth, a windswept look — comes from a specific technical error: pulling the skin tight rather than repositioning the deeper tissue layer beneath it.
Skin is not a structural tissue. Pulling it taut puts tension on the closure, distorts features, produces poor scars, and relaxes again within a year or two because skin stretches.
Contemporary technique repositions the SMAS — the fibrous layer beneath the skin that actually supports the face — and then redrapes the skin over it with minimal tension. The lift comes from underneath; the skin is simply tailored to fit. That is why a well-executed modern facelift tends to make people ask if you have been on holiday, rather than what you have had done.
Facelift, mini facelift, or something else?
| Full facelift | Mini facelift | Non-surgical | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Addresses | Lower face, jawline, neck | Early jowling, mild laxity | Volume, fine lines, skin quality |
| Best age range | Typically 50s–70s | Typically 40s–50s | Any |
| Anaesthesia | General | General or sedation | None |
| Scars | In front of and behind the ear, into the hairline | Shorter, in front of the ear | None |
| Recovery | 2–3 weeks socially | 1–2 weeks | Minimal |
| Duration of result | Approximately 8–12 years | Approximately 5–7 years | Months |
Honest guidance: a mini facelift suits genuinely mild laxity. If you have significant jowling or neck laxity, a mini procedure will underdeliver and you will be paying twice — once for a result that does not last, and again for the operation you needed in the first place. Conversely, if your concern is volume loss or skin quality rather than descent, surgery is not your answer at all.
Are you a candidate?
You are likely a good candidate if
- You have visible descent of the lower face — jowls, loss of jaw definition, neck laxity
- Your skin retains reasonable elasticity
- You are in good general health with well-controlled blood pressure
- You are a non-smoker, or willing to stop at least four weeks before and after
- Your expectations are proportionate — looking refreshed for your age, not decades younger
- You can take two to three weeks away from social and professional life
You are probably not a candidate if
- Your primary concern is skin quality, pigmentation or fine lines. You need resurfacing or medical skincare.
- Your primary concern is volume loss. Repositioning tissue without restoring volume produces a hollow, tight result.
- You have uncontrolled hypertension. This materially raises the risk of haematoma, the most common significant complication of facelift surgery.
- You smoke and will not stop. Smoking compromises the blood supply to the skin flaps and can cause skin loss.
- You expect to look decades younger, or to look like a photograph of someone else.
- You are seeking surgery during acute emotional distress, such as recent bereavement or divorce.
- You cannot take adequate recovery time. Bruising and swelling are visible for two to three weeks.
If Dr. Valente concludes surgery is not appropriate — or that a non-surgical approach would serve you better — he will say so.
Three principles
- 1
Reposition, do not pull
The lift comes from the deeper tissue layer. Skin is redraped with minimal tension.
- 2
Restore volume where it has been lost
Ageing is descent and deflation. Addressing only one produces an unnatural result.
- 3
Conservative over dramatic
The objective is that people notice you look well, not that you look operated on.
“The patients who are happiest at one year are the ones I was most conservative with. Over-tightening is the mistake that cannot be undone.”
A realistic recovery timeline
| Period | What to expect |
|---|---|
| First 48 hours | Head elevated. Dressings in place. Tightness and swelling. Often an overnight stay. |
| Days 3–7 | Bruising and swelling at their peak. Drains removed if used. The hardest week. |
| Days 7–14 | Sutures removed progressively. Bruising fading. Swelling asymmetric — this is normal. |
| Weeks 2–3 | Most patients are socially presentable, often with make-up. Back to desk work. |
| Weeks 3–6 | Residual swelling and numbness around the ears and cheeks. Tightness gradually easing. |
| Weeks 6–12 | Looking natural to others. Sensation returning progressively. |
| Months 3–6 | Final result as swelling fully resolves and tissues soften. |
| Months 6–18 | Scars mature and fade. |
A note on the first two weeks. Facelift recovery is emotionally harder than most patients anticipate. The face is swollen, bruised and numb, and it does not look like the result. This is universal and temporary. Plan to be away from social obligations, and tell only the people you want to know.
Scars and complications — stated honestly
Scars. Facelift incisions are placed to be concealed: starting in the temporal hairline, running in front of the ear, curving around the earlobe, behind the ear and into the hairline at the back. Where a neck lift is included, a small incision beneath the chin is added. Positioned well, these are difficult to see once mature; they fade over 12–18 months but do not disappear entirely. A history of keloid or hypertrophic scarring must be raised at consultation.
Common and expected: swelling, bruising, tightness, numbness around the ears and cheeks, temporary asymmetry during healing.
Uncommon: haematoma requiring drainage — the most common significant complication, and markedly more likely with uncontrolled blood pressure; delayed wound healing; visible or widened scarring; prolonged numbness; hair loss around the incisions.
Rare but serious: injury to a branch of the facial nerve, causing weakness that is usually temporary but very occasionally permanent; skin necrosis, particularly in smokers; infection; anaesthetic complications.
Honest pricing
Published Dubai market figures for facelift surgery generally range from approximately AED 45,000 to AED 90,000, depending on extent and whether a neck lift or fat transfer is included.
What should be included: surgeon’s fee, anaesthetist’s fee, facility and any overnight stay, pre-operative investigations, dressings and garments, and all routine follow-up.
Worth stating plainly. A facelift is a procedure where the difference between an excellent and a poor result is immediately visible on the most public part of the body, and where correction is difficult. This is not a procedure to choose on price.
Facelift in Dubai — book an honest assessment
A consultation with Dr. Augusto Valente includes a candid assessment of whether surgery is right for you — including being told if it is not. You will not be asked to decide on the day.
- Licensed hospital · dedicated anaesthetist
- English & Portuguese
- Structured follow-up
Facelift — frequently asked questions
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