‘Why Wait?’: 9 Women on Getting a Facelift in Their 40s
Spend enough time online and you’ll see videos speculating about which young stars have gotten facelifts. Whether or not it’s true, the curiosity seems to reflect a real-life trend: Patients in their 40s seeking lifts by their various names. There are facelifts (an overall term to describe surgery where skin is pulled back, repositioned, and/or removed), ponytail lifts (meant to imitate the “snatched” look of a high ponytail), mini lifts (a lift targeting a particular area of the face), and deep plane facelifts (a full-scale surgery that goes into the deeper layers of the skin).
The top surgeons seem to agree that the average age for a facelift is trending downwards. “When I started my practice in 1997, the average age of someone seeking facelifts was 56; now it’s 47,” says Ramtin Kassir, M.D., a triple board-certified plastic surgeon based in New York City. Experts speculate that younger people are seeking this major surgery due to a variety of reasons, including social media making procedures appear less taboo, increased consciousness about the aging process, and the rise of Ozempic. “A new wave of younger patients are seeking treatment for facial laxity after using semaglutide for weight loss treatment,” says Edward Kwak, M.D., a double board-certified plastic surgeon also based in New York City.
ELLE spoke with nine women who received lifts of various kinds in their 40s. From how they told their friends to recovering in an aftercare facility and experiencing full-face numbness, read on for their stories.
“I wanted to reset everything.”
Blaire, 42, New York City
“I work in skin care and, being in the industry, I’m using the best products and tools, as well as seeing people for treatments. While none of my friends or colleagues would say that I needed any work, I noticed changes. I had a mini facelift and neck lift with a deep plane approach in October of this year with Eric Cerrati, M.D., in Salt Lake City. He showed me his work, and it was natural. I’m not looking for Kim Kardashian perfection; I wanted to reset everything and slow the aging journey. I flew out there from New York City and spent a week in a hotel that his staff booked for me.
I did a TikTok series talking about my experience. I was nervous about it, but I talk about skin care already, so this was a natural extension of my profile. People have been so receptive and supportive. The narrative is shifting. I like to call it ‘pro aging,’ because I’m being proactive and making smart decisions. Nobody would know unless I showed the before and afters. Then they’re like, Yeah, you just look really refreshed.”
“I didn’t even think about my old face anymore.”
Elizabeth, 47, Indianapolis
“When I turned 45, I looked in the mirror, and I appeared tired, even if I didn’t feel tired on the inside. My outside didn’t match how I felt, since I’m a pretty healthy, vibrant person. My neck was starting to sag; I saw changes in my lower face, and my lips also appeared old. I felt that, with being a bit younger, a facelift wouldn’t be as noticeable, so I wanted to do it sooner than later. I found Amir Karam, M.D., when I was searching for people with similar facial features to myself. He performed a vertical restore, his signature facelift technique, in addition to a fat transfer and lip lift.
I flew from Indiana to California. I was for sure scared and nervous—I trusted Karam, but it’s only natural to have some anxiety. But I went in, he marked me up, and then you’re under a twilight anesthesia, so you’re not completely out, which is amazing. Within four weeks, I looked great, and the healing after that was minimal. At month four, I didn’t even think about my old face anymore.”
“I’m not going to say this is natural, because it’s not.”
Anastasiya, 42, Brooklyn
“In my twenties, I was a new mom, and I didn’t have a lot of time to think about my appearance. I would do some Botox and fillers; that was enough for me in my thirties. But after 40, I started noticing that everything was starting to sag, especially around my eyes and mid-face. After my consultation, I had to think about it. At 41, did I really need the procedure? I decided to do it now, because I believe that it’s better to look how you want at a younger age than later in life. Why waste my years?
Six months ago, my doctor performed a mini facelift, as well as an eyebrow lift. I was so nervous the night before, and I didn’t sleep well. As far as the recovery process goes, I prepared myself to look bad, because I hear a lot of women go into a depression and assume the doctor did something wrong. I’m six months post-op and still have some numbness, but nothing that I can’t live with. I look in the mirror, and I love what I see. I don’t wear as much makeup anymore. I even go to sleep without putting face cream on. My kids are 14 and 11, and people think I’m their sister, not their mother. I’m not going to say this is natural, because it’s not. People should know the truth. I believe a facelift gives more confidence for women, especially those who have kids and don’t always have time for themselves. This is the best thing I’ve ever done, and I’d do it again 100 times over.”
“I have nothing to hide, and I’m proud I did it.”
Heather, 48, San Francisco
“Genetically, I knew that I’d see aging in my neck because my mother, when she got a facelift at 65, had loose skin that hung like a turkey. I thought to myself, There’s just no way I’m waiting that long. I wanted to enjoy the way I look now, not wait 20 more years. After finding Sean Alemi, M.D., on social media and seeing his before and after photos, I decided to fly out to New York City this past February from San Francisco. He performed a brow and lip lift in addition to a deep plane facelift on my neck. I also had a bit of skin under my eyes removed.
It’s definitely painful. The best way to describe it is that it feels like water is dripping down your face, and there’s tingling as the nerves reconnect. I slept on my back for two months. Pain medication helped, but I also did hyperbaric oxygen chamber sessions daily for five days following the procedure.
I look like myself, but in a way that makes me appear refreshed. I ran into a friend from high school, and he goes, ‘What did you do? You look so young.’ He couldn’t pinpoint it. Same goes for someone at the gym. She thought I was in my thirties. I tell everyone that it’s the greatest thing I’ve done. I have nothing to hide, and I’m proud I did it.”
“My face was getting peeled back, in a manner of speaking, and then put back together.”
Hannah, 49, Brooklyn
“I noticed some skin laxity around my neck, and I asked my doctor for advice. It turned out that to have a really good, long-term effect, it was better to do a mini facelift in addition to a deep plane neck lift. I was a little taken aback, but the reasoning was sound. I figured I was a bit on the young side, but if I hate it now, why wait?
I’ve had top surgery in the past, as well as some liposuction on my hips and thighs. I’m also an athlete and have had orthopedic repairs. So going in, surgery wasn’t too unfamiliar, and [Dr. Edward] Kwak explained the nitty gritty to me—where the incisions were going to go, the fact that my face was getting peeled back, in a manner of speaking, and then put back together.
Waking up was definitely wild. I was wrapped in ace bandages, my eyes were squinty, and my lips were puffy. My recovery was rougher than I expected. I heal fast, and normally I hop up and get on with my life, but with this, your swelling shifts from day to day or even hour to hour. My jaw was really stiff, to the point where I had trouble eating. Make sure to have soft foods for recovery! I was also surprised by the level of fatigue I felt afterwards. I was flattened for about three days.”
“The entire experience was a big expense, but I felt it was worth it.”
Jaime, 49, Los Angeles
“I started using a little Botox in my thirties, and then by my late thirties, I began experimenting with a little filler. But there wasn’t anything that could be done for my neck, chin, and jowls area. I’d catch a glimpse in the car rearview mirror and just be horrified at my skin. I’d hide it with a scarf or put my head down.
I was 47 when I had what Daniel Gould, M.D., calls a weekend lift. It’s a mini facelift with a deep plane neck lift, but it’s done in a way where the healing time is reduced. I wanted to nip my concerns in the bud now, rather than wait until later and have it be noticeable. I also received Morpheus8, as well as a nano fat transfer from my belly to my under eyes.
The entire experience was a big expense, but I felt it was worth it. I also paid for an aftercare facility; it was a fancy hotel, and they had low lighting and provided meals. I was like, This is heaven, I want to stay here more than one night. I remember they served me a delicious salmon salad, and I was only able to take small bites. But they were on top of making sure I was never in any pain, although I did notice some discomfort in my stomach from the nano fat transfer. There’s a tiny scar under my chin and behind my ear, but you can’t really see it.”
“They have no idea I got work done, but I still tell them.”
Amy, 49, Philadelphia
“I had a large amount of weight loss that created elasticity in my skin, giving me jowls and sagging in the neck. Given there’s more collagen in my skin [while I’m younger], I wanted to correct that now rather than wait. I was a patient of Robert Schwarcz, M.D. He also performed a procedure on my daughter, and after seeing her results, I decided to go with him for my concerns. I’ve had three surgeries with him. In 2021, I received an eyebrow lift with fat transfer for my under eyes. Then in 2023, I had an upper and lower blepharoplasty, and finally in 2024, I had the deep plane facelift and neck lift.
Being familiar with surgery, it was very easy, and I wasn’t in pain. You can’t tell I’ve had a facelift; he does beautiful stitching. The numbness took a few months to resolve itself, but I didn’t think it was a big deal. I was afraid of looking different, but my doctor asked me for a picture of my younger self. It reassured me that it would look natural, and I would still be me. And it’s true: People ask me all the time what I did to turn the clock back 20 years. They have no idea I got work done, but I still tell them. I’m not afraid to share. I’m proud of what he did, and my results reflect the way I feel inside.”
“Now I’m four months post-op, and most of the feeling has returned to my face.”
Stephanie, 43, Miami
“I work full-time and travel three weeks out of the month, so I’m constantly stressed out. A facelift did sound drastic for someone who is 43, but I was spending so much on injectables. I started to look into other options with my doctor, Renata Khelemsky, M.D. She mentioned a mini facelift, and I decided to get it done this past July.
The experience was five stars. The operating room has a skyline view of New York City. I was in pain and keeping to a schedule for my Tylenol, because I could feel the medication wearing off. Now I’m four months post-op, and most of the feeling has returned to my face. But in the beginning, it was so strange since I couldn’t feel my ears. I miss some of the [post-op] swelling though; it gave a tighter look.
I only told two close friends that I was doing this. People are like, What are you doing? That’s ridiculous. Nothing’s wrong with your face. But being somebody who works a ton and is focused on career and family, it’s OK to go ahead and take care of yourself.”
“I’m proactive about fitness and health, and this was an extension of that.”
Sam, 50, Los Angeles
“I was pretty nervous going into the day of surgery. My biggest fear is the same as everyone else’s—that I’d look different. But Catherine Chang, M.D., put me at ease that I would look like myself, albeit the version of myself who doesn’t have three kids and hasn’t slept.
Chang has gentle hands, and I didn’t have a lot of bruising or swelling. By day six, she removed the stitches, and I was out and about by the weekend. After a few weeks, I was back to walking for exercise, but I waited a month before resuming Pilates and yoga, since Chang didn’t want me to be upside down. People were really shocked at how quickly I recovered, and the general consensus was, Oh, my gosh, you look like you had the best rest of your life. I tell people to do it when you’re 50 [I got my procedure done when I was 49], as opposed to when you’re 60, because it’s so much more subtle. I’m proactive about fitness and health, and this was an extension of that.”
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