5 Signs You Might Be Ready for a Facelift (And What to Expect)

At Oceana Aesthetics in Stuart, Florida, we understand that deciding to undergo facial rejuvenation is a deeply personal journey. Led by board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Brian Blumenauer, MD, our practice serves patients throughout Stuart, Palm City, Jensen Beach, Port St. Lucie, Ft. Pierce, Hutchinson Island, Vero Beach, Hobe Sound, Tequesta, Jupiter, and West Palm Beach, Florida. 

If you're noticing that your reflection doesn't quite match how energetic you feel inside, you might be considering a facelift. Knowing when to transition from non-surgical treatments to a surgical procedure can help you achieve the most natural-looking, long-lasting results. Here is what you need to know about the signs of facial aging and what you can expect from the process.

What are the 5 signs you might be ready for a facelift?

You might be ready for a facelift if you notice persistent sagging in your lower face and neck that non-surgical treatments can no longer fully correct. While everyone ages differently, five common signs suggest a surgical lift is the most effective option:

1. Sagging jowls along the jawline: As we age, the supportive tissues in our cheeks slide downward. This creates loose skin and displaced fat deposits that disrupt a clean, youthful jawline.
2. Deep creases around the mouth: Deep lines running from your nose to your mouth (nasolabial folds) or down to your chin (marionette lines) become more pronounced as deep facial fat compartments shift over time.
3. Loose skin and banding on the neck: A sagging neck, often called a "turkey neck," frequently develops alongside lower facial aging. A facelift can beautifully tighten these loose muscles and skin.
4. Hollow cheeks and midface volume loss: A flat or sunken midface can make you look tired. While we can use non-surgical options, combining a surgical lift with fat grafting is an increasingly popular way to restore youthful volume.
5. Non-surgical treatments are no longer enough: If minimally invasive options like EMFACE or Morpheus8 are no longer giving you the lifting effect you want, surgery is the next logical step.

What should you expect from facelift surgery?

You can expect a highly customized surgical procedure that lifts and tightens the underlying structures of your lower face to create a refreshed, natural appearance. We tailor our surgical approach to your unique anatomy, utilizing advanced techniques to ensure beautiful results and a smooth recovery. 

During your consultation, we discuss whether a deep-plane facelift or a SMAS lift is right for you. A deep-plane lift releases deep ligaments to lift the muscle and skin as one unit, while a SMAS lift folds and tightens the supportive muscle layer.

A 2025 systematic review of over 10,000 patients showed that both techniques are exceptionally safe, with only a 2% to 3% risk of hematoma (PubMed 2025). You don't have to worry that you're "too old" for surgery, either. A 2026 study of 541 patients found that chronological age is not an independent predictor of complications, maintaining a tiny 0.4% major complication rate for healthy patients (PubMed 2026).

The results are highly rewarding, with research showing that 91.91% of patients rate their facelift as "worth it" due to natural-looking aesthetic improvements and boosted self-confidence (PubMed Central 2024). 

Ready to take the next step toward a refreshed, confident version of yourself? Our dedicated team is here to guide you through every stage of your aesthetic journey. Please contact our team to schedule your personalized consultation today.