Surgery For Men

Facelift For Men

at Cadogan Clinic, London’s Leading Cosmetic Surgery Specialists. 

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Award Winning Specialist Clinic

We've won 12 top industry awards since 2010 and regularly feature in the national and international press.

Industry Leading Consultants

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All of our surgeons are registered with the General Medical Council.

Medically Reviewed April 2023, by Mr. Bryan Mayou (GMC: 1414396) - founder of the Cadogan Clinic and one of the world's leading plastic surgeons

What is Face Lift for Men?

A facelift is a surgical procedure designed to tackle wrinkles and sagging skin, caused by the natural ageing process, by lifting the skin and tightening it and the underlying structures. This results in a younger-looking face and a rejuvenated facial appearance.

A facelift is a popular surgery option for both men and women who want to turn back the clock on the ageing process. Facelifts for men are becoming increasingly popular, with the number of male facelifts performed jumping by 45 percent in just five years.

Facelifts for men differ from facelifts for women as there are a number of crucial differences in the face makeup of the sexes. For example, men have denser bones and heavier facial structures. When carrying out surgical facelifts for men, here at the Cadogan Clinic we respect the gender-specific anatomy and aim to maintain male characteristics, for example retaining a defined, chiselled chin and avoiding introducing too much volume to certain areas, which can feminise the face. A facelift for men tackles typically male concerns such as under-eye bags, hollowed temples and jowls. 

A facelift successfully tackles the ageing process by effectively turning the clock back by ten years. A surgical male facelift is permanent, but will not stop the ageing process. However, you will always be able to maintain this 10-year advantage. Lifestyle changes, such as quitting smoking or limiting sun exposure, will help to maintain the results of your facelift for longer.

We offer different types of mens’ facelifts here at the Cadogan Clinic, depending on your age and which issues you wish to address with surgery. One of our expert surgeons will be able to recommend the best procedure to help you to reach your goals.

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Face Lift for Men
At a glance

Surgery Time

2 - 4 hours

Time off work

2 weeks

Hospital Stay

Day Case

Shower

After 1 week

Reasonable Mobility

After 48 hours' rest

Exercise

6 weeks

Sexual Activity

After 6 weeks

Sleeping on back

4 weeks

Full Recovery

6 - 8 weeks

Driving

2 weeks


Before and after Male Facelift


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The cost of a Facelift for Men

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What does it involve?

We offer a number of male facelift options here at the Cadogan Clinic.

This is a modified version of the traditional facelift, but it is considerably less invasive and generally focuses on the lower portion of the face. This particular treatment is great for addressing bothersome jowls and can even be performed alongside other treatments to enhance the results. For example, chin augmentation (chin implants) are a popular add-on for men who wish to have a more defined, and masculine, jawline.

There are several different mini facelift techniques which we use here at the Cadogan Clinic.

  • S facelift - So-called because of the shape of the incision, this particular technique sees the surgeon remove excess skin and fat to contour the lower portions of the face. This results in a more defined profile, a popular request for men seeking a facelift.
  • SMAS facelift - A superficial musculoaponeurotic system facelift, more commonly known as a SMAS facelift, targets the bottom two-thirds of the face. This particular technique addresses male concerns of excess fat, sagging skin and unwanted jowls. It can also restore lost volume to the cheeks if required.
  • Deep plane facelift - A deep plane facelift is a more in-depth technique which delivers a much longer-lasting result. A surgeon will cut into the deeper layers of tissue between fat and muscle and reposition it to provide masculine definition to the cheeks and jawline.

These techniques target the lower part of the face, but they can be combined with surgeries which target other problem areas, such as eyelid surgery, which can tackle eye bags, a common male complaint. Non-surgical treatments, such as dermal fillers or anti-ageing injectables, can also be used on the upper part of the face alongside a mini facelift.

A traditional full facelift for men targets deep folds and wrinkles, improving the appearance of the whole face. Because it is a more extensive surgery, it requires longer incisions, resulting in a higher likelihood of scarring, compared to the mini facelift.

Another option for a male facelift is the micro facelift. The micro facelift is a new and innovative treatment, popular with younger patients, and can take as much as five years off a person’s face. It is so minimally invasive, it has been dubbed the ‘one-stitch facelift’.

This particular male facelift option focuses on the middle section of the face, from below the eyelids, around the cheekbones and down to the upper lip. This section of the face is particularly prone to the telltale signs of ageing, including common male complaints of hollowed eyes and deep nasolabial folds. 

A micro facelift restores masculine cheekbone definition by targeting saggy cheek fat, and results in a natural, more youthful, appearance overall. A one stitch facelift can also be combined with other surgical procedures, such as a neck lift, for an enhanced result. 

A micro facelift has very little downtime and this procedure can be done with minimal inconvenience, scars and risk. A micro facelift is particularly suitable for men who are displaying the early signs of facial ageing and often acts as a precursor to a mini or full facelift.

We also offer a non-surgical facelift option, which is a bespoke combination of treatments tailored to meet your individual needs.

Why is a Facelift different for men than women?

Male and female facial features are different. Men generally have thinner lips set further away from the base of the nose, larger and more prominent noses, larger foreheads, more angular cheeks, stronger jawlines and squarer chins. These features make up a typical male face.

The differences in the anatomy of the male face mean that facelifts for men are carried out in a different way to how the surgery would be performed on a female patient.

One key difference is that men have stronger facial skeletal structures than women do. This means that facelift surgery is more easily carried out on a woman due to the structure being somewhat more malleable. Men also have thicker skin, particularly around the neck, jaw and bottom part of the face. Facelifts for men tend to focus on the lower portions of the face for this very reason.

One of the first signs of ageing in men is sagging skin, due to natural collagen depletion. This leads to bothersome jowls around the jawline and sagging cheeks. As a man’s face is naturally more defined and angular than a woman’s face, this can make a male face appear softer and more feminine. Male facelifts are a fast and effective way to tackle these common complaints. However, when carrying out this procedure on men, a surgeon must always take care not to pull the skin too tightly or remove too much excess muscle as this can result in an overly tight and ‘pinched’ appearance. 

Facelifts for men are highly effective at tackling other early signs of facial ageing. These include fine lines, including forehead lines, and hyperpigmentation, freckles and spots caused by excessive sun exposure.

Another way the male face differs from a womans is, of course, the presence of coarse facial hair. The presence of this hair around the lower part of the face dictates where the surgeon should make their incisions and which type to use. It takes skill to operate in this area of the face. Any miscalculations and the incisions may interfere with the hair follicles, with excessive scarring meaning hair cannot regrow.

When performing a male facelift, a surgeon must take care not to accidentally feminise the facial features (unless this is specifically requested). For example, by introducing too much volume to the cheeks to soften the middle of the face, or raising the eyebrows too high.

Here at the Cadogan Clinic, our expert surgeon will be able to advise you on which treatment will be best to help you achieve your aims. To discuss treatment options, we invite you to book a consultation today at our award-winning clinic based in Chelsea.


Face Lift Surgeons

We have invited a selection of the country's very best consultants to join us at the Cadogan Clinic so that you can be sure that whatever the nature of your treatment, you will be seeing one of the top practitioners in the country.


What to expect

Below you will find some key information to help you prepare for surgery and make necessary arrangements to ensure you have the support you need and that everything runs smoothly on the day.

Your journey with the Cadogan Clinic will start with up to two consultations with one of our leading specialist plastic surgeons at our award-winning premises in Chelsea. These consultations will take between 30 and 60 minutes.

During your consultation, your surgeon will ask about your expectations for facelift surgery and talk about what will happen during the procedure. They will also explain how the procedure will affect you.

It is important that you are open and honest about what you hope to achieve through surgery to help ensure the best possible result. Your surgeon will be happy to answer any questions you may have at this point. It may be a good idea to write your questions down before attending the consultation. Having established what you want from the surgery, and what is possible given your facial anatomy, several key measurements will be made and standard clinical photography will be taken. Your medical history will be discussed and a physical examination will be carried out.

If your surgeon feels you are a good candidate for surgery, you are then invited to consider whether you would like to proceed with your facelift or not following a two week 'cooling off' period.

During this period, you are welcome to come back to the Cadogan Clinic and discuss your potential facelift surgery with your surgeon as many times as you like.

If you decide to go ahead with surgery following the cooling-off period, the next time you will return to the clinic is on the day of the procedure. It is important that you prepare for your male facelift by taking the following measures ahead of surgery.

Stop smoking. Smoking decreases blood flow in the skin and can slow the healing process. If you smoke, your doctor will recommend that you stop smoking six weeks before surgery and during the recovery period.

Avoid taking certain medications. You should avoid taking aspirin, anti-inflammatory drugs and herbal supplements in the week ahead of your brow lift. Taking these can increase bleeding.

Arrange for help during recovery. Make plans for a friend or family member to drive you home after you leave the hospital and stay with you for at least the first night of your recovery at home.

In the six hours prior to surgery, you must not consume food or any drink, other than small sips of clear fluid which will be allowed up to two hours before you are admitted to the clinic. Clear fluids include still water, black coffee and black tea.

On the day of your procedure, we ask that you arrive for your admission an hour before the agreed start time of surgery. At this point a nurse will come and record blood pressure and other relevant tests, you will meet with your anaesthetist and your surgeon who will make the final mark-ups. A general anaesthetic is administered. Here at the Cadogan Clinic, we use Total Intravenous Anaesthesia (TIVA) for full facelift surgery to ensure minimal sickness post-procedure and a quicker recovery time. Local anaesthetic or sedation may be used for less invasive facelift surgery such as mini-lift or micro-lift surgery.

The surgeon will make the appropriate incisions before gently lifting the skin into an upwards position, removing any excess skin. Depending on your individual case, the surgeon may also tighten the deeper tissues on the face. Once the procedure is completed, the incision will be closed with staples or sutures, and dressings will be applied.

Surgery can take several hours, depending on which procedure(s) you are having done. Other treatments can be carried out at the same time as a male facelift, for example, a neck lift to tighten the skin around the jowls and chin.

Following your facelift surgery, you will recover in our ambulatory recovery rooms. You may feel a little drowsy but this often wears off within a few hours.  Once you are able to eat and drink, and our specialist nursing team are happy that your initial recovery is complete, you will be allowed to leave the clinic with a friend or family member.

It is not uncommon to experience some pain following a male facelift and this will wear off in due course. Any pain can be controlled using over-the-counter painkillers, such as paracetamol. You should expect some bruising and swelling at the incision areas.

We recommend taking two weeks off work and avoiding exercise for several weeks to allow yourself to recover from your facelift.

Our 24/7 on-call service is open to all patients for any question or query they may have at this time.

You will meet in person with our nursing team one week after surgery to check the incision sites. We also recommend meeting one of our aestheticians to discuss ongoing treatment to support the healing process if required.

A final check-up will take place six weeks after your brow lift surgery.

The Patient Journey. A breakdown of what you can expect on your journey with us

We are deeply invested in ensuring that every step of your surgical journey with us is as informative and reassuring to you as it can be. This article outlines what you can expect at each stage of the journey

The Patient Journey

Frequently Asked Questions

Male facelift surgery will leave you looking up to ten years younger. Facelift surgery will banish sagging and wrinkling skin and prevent new lines from forming on problem areas such as the forehead. You will look refreshed and your skin rejuvenated.

This procedure will give your face a more masculine appearance, giving more definition to the chin, jawline and cheeks. The overall effect of the surgery will be enhanced if you have opted to undergo other procedures alongside your facelift, for example, a brow lift.

The final results are typically first seen six or so weeks after your facelift procedure, with ongoing improvements likely beyond this point. It can take as long as 12 months for the healing process to be fully complete. We advise planning ahead if you are thinking about having the procedure ahead of a big event, such as a wedding. We recommend allowing in the region of two to three months for recovery ahead of such an occasion.

As well as the numerous physical benefits, facelifts for men can also help improve confidence and self-esteem, therefore having a positive impact on overall mental health.

You should have a day of rest after surgery and should be reasonably mobile within one day.

We would strongly suggest taking two weeks off work as part of your recovery. You should be able to get back to driving one week after your male facelift.

Exercise, including going to the gym, should be avoided for four to six weeks, post-surgery. Restricted sexual activity can resume at the four-week mark.

We recommend sleeping on your back for three weeks to avoid putting pressure on the face. This is particularly important in the first couple of weeks post-surgery, as the incision areas will have a degree of bruising and swelling, so this area will be particularly tender.

You may gently shower and wash your hair 48 hours after facelift surgery, taking particular care on the treated areas. You can also blow dry your hair on a cool setting. Be gentle when brushing or combing your hair so that you do not catch your comb in the suture lines.

You should expect a full recovery from your facelift by six weeks.


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Founded in 2004 by world renowned plastic surgeon Mr Bryan Mayou, we now work with over 100 leading consultants and successfully treat over 20,000 patients each year. We have been winning industry awards since inception.

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What are the non surgical facelift options for men?

A non-surgical facelift is a combination of treatments designed to tackle numerous facial concerns, such as sagging skin, wrinkles, volume loss, hyperpigmentation and scarring. This treatment is personally tailored to each individual, depending on their concerns.

Common treatments included in a non-surgical facelift treatment can include:

  • Anti-ageing Injectables - Muscle relaxants which can be used to erase wrinkles and prevent new ones from appearing. This treatment can also get rid of men’s under-eye bags and is effective in treating adult acne.
  • Chemical Skin Peels - As well as restoring a youthful look, chemical skin peels can help to tackle other skin concerns such as pigmentation, open pores and problems associated with dry or oily skin. A peel as part of a non-surgical male facelift can leave the skin looking rejuvenated. We have a range of peels available, depending on your skin and its needs.
  • Dermal Fillers - These natural injectables restore lost volume in the face. When carrying out this particular treatment, a thicker type of filler is used for men. This is because men have larger bones and thicker skin and we want to avoid feminising the male face. Dermal fillers are great for addressing men’s under-eye hollows and deep nasolabial lines (the lines which extend from the nose to the mouth corners).
  • Fat Transfer to Face - This involves taking some of the body’s naturally occurring fat, processing it and putting it back into the face. This adds volumes to areas which have become sunken with age. With men, this is a common age-related concern. Fat transfer can reintroduce lost volume to areas of the face including the temples and cheeks.
  • Laser Skin Resurfacing - An intense laser beam is used to remove the top layer of skin, stimulating the body’s collagen production. This treatment is good for treating sun damage, acne scars and other scars, for example, caused by shaving cuts. This treatment is also good for general smoothing and tightening the skin.
  • Microneedling - Small needles are used to puncture the skin, promoting skin cell renewal. Microneedling treats fine lines and wrinkles, acne scars and surgical scarring, improving overall skin tone and texture.
  • Ultherapy - This treatment uses ultrasound to firm and tightens loose and sagging skin on the brow, chin and neck area. The results are pleasing, yet subtle, and doesn’t betray that a man has had work carried out.

A non-surgical facelift is not permanent and the procedure will need to be repeated in order to maintain the results. However, it can be used to help maintain the results of a previous surgical facelift.


What are the risks?

Facelifts for men are considered to be a safe procedure and you will be in the hands of surgeons who are experts in their field.

That said, it is common to experience the following side-effects after face lift surgery:

  • Bruising and swelling
  • Temporary numbness
  • A small amount of scarring

As with all surgical procedures, male face lift surgery carries some risk. There is a small possibility that you might experience one or more of the following after your procedure:

  • Nausea
  • Bleeding or infection
  • Poor healing of incisions and scarring
  • A collection of blood underneath the skin (haematoma)
  • Death of fat tissue (fat necrosis) or embolism
  • Hair loss or hairline distortion

In addition to this, any type of surgery carries a small risk of:

  • Excessive bleeding (hemorrhage)
  • Developing a blood clot in a vein. Also known as deep vein thrombosis (DVT)
  • An allergic reaction to the anaesthetic

Your surgeon will discuss these risks comprehensively at your consultation and explain how likely these risks and complications are, and how they would be treated if they were to occur.




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2021

Aesthetics Awards

Highly Commended

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2021

My Face My Body

Best Clinic Winner

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2020

My Face My Body

Best Clinic Winner

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2019

My Face My Body

Winner

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2018

My Face My Body

Highly Commended

Laurel Wreath for Awards
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2018

Aesthetics Awards

Highly Commended

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2017

Aesthetics Awards

Winner

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