Every year, more than 120,000 Americans have facelifts. Ever since the earliest forms of facelifts were first introduced around 1916, they’ve drawn deep interest from those eager to keep their youthful appearances. But most people actually know very little about facelifts.
How much does a facelift cost? Is it worth it? Are there alternatives?
Keep reading to get the answers to these very important questions.
Who Gets Facelifts?
Unsurprisingly, most facelift patients are women. Traditionally, we tend to imagine them as being older women who feel like they need to have work done to stay ahead personally and professionally. Certainly, many of them are.
But there is a rising trend toward cosmetic surgeries and interventions among women in and newly out of college. Perhaps this comes as no surprise when 80 percent of college-age girls report feeling heavily pressured about their appearances.
The ubiquitousness of facelifts across age groups raises different questions about the value of the procedure than most of us are used to asking.
How Much Does a Facelift Cost?
So how much does a facelift cost? It’s impossible to truly answer the question of whether or not getting a facelift is worth it without looking at the expense.
According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, the average cost of a facelift is $7,655. That figure is somewhat misleading, however.
It represents only the cost of the surgery itself. It does not include many of the “extras” that are a necessary part of the process, such as:
- Anesthesia
- Operating room supplies
- Testing fees
- Other hospital fees
Then, of course, there are other common costs such as pre- and post-op appointments, prescription medications, and travel expenses. All told, facelifts routinely cost more than $11,000.
Other Expenses
Facelifts also come with unavoidable downtime. They result in bruising, stitches, and other natural consequences that take time to heal. During this time, your ability to work, take care of home and family, and engage in other common activities tends to be largely curtailed.
When accounting for full facelift surgery costs, then, it is important to take into account the income lost while you are out of work. Depending on your situation, you may also need to consider the expenses associated with home or child care you cannot do while recovering.
Secondary Procedures
Finally, it is essential to understand that facelifts are not necessarily one-and-done procedures. Many patients need multiple surgeries to achieve their desired results.
Some of these surgeries may be smaller, less complicated, and therefore less expensive. But no surgery is cheap, and each additional procedure pushes the total cost that much higher.
Is Getting a Facelift Worth It?
Ultimately, only you can evaluate your personal situation and decide if getting a facelift is worth it. How you feel about yourself directly impacts almost every aspect of your life. The importance of being comfortable and confident in your own skin is almost impossible to overstate.
That said, there is more than just the high average cost of facelifts to consider when deciding.
Risk
Facelifts are a form of surgery, and every surgery involves risk. Hundreds of thousands of Americans die every year from medical mistakes. Even patients who receive the best of care cannot avoid being exposed to potentially severe illness as the result of surgery.
Not only do hospital settings expose them to serious germs, surgery inherently weakens the immune system, leaving them more vulnerable. Patients with pre-existing conditions such as obesity, diabetes, and immune disorders are at particularly high risk.
For these and other higher-risk patients, the potential costs of getting a facelift are much higher than simply the dollar value involved.
Alternatives to Facelifts
What happens if you look at the question “how much does a facelift cost on average?” and decide the answer is “too much?” Are there alternatives?
Aging Gracefully
Some women choose to embrace the aging process. They model their choices, attitudes, and behaviors on other cultures in which aging is seen as an honor and a gift. While not everyone will want to go this route, it’s important to remember that for many it is a satisfying and rewarding option.
Healthy Living
Other women go the “green tea and yoga” route. They invest in healthy living in all of its forms and reap the physical benefits that come with that approach. For many, clean living and natural products can seem to slow the aging process and bring renewed youthfulness and joy to life.
Other Interventions
For some women, nothing short of cosmetic intervention is enough to reclaim the youthful beauty they want or need. When facelift costs are just too high or the procedure is just too risky, these women are not left out of luck. An increasing number of alternative procedures are becoming available to meet their needs.
Some of these procedures are next-generation versions of familiar names. Botox microneedling is a prime example. The latest in Botox treatments, it offers dramatically better and more natural-looking results than older treatment models.
Similarly, new fillers and updating body contouring techniques offer unprecedented options for women looking to touch up problem areas.
One of the most innovative alternatives is the ultrasound facelift. Using ultrasound technology, doctors can replicate the benefits of facelift surgery at a fraction of the cost with none of the risks. Non-invasive and effective in a single session, you can expect to see many more women opting for this increasingly popular option in the near future.
Should You Get a Facelift?
Now that you know the full answer to the question “how much does a facelift cost?”, you are equipped to make an informed decision. No matter what you decide is right for you, investing in yourself is always a good decision.
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I’m a 20-something stay-at-home mother and wife. I have an amazing husband, a beautiful daughter, two loving dogs, and a lazy cat. I wouldn’t change my life for anything! I love to read, listen to music, cook and blog!
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