Face lifts, also known as rhytidectomies, are cosmetic procedures that tighten the skin to reduce signs of aging. Face lift options range from minimally invasive to full surgery and can target different areas of the face.

They’re considered an elective surgery, so insurance doesn’t cover them. That means the entire cost of face lift surgery is your responsibility.

You can’t put a price tag on youth, but there is a price tag on getting your youthful looks back.

Let’s get into the cost of face lift surgery and why it’s worth it!

Cost of Face Lift Surgery

The exact price of a face lift is hard to nail down because every option comes with its own set of costs. According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, the average cost for a face lift in 2016 was $7,048.

That’s the cost without surgical fees, anesthesia, or post-operation care. Several factors can change the cost of face lift surgery by thousands of dollars in each direction, and Atlanta Face and Body staff can consult with you to find a plan that fits your needs.

Type of Face Lift

A traditional face lift is the most invasive. The doctor cuts incisions around most of the face to pull and manipulate the skin.

Less invasive face lifts exist that only require a few small incisions. Typically, they’re cheaper than invasive options.

You can also get face lifts on smaller areas of the face, like the chin or forehead. These options are cheaper than a full face lift.

Our staff at Atlanta Face and Body can choose the option that best matches your aesthetic goals.

Type of Anesthesia

Three types of anesthesia exist: local, regional, and general. They get more expensive as the list progresses.

Local anesthesia is the cheapest. It’s an injection that numbs a small area of the body, like novocaine for dental work.

Regional anesthesia is more expensive than local anesthesia, closer in price to general anesthesia. It numbs one region of the body, like an epidural numbs the lower half of the body.

General anesthesia is the most expensive because it requires an anesthesiologist to monitor you. It puts you fully to sleep for the duration of therapy.

For a full, traditional face lift, general anesthesia is the most common option due to the extent of the surgery. Local and regional anesthesia leave you aware of what’s happening, which would be terrifying in a full facial surgery.

Smaller procedures or less invasive surgery may require less anesthesia.

Always consult a doctor and an anesthesiologist to decide which option is the best.

Additional Treatments

You might also decide to add another procedure to your face lift, which increases the cost.

If you have a few areas of your face to address, it’s more cost effective to handle them all in one surgery than to separate them out.

Consult a plastic surgeon to know which procedures you can combine with a face lift.

Some people like to add an eyelid or eyebrow lift to their face lift. You might also add lip fillers or Botox.

Surgeon’s Skills, Reputation, and Location

A skilled surgeon in a good location costs more than a mediocre surgeon in a bad location.

Since this person will operate on the most visible part of your body, you should go with the most skilled surgeon you can afford.

If you’re choosing between an additional procedure or a higher profile surgeon, put the money towards the surgeon. A botched facial surgery follows you for life.

If you really want to save money here, try looking in an area where the cost of living isn’t high.

Why Is It Worth It?

An average, base price of about $7,000 is a price tag that might scare you off, but it shouldn’t. Financing options help you spread out that price to lessen the blow.

Why do people get face lifts with that cost? Well, the physical and emotional results make it worth it.

Physical Results

As you age, your skin loses strength and starts to droop and sag. With less collagen, creases and wrinkles start to form.

Before you know it, you have droopy jowls, a sagging second chin, and creases everywhere. Face lift surgery addresses these problems.

The doctor manipulates the skin to tighten your drooping skin and eliminate your jowls. Manipulation at the bottom of the face gets rid of the sagging double chin. A good face lift can take 5-10 years off your face.

Additional procedures target specific areas you don’t like. If your eyes or eyebrows are drooping, the surgeon can address that as well.

These results last. One study found that 76% of patients still looked younger than before the surgery five years later.

Emotional Results

Studies show that women are generally less confident than men. That lack of confidence is also shown to bleed into the workplace and lessen chances of success.

If you could do something to improve your confidence, why wouldn’t you? Improved confidence can bring you more success in your career.

As people age, others tend to see them as having less energy. Some women even feel invisible to society once they stop being “beautiful.”

The way your body shows its age doesn’t have to dictate how young you feel.

A face lift can make your outside match your youthful, vibrant inside. The results leave you feeling more confident.

Society forces cosmetic awareness on women. Maybe you’ve been ruminating on your signs of aging, and that’s okay!

With a face lift, you can take action that will make you happier.

Wrapping Up

For the cost of face lift surgery, you’re not only getting a procedure that makes you look younger. You’re getting more confidence and happiness in your life.

Feeling better about yourself and finding more success seems worth that price tag.

If you have questions about fact lift surgery or other cosmetic procedures, contact us.