Why early intervention facelifts are becoming popular

A cornerstone of plastic surgery, facelifts are sought out by both women and men alike to rejuvenate and refresh the facial appearance and combat signs of aging. Yet, a new trend within this field is quickly emerging – the early intervention facelift.

Rather than waiting for more drastic signs of aging, patients are seeking out facelifts much earlier as a preventive measure rather than a restorative procedure. What is driving this boom in popularity? Do early intervention facelifts actually have long-term beneficial results?

To learn more about the world of early intervention facelifts and the results that can be expected, we reached out to ASPS Member Surgeons Daniel Beck, MD, and John Burns, MD.

The basics of an early intervention facelift

Early intervention facelifts get their name from the fact that patients seek this type of procedure at a much younger age to prevent further signs of aging, rather than for restoration.

"A traditional facelift is typically a restorative procedure, designed for patients in their 50s, 60s and beyond who are looking to correct significant laxity, sagging and volume loss," said Dr. Beck. "An early intervention facelift, on the other hand, is more about preservation and precision. It's geared toward patients in their late 20s through 40s who want to refine definition, maintain youthful contours and slow visible aging before it takes hold. Instead of simply reversing time, we are working on strong, healthy tissue, particularly the SMAS and retaining ligaments, before they fully stretch. This procedure redefines structure, lifts subtle laxity, sharpens the jawline and restores harmony to the face and neck. Think of it as re-anchoring your foundation while it's still strong rather than rebuilding after collapse."

You're resetting the clock on aging by getting a facelift early, restoring a more youthful appearance at an earlier stage of life.

"This type of procedure typically takes at least 10 years off your face, sometimes 20 years," said Dr. Burns. "It then takes you that long again to get back to how you looked before - for example, if you have a facelift at 50 and it takes 20 years off your appearance, you'll then restart the aging process with 30-year-old-looking skin. So, the delta is about 20 to 40 years, depending on the patient, for improvement. You're reversing the clock, and then it starts again. It's a pretty dramatic improvement over time."

The growing popularity of the early intervention facelift

While the traditional facelift is and always will be one of the most popular procedures in plastic surgery, early intervention facelifts are currently booming.

"The shift has been dramatic," said Dr. Beck. "Over the past few years, early intervention facelifts have grown to represent more than half of the facelift procedures I perform. Patients today are more informed, more comfortable with aesthetic procedures and far more interested in maintaining their results long-term rather than waiting for correction later."

Some people simply don't want to wait until later in life to get a facelift and want to feel good about their appearance while they're still middle-aged.

"Most of my patients try to wait until they're 60, but the ages of 40 to 65 are some of the best years of your life," said Dr. Burns. "When you're younger than that, you have time, and you're not very old. Why would you want to wait if you want a facelift? Waiting means that you've burned those years when you could have already had one."

There can be many driving forces behind the boom in early intervention facelifts, including the fade of the filler trend, the lack of results with nonsurgical devices and the emergence of a face-forward world.

"A lack of options is why people are doing facelifts much earlier," said Dr. Burns. "If we had a good option for noninvasive facelift results, people would be doing that. The number one reason is that noninvasive, energy-based devices are not delivering what they promised. These devices deliver targeted energy to the tissue to try to tighten it up, which gets you a little swelling and a short duration of tightening. But, in three to four months, it's hard to tell that you've had anything done. That's one of the frustrations with these devices."

Now more than ever, our faces are showing up everywhere in a technology-driven era with cameras all around our daily lives.

"We live in a face-forward world, Zoom calls, social media, high-definition cameras – people are hyper-aware of how they look from every angle," said Dr. Beck. "At the same time, the aesthetic mindset has evolved: patients no longer want to look different; they want to look like the best version of themselves. There's also a growing disillusionment with fillers and nonsurgical devices. Patients have realized that while those treatments can delay aging, they can't truly redefine anatomy. The early intervention facelift provides what fillers cannot – true structure, natural longevity and the ability to age gracefully without distortion."

The long-term benefits of early intervention facelifts

In undergoing an early intervention facelift, patients can expect long-lasting results.

"By addressing early changes while the tissue is still strong and elastic, we essentially reset the baseline of how a patient will age," said Dr. Beck. "The facial foundation is reinforced, and the effects of gravity and volume loss over time become far less pronounced. It doesn't stop aging, nothing does, but it dramatically changes the trajectory. Patients age more gracefully, with their structure and definition lasting longer, and any future maintenance procedures tend to be far less invasive."

In addition, by undergoing a highly involved procedure such as a facelift at a much younger age, patients can expedite their healing.

"I think this is more natural if you do it younger," said Dr. Burns. "You heal better, and you have the pieces in place to give you a really pretty result. When you are aging, there is only so much you can do. We can pull the wrinkles out, but we just cannot restore the volume."

Working with younger tissue naturally helps surgeons achieve better results than with skin that has already endured years of wear and tear.

"Younger tissue responds better, heals faster and holds results longer," said Dr. Beck. "Because we're not fighting against extensive laxity, we can achieve significant improvements with less disruption. The outcome looks natural, never done. Recovery is shorter, results last longer and future touch-ups are simpler. You're essentially compounding the benefits – subtle now, impactful later."

The facelift will likely remain one of the most popular and sought-after procedures in plastic surgery, but early intervention facelifts are quickly gaining momentum among younger patients. Consult with a board-certified plastic surgeon to find out if you're a candidate for this procedure. Built on the idea of intervention and prevention rather than restoration, this facelift procedure is revolutionizing the field and helping patients achieve impactful, lasting results that help to slow down the need for a full facelift.

To find a qualified plastic surgeon for any cosmetic or reconstructive procedure, consult a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. All ASPS members are board certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, have completed an accredited plastic surgery training program, practice in accredited facilities and follow strict standards of safety and ethics. Find an ASPS member in your area.