Over 40 expert care

Best UK Group & 5 star reviews

Established Clinics

Award winning treatment plans

Over 40 years of expert care

Best UK Group & 5 star reviews

Nationwide Clinics

Award winning treatment plans

reviewed by Lorcan Sheppard BSc MBBS FRCA, Chief Medical Officer for The Private Clinic of Harley Street, London.
Last Reviewed April 30th 2025

Face Lift Surgery

As we get older, our faces show the signs of ageing and a face lift surgery, also known as rhytidoplasty, tightens the skin around your face, jawline and neck, resulting in a youthful, rejuvenated appearance.

Ageing, weight loss, smoking and genetics may cause the skin to lose volume, sag or pull away from the face and neck. People seek face lifts to remove this extra skin, creating a firm, youthful appearance.

With age comes loss of elasticity to the skin and loss of collagen or onabotulinumtoxinaabobotulinumtoxinaincobotulinumtoxinaprabotulinumtoxinaletibotulinumtoxinarimabotulinumtoxinbhyaluronic acid fillerscalcium hydroxylapatite Fillerspoly-l-lactic acid fillerspolymethylmethacrylate fillersautologous fat graftingforehead lines treatmentglabellar frown lines treatmentcrow's feet treatmentbunny lines treatmentchemical brow liftlip flipgummy smile correctionmasseter Reductionjaw slimmingdimpled chin smoothingcobblestone chin smoothingnefertiti neck liftmicro-Botoxmesotoxhyperhidrosis treatmentchronic migraine reliefbruxism treatmenttmj treatmentcervical dystonia treatmentneck spasm treatmentblepharospasm treatmentlip augmentationlip contouringcheekbone enhancementtear trough fillersnasolabial fold softeningmarionette line fillersliquid rhinoplastynon-surgical nose jobjawline contouringjawline definitionchin augmentationtemple volumisinghand rejuvenationacne scar subcision filling deposits. This creates loose-looking skin on the face and neck.

Areas face lift surgery can change:

on your facial structure and skin quality you will be assessed by our Consultant Reconstructive and Plastic Surgeons who will work with you to establish the best course of treatment and type of facelift procedure. Consultations are available in and .

Face Lift Surgery at a glance

Procedure Time

1 – 3 hours

Anaesthetic Type

Local with sedation / General Anaesthetic

Hospital Stay

Daycase / Overnight

Support Garments

Compression garment

Washing

1 week

Driving

2 weeks

Up & Mobile

1 day

Sexual Activity

4 – 6 weeks

Back to Work

1 – 2 weeks

Exercise

4 – 6 weeks

Travel

6 weeks

Recovery Time

6 weeks

Sleeping

Elevated on back for 2 weeks

Final Results

6 – 12 months

What is the best type of Face Lift procedure?

At The Private Clinic, our Cosmetic Surgeons will the best options to suit your face and neck. They could be:

View our

Face Lift Surgery Before & After Photos

Our excellent reputation for patient safety and satisfaction, honest advice and outstanding care means your journey with The Private Clinic will be an exciting experience to your desired goals. Take a look at some of the below

What to Expect

The Private Clinic has been treating patients for over 40 years with thousands of people placing their trust in us each year. We pride ourselves on being able to offer a personalised service. We have a team of friendly nurses and expert surgeons who understand the importance of this decision and will you throughout your journey with us.

The first stage of your Face lift surgery journey will be a consultation with one of our expert surgeons.

There are several commonly used and it is very important to have a full consultation to assess each patient’s unique situation.

As each face is different, the procedures are tailor-made to each so the exact procedure differs from patient to patient. A consultation will be able to determine what is appropriate and effective in your situation.
At your consultation, your surgeon will go through the Facelift procedure in detail and examine the areas that you are concerned about.

Your surgeon will then discuss:

Following your consultation, you will be introduced to your patient coordinator who will be your point of contact should you wish to proceed with face lift .

In the interests of safety, all our patients are assessed against our patient selection criteria. Following your facelift consultation your medical history will be reviewed and the pre-operative nurse will choose which pre-operative tests to carry out which are going to be most appropriate to you. Most pre-operative assessments include a blood test, MRSA swabs, urine test and a blood pressure test.

The procedures typically take 1-3 hours. The more complicated and extensive procedures can take longer.

For many of our facelift procedures, you will only need local anaesthesia. It is possible to have sedation along with it to help calm patients. Most patients will general anaesthesia for the full facelift. Incisions are typically made behind and in front of the ears, carefully designed to minimise and conceal scarring. In some cases, the incisions extend onto the scalp.

From there the surgeon will reach the deeper layers of the face which will be repositioned and ‘lifted’. Depending on the procedure, muscle tightening and liposuction to the neck may be performed to enhance the effect of the facelift.

Depending on the procedure, you may require an overnight stay in the hospital. Tubes may be attached to the incision sites to collect fluid – a response to invasive surgery of this kind. Some facelifts will not require such extensive care and hospital stays and this will be discussed fully at your initial consultation.

It is important to choose a qualified and experienced surgeon to perform your procedure to ensure you achieve the best possible results and minimise scarring and downtime.

Alternative Treatments for those unsuitable for a facelift:

The Results

The soft tissue of the face will be tightened, resulting in a tightened, more youthful appearance. However, the ageing process doesn’t stop after a facelift, so you may wish to maintain your ‘new’ appearance with and rejuvenating treatments.

It is recommended that you take 1-2 weeks off work. You may need more downtime for more extensive procedures. Exercise and carrying heavy loads are unsuitable during the initial healing period. You will be prescribed painkiller medication to help with any discomfort experienced. Swelling is significantly reduced within a few days, whilst bruising will subside within a few weeks.

Elevation of the head is recommended to reduce the amount of swelling. It is important to avoid smoking to help the full healing process. We will always aim to see you back in the clinic in the days following your procedure to ensure that you are recovering well and then again at around 6 weeks.

The Private Clinic have collaborated with Chrysalis Finance to offer 0% finance for our patients.*

*Acceptance is subject to status. Terms and conditions apply.

Frequently Asked Questions

A facelift is best suited to who have sagging skin around their face and find that they are looking tired or upset when they are not.

A consultation with one of our expert consultant plastic surgeons is a great place to start your journey. You will be able to find out more about the procedure as well as seeing if you would be suitable and what results you can expect to achieve.

Contradictions may include high blood pressure, diabetes, lung or heart disease and bleeding disorders as these can increase your risk for complications. A full medical history will be taken at your consultation and your full suitability will be discussed with your surgeon.

is all dependent on the Surgeon’s skills and experience, and with the most advanced facelift techniques available today, scarring is kept to a minimum. Incision sites will be carefully considered to reduce visibility during recovery and in the long term. They are also very well concealed for both women and men.

The scars following a facelift are found along the hairline and around the ears. This means that the scars can be hidden by your hair. Overtime, with proper care your scars will fade and become flat making them almost unnoticeable.

The majority of our patients undergoing a facelift procedure are over the age of 40. There is no upper age limit but being realistic of your expectations is . Ideally, the best results are seen on patients who still have elasticity left in their skin, have good bone structure and most importantly; are fit and well.

An initial consultation with one of our expert facial plastic surgeons is the best way to find out your suitability for surgery and what you can expect to achieve.

Your consultation is your time with the surgeon to discuss your desired outcome of surgery, ask any you may have prepared and go through the surgical procedure talking through any concerns that you might have.

We recommend bringing along some photographs of your younger self as many of our do not want to look different, just younger and this is the best way for your surgeon to physically see how your face has as you have got older and work out the best way to give you the results that you want.

Our advice on what to consider when deciding to have a facelift procedure:

1. When choosing a clinic, you should always do your research, and only go to an established, reputable clinic.

The Private Clinic has been in the cosmetic surgery industry for over 40 years. We are here to answer all of your questions and give you peace of mind.

2. When choosing a surgeon, make sure you know who you’ll be seeing. Their expertise, qualifications and patient satisfaction rate are important factors to take into .

At The Private Clinic, we only source the most experienced and specialised surgeons. Find out more about our plastic surgeons here.

3. Price should never be the deciding factor when choosing where to have your treatment. Safety should be your number one priority and feeling confident that they will look after you – not only before, but also after your procedure

4. When it sounds too good to be true, it often is. Always find out what your clinic’s reputation is.

Our excellent reputation for patient safety and satisfaction, honest advice and outstanding care means your journey with The Private Clinic will be an exciting experience to a newfound shape.

Why Choose The Private Clinic

Meet our Surgeons

We have a dedicated Plastic Surgeon and medical team who will be with you throughout your journey. At The Private Clinic, Facelift surgery is performed by some of the UK’s top consultant plastic surgeons who have decades of .

Consultant Plastic & Surgeon

Consultant Plastic & Reconstructive Surgeon

Consultant Plastic & Reconstructive Surgeon

Ready to begin your journey?

Come and see our expert to discuss the best options available for you. Book a consultation and take that first step.

Talk to an expert 

The Private Clinic Group includes:

About The Private Clinic

The Private Clinic is a multi award winning medical group with clinics located across the UK. We have over 40 years’ in offering the best in advanced minimally non surgical treatments and expert led surgical procedures in our clinics and . Our surgeons are all registered with the and we are regulated by the . The CQC is an independent regulator for health and social care in England. Last review March 10th 2023.

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Company reg: The Private Clinic is a trading name of TPC Group Limited ( registration number ) © 2026 The Private Clinic.

TPC Group Limited  as The Private Clinic Harley Street London, which is an Appointed Representative of Chrysalis Finance Limited. TPC Group Limited is a credit broker, not a lender. Chrysalis Finance Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority for credit broking and lending.