How to Choose the Best Facelift Surgeon Without Feeling Overwhelmed

When deciding to undergo a medical procedure, especially one that affects your appearance, it’s imperative to make sure you choose the best surgeon for the job.

For a facelift, this is especially true.

You don’t want just anyone working on your face. You want a plastic surgeon who is skilled and experienced in delivering amazing facelift results.

How do you find and choose the right plastic surgeon for your facelift? Read on...

4 Characteristics of the Best Facelift Surgeons

Beyond the surgeon's skill, experience, and empathy, finding the best boils down to you - your personal needs, preferences, and expectations.

So while we're not going to make the claim that we're the best, we can provide you with some criteria to help narrow down your options. Ultimately, you should choose the surgeon whom you trust to deliver the beautiful results you want with the utmost care and safety.

1. Expertise with the Face

The face is a very intricate and delicate area of the body. Facial cosmetic surgery requires an unusually high degree of technical skill, perhaps even more so than other areas of cosmetic surgery. Different plastic surgeons have different areas of expertise, and you want to choose an expert in facial rejuvenation.

During your consultation, take note of the surgeon’s ability to evaluate your facial features and to formulate a complete treatment plan addressing your specific needs and goals. A surgeon who performs a comprehensive range of treatments can help you determine whether a surgical procedure is required, or whether you may be a better candidate for non-surgical treatments like Botox or fillers.

Depending on your facial features and desired results, your options may not be limited to a facelift. There are many facial rejuvenation procedures that may be worth considering, and an experienced plastic surgeon will explore all the appropriate options with you.

Whether you want a more defined jawline or firmer skin, make sure to discuss your specific goals and concerns with your plastic surgeon. Ask questions, and find out how they will specifically address your needs.

Some key questions to ask your potential plastic surgeon are:

• What are my treatment options?
• What results can I expect?
• How many facelift procedures have you performed?
• What facelift technique do you use?
• Is a facelift the only option for my concerns?

2. Exceptional Artistry

What you consider beautiful might not be attractive to others. As the saying goes, “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.” Some prefer Grace Kelly’s timeless beauty, while others are more attracted to Sophia Loren’s sensuous and mysterious looks.

You and your surgeon should share common aesthetic sensibilities.

Plastic surgery is equal parts art and science. The surgeon of your choice should have an artistic understanding of facial contour, balance, and symmetry. Wonderful facelift outcomes require an appreciation of various facial anatomies and a keen sense of aesthetics.

Ask your plastic surgeon to show you before and after photos of his previous work. Look carefully at the photos. Facelift results should not look tight or pulled. Instead, they should look soft, delicate, and natural.

3. A High Degree of Integrity and Compassion

When making treatment recommendations, your surgeon should prioritize your overall needs and well-being. You should feel comfortable trusting your surgeon as your beauty partner, not just as a technician or, worse yet, a cosmetic procedure salesman.

Find a surgeon who takes the time to understand your specific goals and to explain your options. During your visit, you should receive a detailed explanation of what is going to be done, how the procedure is performed, what results can be expected, and what the recovery and risks are. You should also be given information about alternative treatments along with each treatment’s pros, cons, and limitations.

As your trusted beauty partner, your plastic surgeon should:

• Be friendly, professional, and confident.
• Listen to and understand your specific concerns and needs.
• Set and manage realistic expectations.
• Encourage you to ask questions.
• Discuss the procedure in a way that is easy to understand.

Be wary of plastic surgeons who:

• Are elusive when discussing possible risks and complications.
• Are not open to discussing the costs and fees involved.
• Are gimmicky and obviously hard selling.
• Give unrealistic or vague answers.
• Promise that their special facelift technique is the best.

4. Experience and A Proven Track Record of Success

Check if your surgeon is reputable and has a proven track record of performing facelifts successfully. Here are some of the things you can do to assess your surgeon's track record:

• Check the state medical board to see if any disciplinary action has been taken against the plastic surgeon.
• Ask for feedback from family members and friends who are previous patients.
• Ask other physicians and specialists that you know.
• Check reviews and testimonials from patients on websites like Yelp, Realself, and Google.

Look for testimonials like this:

"I did a lot of research before choosing to have a (facelift), and I’m glad I did!

Dr. Fan is an exceptional surgeon. He has a remarkable sense of aesthetics. He made suggestions and recommendations I would not have come up with on my own but afterward saw he’d been absolutely right about.

I’m thrilled with my results. I look at least 10 years younger, but nobody can tell I’ve had work done.

In addition to all of this, he is a genuinely kind person. I have no regrets and if I were going to have anything done in the future I would go back to Dr. Fan!"
—Ms. A

Your Next Step to Natural-Looking Facelift Results

Performing a beautiful facelift requires experience, skill, extreme precision, and a keen sense of aesthetics. The end result is the most natural and beautiful of outcomes.

Your next step is to schedule a one-on-one consultation with a qualified plastic surgeon. During your consultation, your surgeon will evaluate your features and make a recommendation for treatment. A consultation will give you an opportunity to ask tough questions and to evaluate the surgeon.

Dr. Larry Fan looks forward to hearing your questions and concerns about getting a facelift. You can schedule an in-person consultation here, or take an online self-evaluation to find out if you're a good candidate for facelift surgery.