Facelift

Rhytidectomy

Facelift

Don’t leave your youthful looks behind you: reclaim your natural radiance

As the years go by, subtle yet noticeable changes can appear in the face and neck. Skin may begin to loosen; contours soften and the once-defined jawline can lose its sharpness. The eyes may seem more tired, and overall facial tone may diminish. These changes occur naturally, due to a combination of reduced collagen levels, weakened muscles, and environmental factors, like sun exposure, lifestyle choices, and genetics.
 
You can restore your vibrant youthful appearance with the help of a skilled plastic surgeon to reposition the underlying tissues. For many patients, a facelift is one of the most effective solutions for addressing early signs of aging and restoring a youthful contour and structure to your face. 
 
After undergoing a facelift, many patients report feeling more confident and rejuvenated, with their outward appearance once again reflecting their inner vitality and sense of well-being.

Choosing the right type of facelift

A facelift (rhytidectomy) is a highly specialised procedure requiring expert knowledge of facial anatomy, advanced surgical skill, and a refined aesthetic eye. Often described as a way to turn back the hands of time, a facelift helps restore the natural contours of the face, allowing you look refreshed and revitalised – like yourself but younger. By removing excess skin, refining deep creases, and restoring firmness to the underlying facial structure, a facelift enhances overall facial harmony and reveals a more refined, rejuvenated appearance.

Facelift procedures can address aging concerns across various facial regions—from the upper third of the face to the neck—depending on each patient’s anatomical needs and aesthetic objectives. These treatments may be performed alone or in combination to achieve more comprehensive and harmonious results. To further enhance outcomes, surgical techniques are often complemented by minimally invasive technologies such as FaceTite or NeckTite. These radiofrequency-assisted procedures promote adipose tissue remodeling, skin tightening, and collagen stimulation, offering an effective adjunct for improving contour and skin firmness with minimal downtime.

The surgical procedure designed to rejuvenate the face and neck by addressing both superficial skin laxity and deeper structural aging is defined as a cervicofacial lift and is normally the most commonly indicated approach for the majority of patients seeking surgical facial rejuvenation.

The cervicofacial lift

The cervicofacial lift targets common age-related changes such as diminished skin elasticity, soft tissue descent, and the formation of wrinkles and jowls.

Patients who undergo this procedure often also exhibit signs of chronic photoaging—characterized by dehydrated, pigmented, and thickened skin with a coarse epidermal texture. In such cases, complementary non-surgical treatments (e.g., resurfacing, biostimulation, or intense hydration therapies) are often recommended to restore skin quality and optimize aesthetic outcomes.

In some cases, patients may benefit not only from improving the skin quality or tone, but also from repositioning the deeper facial tissues in the temporal region. For this reason, a temporal lift can be performed in combination with a cervicofacial lift to achieve a more harmonious and global rejuvenation of the face. When both procedures are combined, this approach is commonly referred to as a full face lift or complete facelift.

The temporal lift

The temporal lift, also known as a temporal brow lift, is a surgical procedure designed to rejuvenate the outer portion of the face, particularly the area of the temples, the tail of the eyebrows, and the upper lateral cheek. It can be performed through an incision placed along the hairline or through a concealed incision within the hair-bearing scalp, depending on the patient’s anatomy and aesthetic goals. See more information in the browlift section.

⁨⁨ Deep Plane Rejuvenation

Unlike traditional facelifts that primarily tighten the skin and the superficial muscular layer (SMAS), a deep plane facelift operates at a deeper anatomical level to achieve a more comprehensive and natural rejuvenation. This advanced surgical technique involves releasing the retaining ligaments that anchor the facial skin and the SMAS layer to the underlying muscles, allowing the midface and cheeks to be lifted and repositioned as a single unit rather than through superficial skin traction.

Read more about Deep Plane Rejuvenation

Process

How it works

Free consultation

During your initial consultation, Dr Ranieri will evaluate your suitability for the procedure, assess your skin quality, discuss your expectations and potencial risks.

Surgery

A facelift take up around 3 hours (it can take longer if you add more procedures in the same surgery like eyelift, fat transfer, etc...). The process is carried out under general anaesthesia or via sedation and local anaesthesia.

Post-operative care plan

You should expect to stay overnight. Dr Ranieri will provide a detailed post-operative specifying the steps to follow to ensure a speedy recovery. You will have a dressing for around 24 hours and then it will be changed for a chin band. You will need to sleep with your head elevated for 2 weeks. Stitches will be removed between 7 and 10 days, and normal activity can be resumed after around 2 to 3 weeks.

Recovery

Heavy bruising and swelling are to be expected, around your face and possibly your neck and chest. A cold pack will help the swelling subside 48-72 hours, and then the swelling should decrease in around 1 to 2 weeks.

What to expect

Duration of surgery

3 hours

Type of Anaesthesia

General or sedation with local anaesthesia

Hospital stay

Day hospital or 1 night stay depending on your case

Return to work

Usually within 2 to 3 weeks

Complete recovery

Every patient is different but the complete recovery is usually between 3 to 6 months

Consult Dr. Marco Ranieri

For us your safety and results are our priority. That’s why it is essential to begin with an initial consultation with Dr. Marco Ranieri. This allows him to understand your needs, explain the best treatment options, and ensure you receive fully personalised care.

By completing this contact form, you acknowledge the importance of attending an initial consultation with Dr. Ranieri before requesting treatment details or pricing. 


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Reviews

Testimonials

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FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

The right to undergo facial rejuvenation is a very personal decision, there’s no set age for a facelift, it depends on each patient’s unique anatomy, genetics and lifestyle. While many patients consider surgery in their late 40s or 50s, others may not develop significant issues and remain wrinkle free until much later on.  According to Dr Ranieri, the key factor isn’t age but rather the appearance of the visible signs of aging. That said, having a facelift in your 40s can offer distinct benefits. With greater skin elasticity at this age, the results often appear more natural and tend to last longer than procedures performed later in life. It is important to discuss your options with Dr Ranieri during your initial consultation.

Dr Ranieri is an expert in facelift surgery, achieving results that enhance your natural beauty with a refreshed and refined appearance, diminishing fine lines creases around the mouth, jawline and neck.

The procedure will refine contours, restoring definition to the cheeks and jawline for a more sculpted look, delivering a rejuvenated appearance, that softens visible signs of aging, to reveal a naturally youthful and refreshed appearance.

As part of the normal aging process, skin gradually loses firmness and elasticity as facial tissue thins and descends, these changes make you look older than they feel. This is the time to consider a facelift. Dr Ranieri is an expert in advanced facelift techniques designed to restore a smoother, firmer and more youthful appearance, addressing jowls, deep lines, and loose skin along the jawline and neck. You may be a good candidate for facelift surgery if:

  • You feel self-conscious about sagging skin or loss of definition in your face and neck.
  • You find yourself wearing high collars or scarves to disguise an aging neck.
  • Your reflection no longer matches the youthful energy you feel inside.
  • You believe that signs of aging are impacting your confidence—personally or professionally.

When performed by a board-certified plastic surgeon a facelift delivers results that look natural and will age gracefully over time. While aging continues, you’ll continue to appear younger than you would have without surgery. To preserve your results, it’s important to follow a healthy diet, maintain a stable weight, and follow a consistent, high-quality skincare routine to keep your skin firm, healthy, nourished, and most of all, protected against the elements.