He points to data from the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, where facelifts comprised 4.1 per cent of cosmetic procedures globally.
โItโs a tiny percentage of a tiny percentage.โ
Still, the procedure is on the rise, with facelifts increasing by 44.1 per cent globally between 2019 and 2023.
Brown says heโs โnever seen anyone for a facelift under the age of 40โ.
Is there a right age for a facelift?
Most facelifts are performed on people aged 40 to 65. So, is there any benefit for younger patients?
Morgan says itโs difficult to put a number on the โappropriateโ age for a facelift, but determining an appropriate candidate for the procedure is about weighing the benefits against the risks.
โA facelift is a very significant surgical procedure with some real risks,โ he says.
โYounger people undergoing this surgery are getting less obvious improvements for the same risks, and itโs therefore better to hold off until thereโs much more significant improvement likely.โ
Given that young people are more likely to have tighter, more elastic skin, they are less likely to benefit from surgery.
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Risks, although small, include damage to the facial nerve, visible scarring, numbness and loss of skin or hair due to infection or too much tension.
Many young people on social media who are undergoing procedures such as facelifts cite โpreventative ageingโ as a core motivator. Both Brown and Morgan say there is no such thing.
โThe clock keeps on ticking is the bottom line โ you can never stop the ageing process,โ says Morgan.
This narrative parallels those around โpreventative Botoxโ, which Brown says โthere is no good evidence forโ. He says the only evidence-based ways to prevent ageing are lifestyle factors such as wearing sunscreen and staying out of the sun, not smoking, and using retinoids.
But could a facelift make you more comfortable in your skin, as those who have gone under the knife have argued?
Some studies, including one authored by Brown last year, found improved self-perception in those who underwent cosmetic surgery after undergoing short-form screening prior to operation. Still, Brown says more research is needed on outcomes for younger patients.
Morgan says the goalposts of beauty will only continue to shift as you age.
โAttitudes tend not to change terribly much. If youโre worried about your face looking old in your 30s, I would imagine youโre more likely to be worried about your face looking older in your 50s and 60s. And therefore, youโre still likely to need โ or feel as though you need โ a facelift even then,โ he says.
A second facelift also carries greater risk due to existing scarring.
Overseas procedures
Cosmetic tourism is on the rise, with an estimated 15,000 Australians travelling overseas each year for cosmetic or dental treatments. But Morgan says Australians should think twice before doing so.
โAlthough there are very skilled and talented plastic surgeons throughout the world, itโs hard to know which are the right ones to go to when youโre not part of that medical system.โ
While a key driver of cosmetic tourism is reduced cost, Morgan says prospective patients should be prepared for additional costs should there be problems or an unsatisfactory outcome.
Other factors to consider include language barriers, insurance coverage and industry rules and regulations in the host country.
Looking good for your age?
So, what does all this say about our evolving relationship to beauty and ageing?
Professor Gemma Sharp from the University of Queensland was lead expert for developing the national guidelines for the psychological evaluation of patients undergoing cosmetic procedures.
She thinks there is a growing fatigue with non-surgical treatments such as fillers and Botox.
โPeople are wanting something more natural, and in order to achieve that desired outcome in their faces, facelifts have become more on-trend again.โ
Sharp points to Lindsay Lohan, 38, and Christina Aguilera, 44, whose notably youthful appearances of late have prompted suggestions they may have had facelifts.
The youthful appearances of Lindsay Lohan, 38, and Christina Aguilera, 44, have prompted suggestions both may have undergone facelifts.Credit: Getty Images
Despite the fact prospective candidates are now required to undergo psychological screening, Sharp says some patients may be answering questions in a way they know wonโt raise concerns.
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โTheyโre meant to identify anyone who has an underlying mental health condition [but] thereโs been no real oversight of how thatโs being implemented in routine practice to my knowledge,โ she says.
While 30-year-olds undergoing facelifts are an extreme manifestation of a culture fearful of ageing, Sharp connects them to the โextensive skincare routinesโ followed by many tweens and teens today.
The pervasiveness and normalisation of cosmetic procedures โ surgical and non-surgical โ makes it easier than ever to get โtweakmentsโ as young as oneโs 20s in pursuit of agelessness.
As Sharp says, while the โgoal used to be to โlook good for your ageโ, now people want to just โlook goodโ and that means seeking treatments earlier to prevent, rather than reverse, ageing.โ
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