Readers Respond: Reasons for Getting a Face Lift (Surgical or Non-Surgical)

Responses: 16

I think we all want to look younger. Yet not everyone chooses to undergo cosmetic procedures to achieve this goal. So what is your reason for considering it?

Maybe you are tired of hearing that you look sad or tired. Maybe you have a class reunion coming up. Or perhaps you just need the ego boost that will come from the compliments you hope your younger-looking face will fetch. What are your reasons for considering a face lift? And why are you looking into a non-surgical face lift, as opposed to a traditional face lift?

Share your reasons.

Please note: No doctors' names or website links will be published. Share Your Reasons

Non surgery face lift

My body is in the best shape it has been in years I work out regularly and have been for 2 yrs but my face at age 52 is getting jowls and has sagged I am afraid of that too tight look a full face lift sometimes produces I don't want to look 20 but I would love to look 45 and think Thermage or Titan could produce that.

—Guest A J Costin

Coming back to life

I was involved in a car accident a few years ago and I had gained 100lbs. I was on all types of medication. I have now lost all the weight I had put on while I was injured however; the skin on my face looks a little well...loose and I want to tighten it up.

—Guest G

Feeling old

I just turned 41 and my husband is 6 years younger, I have a 2 year old and never seem to get the sleep I need. I see women he went to school with and then really feel old. I need a pick me up and I need it N O W. I always knew I would get a facelift when I hit my 50's, but I have a few years. I love I have other choices besides the knife.

—Guest Debra

Just need a little something

Less is more....so if I can spend less money, take on less risk and have good results, I'll start with the non-invasive procedures. I do not have sick leave or a lot of vacation time in my line of work and can't have the "down time" required with surgery.

—Guest Sheryl

Tired of looking tired

I never thought I would consider a facelift. However, I am now 58 and I would love to look rested and energized when I actually feel that way. It is so dissappointing to workout, sleep well, but still look like you need a good nights sleep. As for non-surgical procedures, I do not believe in overdoing anything and surgery is just too risky for cosmetic purposes.

—Guest Diane

Go for non surgical lift

I am 52. The image of myself in my head and in the mirror did not match. I didn't want to be cut so I had Thermage. WONDERFUL! I am a month and a half out from having it and already I see a huge improvement. I think the experience of the doctor made the difference. I am soooooo happy! The image in the mirror and in my head now match. I can't wait to see the end result since it is supposed to improve over a 6 month period. Awesome!

—Guest Terry

Need a Change

I just want to look my old self again and not see laugh lines when I'm not laughing. In general my face is not bad for a 56 year old person but I'm just not satisfied.

—Guest Linda

Non-Surgical facelift

At 54 I had a surgical facelift, except for my forehead. Also had my upper and lower eyes down. While I look better, I still look old at my now age of 59. The surgery cost $14,000 and was a long recovery. Parts of my face are still numb and will be forever. I would suggest anyone seeking to look younger try the non-surgical approach before diving into a full facelift. The eye lid surgery was the biggest help though. My upper lids drooped and the lower had bags. Those are both fixed and look great. My cheeks were the biggest disappointment. Wanted them reduced and can't tell anything was done on them at all.

—Guest Larry V

Non-surgical versus surgical

If I can get the results I want today (at 52) using non-surgical methods it would be preferable. Surgery is a higher risk of infection and complications as well as triple the cost. Non-surgical seems safer to me.

—Guest V.

If I had the money....

I'd have a face lift. I'm 52, and I NEVER thought I'd ever want a face lift. But now sometimes when I look in the mirror, I see how my facial skin has started to droop in places... I put my fingers on my temples and lift the skin back, and I look so much younger (or so it seems to me...)

—Guest Nina

I Want To Keep Looking Like 'Me'

I find that, as I get into my late 30s, I don't feel like I look as much like 'me' as I used to--or what I look like as I age doesn't match what I think of when I think of 'me'. (I know, it might feel silly to some, but that's how I feel.) I've been looking at skin-tightening procedures because I think they can make a subtle, lasting difference without a major change.

—Guest Alyssa

A young person's game

I work in an office where most of the women are half my age. I've thought about it for professional reasons, as a career investment. As much as we'd like to "be ourselves", it's a fact that better-looking people are treated better.

—Guest Susan

Just For Me, But No Knives Please

I didn't take as good a care of my skin in my younger days as I should have. I still look younger than my years - or so I'm told - but things are sagging a little. I'd just feel better if my outside matched my younger-feeling inside. But surgery scares me. I'm looking at non-surgical ways of all kinds to improve things a bit. I'm proud of my age but that doesn't mean I want every single year to show on my face!! But the cost and the cutting and the recovery involved in a traditional facelift doesn't appeal to me at all. I'm a wimp. Ha Ha

—Guest Leonna

Hooded Eyes

I have hooded eyes - If I ever had any work on my face done, it would be mainly to lift my lids a bit. I mean, if they keep drooping, it will be affecting my sight in a few years!

—Guest Connie G.

Before and After Photos Impressed Me

Every time I pass by a mirror in the last couple of years, I am surprised by what I see. In my head, I keep thinking I am a young and vital woman, but the mirror keeps shocking me back to a reality I don't like much. So I started doing some research online, and I saw a few before and after photos from the non-surgical face lift. I was truly astonished at what can be accomplished without any surgery. I know there are no guarantees, but it seems like a lot less risk than surgery, and it also costs a lot less, which is important to me right now.

—Guest Bernadette

A New Beginning

After my divorce and sending my last kid off to college, I just want a fresh start with a fresh face. I am entering the dating world again, and I feel like my "old" face has seen too much drama, and carries too much baggage. I am still a bit scared of surgery, but I am seriously considering something like Thermage or Titan, because it doesn't involve anesthesia or as much risk. Plus, with a less invasive procedure, I don't fear that I'll end up not looking like myself. I want to look like ME, just fresher.

—Guest Nancy