This is a very common question. In some respects the surgery will last forever. If I had a 55 year old patient with a twin and I performed a facelift on the patient but not the twin, the patient will pretty much always look younger because we turned back their clock. Although we can turn back the clock, we can’t stop it, so all patients will continue to age. Most minimally invasive procedures will not last as long as more comprehensive ones. Dr. Niamtu performs facelifts that involve treating multiple layers of the face the neck including the muscle, connective, fat and skin. This type of facelift is more complex and precise and takes more effort on the part of the surgeon, but studies have shown these techniques to last 10-15 years. This does not mean that on the tenth year everything falls, but simply that as we age, the tightened tissues will slowly begin to sag with time. In rare cases some patients with elastic skin or weight gain may need a touch up procedure sooner after a lift. Other patients with healthy skin and those that take care of themselves may have cosmetic results that last 20 years or longer. No one can provide a guarantee on how long any cosmetic procedure will last and many variables are involved including the patients genetics, healing and after care as well as what type of surgical procedure was performed. One thing that can be safely said is that facelift surgery in experienced hands is an excellent long term investment. The photo below shows one of Dr. Niamtu’s patients that had a facelift in 2002 and is shown before, after and 10 years after the facelift.  Although the patient has continued to age, her lift has remained stable over a decade.