Facelift in Turkey

A facelift (rhytidectomy) lifts and repositions the tissues of the lower face and neck that have descended with age. It is designed to treat jowls along the jawline, deepening lines from the nose to the mouth and from the mouth to the chin, loss of definition under the jaw, and loose skin or bands in the neck. Rather than simply pulling the skin tight, a modern facelift works on the deeper supporting layer beneath it, then redrapes the skin without tension.

Plastic Surgery Turkey Group (PSTG) helps international patients plan a facelift in Turkey, from the first photo review to follow-up after the flight home. The operation is performed by the treating surgeon at a contracted healthcare institution in Istanbul or Antalya. This page explains what a facelift can and cannot change, how the main techniques compare, and what a realistic recovery looks like.

Facelift at a glance#

• What it is: surgery that lifts the deeper tissues of the lower face and neck and redrapes the skin, usually with the neck treated as part of the plan.
• Anaesthesia: usually general anaesthesia. Some smaller operations are done under sedation with local anaesthesia.
• Operating time: typically around three to five hours, longer when combined with a neck lift, fat grafting or eyelid surgery.
• Hospital stay: commonly one night, so blood pressure and the dressings can be watched.
• Time in Turkey: many patients plan around ten days to two weeks. The surgeon confirms when you can fly.
• Back to desk work: often after about two weeks, though many people prefer to stay out of social situations for longer while bruising fades.
• Final result: swelling settles over several months and scars keep maturing for six months to a year.
• Usually not advised if: you smoke and cannot stop, have uncontrolled high blood pressure or a bleeding disorder, take blood thinners that cannot safely be paused, or have a condition that makes a longer general anaesthetic unsafe.

Who is a good candidate#

A facelift is aimed at sagging, not at skin texture. It may suit you if you:

• have jowls, a softened jawline, or loose skin and bands in the neck;
• see the lower face as the main area that looks tired or heavier than you feel;
• still have reasonable skin elasticity and a good bone structure to lift against;
• are in good general health, with blood pressure that is well controlled;
• do not smoke or use nicotine products, or are prepared to stop for several weeks before and after surgery.

A facelift may not be the right choice if you:

• mainly want to treat fine lines, sun damage or skin texture, which respond better to resurfacing treatments;
• are mostly bothered by the brows, temples or upper face, which are treated by other procedures;
• smoke and cannot stop, because nicotine reduces blood supply to the lifted skin and raises the risk of healing problems;
• have uncontrolled high blood pressure, a bleeding disorder, or take blood thinners that cannot safely be paused;
• have a medical condition that makes a longer general anaesthetic unsafe.

Realistic goals matter as much as health. A facelift can make you look rested and refreshed, and you should still look like yourself. It will not give you a different face or erase every line.

Facelift or temporal lift?#

The two are often confused. A facelift treats the lower face and neck: the jawline, jowls and neck. A temporal lift treats the outer brow and temple, lifting the tail of the eyebrow and the area beside the eye. Someone whose main concern is a drooping outer brow and a heavy look at the corner of the eye would usually be assessed for a temporal lift, and someone with jowls and a loose neck for a facelift. Some people have both concerns, and the procedures can be combined.

Techniques and options#

The deep supporting layer of the face is called the SMAS (superficial musculo-aponeurotic system). How the surgeon treats it, and how much of the neck is included, is the main difference between techniques. The table sets the options side by side. Which one is right for you is decided at your examination, not from a name.

Mini facelift#

A mini facelift is a smaller operation for early jowling and a limited amount of laxity. It uses shorter incisions and usually involves a shorter recovery. It is not a lighter version of a full facelift that achieves the same thing, and it cannot do what a full facelift does when there is significant laxity in the lower face and neck.

SMAS and deep plane facelift#

In a SMAS facelift, the skin is lifted and the SMAS is tightened, folded or partly removed. In a deep plane facelift, the surgeon works beneath the SMAS and frees the ligaments that hold the tissues down, so the skin and deeper layer move together. The article Deep Plane Facelift vs SMAS compares the two in more depth.

Neck lift#

A facelift usually includes treatment of the neck. Where there are prominent bands or fullness under the chin, a small incision under the chin allows the surgeon to tighten the neck muscles and, if needed, remove fat. Some people have a neck lift without a facelift when the jawline is still well defined.

Vertical Restore, fat grafting and combined procedures#

Ageing involves volume loss as well as sagging, so many plans add fat grafting to the cheeks, temples or lips. This is the idea behind the approach described in Vertical Restore: combining deep plane facelifts with fat grafting, and our complete guide to the Vertical Restore facelift explains what to ask when a plan uses that name. A facelift is also commonly combined with eyelid surgery, because tired upper or lower eyelids are not changed by lifting the lower face.

How the procedure is carried out#

Before surgery you meet the surgeon in person for an examination. Your photos are compared with how your face looks and moves, the technique is confirmed, and blood tests and anaesthetic checks are completed. You are asked about medicines, supplements and nicotine, and about blood pressure, which needs to be well controlled.

On the day:

• the surgeon marks the incision lines and the planned direction of lift;
• the incision typically starts in or along the temple hairline, runs in the natural crease in front of the ear, around the earlobe and behind the ear into the hairline;
• the SMAS or deep plane is lifted and secured in its new position;
• excess skin is trimmed and the skin is closed without tension, which helps scars heal finely;
• small drains may be placed, and a supportive head dressing is applied.

You will usually stay in hospital for one night. Blood pressure is monitored carefully because good control helps prevent bleeding under the skin.

Recovery and results#

First days. Your face and neck feel tight and swollen, with bruising that often peaks in the first two or three days. You keep your head raised, including when sleeping, and avoid bending, lifting and turning your neck sharply. The head dressing and any drains are usually removed within a day or two.

First two weeks. Stitches are removed in stages, typically within the first one to two weeks. Numbness around the ears and cheeks is common. Most people prefer to stay out of social situations during this period.

Weeks three to twelve. Swelling continues to reduce, and the face begins to look more natural and relaxed. Light exercise can usually resume after a few weeks, and heavier exercise is reintroduced as your surgeon advises. Sensation returns gradually.

Six months to a year. Residual swelling, especially along the jaw and neck, settles and scars mature and fade. This is when the result can be judged fairly.

This is one patient, photographed during early recovery. Anatomy, skin quality, the technique used and healing all change the outcome, so treat photos as an illustration of what is realistic rather than a promise. The facelift before and after gallery shows more examples, and our week-by-week facelift and Vertical Restore timeline describes how the face changes over time.

Risks and limitations#

The main risks of a facelift include:

• haematoma, a collection of blood under the skin, usually in the first day, which may need a return to theatre;
• facial nerve injury, causing weakness of part of the face, which is usually temporary and rarely lasting;
• numbness of the cheeks and ears, which generally improves over months;
• skin healing problems, especially in smokers;
• visible or widened scars, changes to the hairline or hair thinning near the incisions;
• asymmetry, earlobe distortion or an overly tight appearance;
• infection, blood clots and the general risks of anaesthesia.

A facelift does not stop ageing, and it does not change skin texture, fine lines, the upper face or the eyelids. It works well as part of a plan that may include other treatments, and the surgeon explains how your own health and technique affect these risks.

How the price is built#

A facelift is priced as a plan, because the operation differs from one person to the next. The main things that shape a quote are:

• the technique, for example a mini facelift compared with a deep plane lift with neck work;
• add-on procedures such as eyelid surgery, fat grafting or a neck lift, each of which adds operating time and aftercare;
• the length of the hospital stay and the anaesthetic time;
• how many nights you stay in Turkey and the hotel category;
• what PSTG coordinates beyond surgery: transfers, interpreter or assistant, medication, nursing and wound care, and follow-up.

PSTG provides a written treatment plan and quote only after the surgeon has reviewed your photos and medical history, so the figure matches the operation you are actually likely to need. When you compare quotes from any provider, ask in writing which technique is planned, whether the hospital stay, anaesthetist, medication, garments and follow-up visits are included, what happens if a revision or return to theatre is needed, and how aftercare works once you are home. Our article on what a facelift package covers and how patient reviews read goes through the same questions in more detail.

Flying in from the UK, the US or Australia#

Most patients travel a long way, and the journey home is part of the plan.

• From the UK and Europe: flights to Istanbul are usually a few hours, which makes it easier to bring a companion and to return for a check if the surgeon asks.
• From the US and Canada: flights are typically ten hours or more. Surgeons are often more cautious about when you fly after a facelift, so allow a longer stay and ask how long they want you in Turkey before a long-haul flight.
• From Australia and New Zealand: with connections, the journey commonly takes 20 hours or more each way. Plan a longer stay and agree the date you can fly with the surgeon rather than booking a fixed return in advance.

Wherever you fly from, walk regularly, drink enough water and follow the surgeon's advice on compression stockings and clot prevention. Tell your own doctor about your plans in advance, bring your operation notes and medication list home, and set up virtual follow-up before you leave. Swelling and bruising are still visible on the flight, so some people carry a scarf or hat.

Planning your treatment in Turkey#

You begin by sending photos of your face from the front, both sides and three-quarter angles, with your head in a neutral position and your hair tied back so the ears and hairline are visible. Include your medical history, medications and smoking status. The surgeon reviews them and, if a facelift is suitable, you receive a written treatment plan and quote.

Many patients plan to stay in Turkey for around ten days to two weeks, so that stitches can be removed and the early healing checked before flying. Arrive a day or two before surgery if you can, and consider bringing a companion for the first few days.

Depending on your package, PSTG coordinates:

• pre- and post-operative consultations and follow-up appointments;
• a 4-5-star hotel, and airport and clinic transfers;
• a personal interpreter or assistant and 24/7 support;
• post-operative medication, nursing and wound care;
• meals and any special dietary needs;
• virtual follow-up after you fly home and coordination with your home doctor.

You can read how the package works on our full coverage page.

Where treatment takes place#

Your facelift takes place at a contracted healthcare institution authorised for international health tourism, in Istanbul or Antalya. The treating surgeon examines you, recommends the technique and makes every clinical decision. PSTG, a TÜRSAB-affiliated health-tourism intermediary, coordinates your treatment and stay and shares the institution's and surgeon's details before you book. Before you commit, ask who will operate, which technique is planned, and what happens if there is a complication abroad or after you return home.

Related reading#

• Facelift in Turkey vs the UK and US: safety, aftercare and process
• Is plastic surgery in Turkey safe? What to check
• Deep Plane Facelift vs SMAS in Turkey
• The complete guide to the Vertical Restore facelift
• Facelift in Turkey: packages, process and reviews

If you would like to understand whether a facelift, a smaller procedure or a combination would suit your concerns, you are welcome to send your photos for a free, no-obligation assessment. You can also explore the other plastic surgery procedures available and take your time to decide.