What is a Revision or Secondary Facelift?

A revision facelift is what it sounds like: it's a second (or third) facelift. People opt for revision surgery because they're unhappy with the results of their previous facelift or they feel it’s time for a refreshing facelift. In other cases the surgeon did not achieve the look they were going for or ageing and gravity have taken impacted the results. Revision surgery can help improve the face's appearance and correct any issues you may have with your previous facelift.

Following the first facelift, patients can be unhappy with the jowl area or sagging skin along the jawline, sagging skin in the midface, and sagging area near the eye or brow. A second facelift can help to improve this. Other problem areas that a facelift surgeon can address include:

• Volume loss in the cheeks: this can be by fat transfer or fat grafting
• Wrinkles around the mouth: use of a lip lift can help
• Excess skin on the upper eyelids or under eye bags: a blepharoplasty can be achieved
  at the same time as a revision facelift

Our top revision facelift specialist at Kensington Medical can make the careful adjustments needed to improve the results of a previous facelift. The best option is to get in touch to talk through what areas you want to improve on.

The terms revision facelift and secondary facelift are often used interchangeably. A revision facelift is a second procedure to improve the results of a previous facelift. A secondary facelift is a surgery completed years after the first facelift to address ageing. Talking to an experienced facelift surgeon is the first step. They will look at the results and advise on the best options, which could be any of the following:

Deep plane facelift is a surgical procedure that addresses the deep structures beneath the skin, the deeper facial musculature. The procedure involves repositioning and lifting the deeper tissues, resulting in a  natural looking facelift. 

The SMAS facelift is a surgical procedure that tightens and lifts the middle and lower parts of your face. Targetting the sagging skin around the cheek area, jowls and sad mouth look.

A lower face lift, sometimes called a jowl lift, is a surgical procedure that improves the appearance of the lower face by removing excess skin and various toning up of underlying muscles. The surgery aims to create a more youthful appearance by restoring the face's natural contours.  Our facial plastic surgeons will tailor the procedure to your needs and desired results focusing the facial areas of concern.

The specifics of your revision facelift or secondary facelift will be determined based on your individual goals and concerns. The revision or secondary facelift procedure is similar to that of a traditional facelift.

First, our plastic surgeon will make incisions along the hairline. Through these incisions, yuor surgeon will access the facial tissue and muscles. Once the underlying structures have been tightened, the skin will be re-draped over the face, and excess skin will be removed.

After repositioning the skin, your surgeon will close the incisions with stitches. 

Talking to one of our expert facial surgoens to understand what is best for you, plus looking at all of your lifestyle factors and your facial structure is crucial. 

You may wonder how soon you can have a revision facelift after your first surgery. The answer to this question depends on factors such as how you heal and the results you achieve from your first facelift.

Most surgeons recommend waiting at least a year after your first facelift before having revision surgery. This gives your face and skin time to recover from the initial procedure and settle into new positions.

The recovery time for a revision facelift is similar to that of a traditional facelift. You can expect bruising, swelling, and discomfort for the first few days following surgery. The side effects should reduce within a week or two.

You will need to look after yourself for the first few weeks of recovery. This means taking time off work (generally two weeks are recommended), avoiding strenuous activity such as the gym, and sleeping with your head elevated. Most patients feel well enough to return to normal activities within approximately four weeks or a little more.

You should see the full results of your revision facelift within three to six months.

As with any surgery, there are risks associated with a revision facelift. These risks include:

• Bleeding
• Infection
• Nerve damage
• Facial asymmetry
• Unsatisfactory results

It is important to discuss the risks of surgery with your surgeon before having a revision facelift. This step can help you make an informed decision about whether the surgery is right for you.