Facelift Surgery In UK | Techniques & Benefits | Mr. Ivo Gwanmesia Skip to main content

Facelift Surgery - Restore Your Youthful Appearance And Look 10-15 Years Younger

As you age, your skin will begin to show signs of aging. These signs can come in the form of fine lines and wrinkles, thinning and sagging skin, dryness, and age spots. There are many reasons why signs of aging start to appear, ranging from reduced collagen and elastin in our body to excessive sun exposure and gravity.

Fortunately, thanks to modern medicine, you don't have to go through life and settle for having loose and excess skin on your face. A single face lift surgery done by an experienced surgeon in the likes of Dr. Ivo can bring back that youthful appearance you've been dreaming about.

Want to get a more youthful appearance? Book a consultation appointment with Dr. Ivo today.

What is Facelift & How Does it Work?

A facelift (also known as rhytidectomy) is one of the most popular cosmetic surgical procedures in the UK. The primary goal of a facelift is to tighten any loose skin, muscles, and underlying tissue as a result of which, you will see a massive improvement in the appearance of your face.

During your facelift operation at Dr. Ivo's clinic situated at 10 Harley Street in London, he will make incisions near your hairline and around the ears. Any skin, tissue, and underlying muscles will then be lifted and repositioned in their desired place. If excess skin is present, it will be removed.

The average facelift surgery at Dr. Ivo's clinic takes about 3.5 hours. During the entire surgery, you will be under general anaesthetic. That way, you aren't going to feel any pain or discomfort.

The beauty of facelifts is that they can be combined with a variety of different cosmetic procedures, in the likes of eyelid and eyebrow lifts. When a facelift surgery is performed to the highest standard, you will enjoy a youthful appearance for over a decade.

Do note that facelifts are not permanent and they don't stop the natural aging process of your skin. Once your facelift starts to lose its shine, you can undergo another procedure or a mini facelift.

Benefits of Enhancing Your Facial Appearance With a Facelift

A simple facelift before and after photo often leaves Dr. Ivo's patients speechless. That's mainly due to the major aesthetic benefits a facelift can bring to every person's life. Below, we will go over the three biggest benefits of enhancing your facial appearance with a facelift.

Tissue sagging can occur around the cheeks and predominantly along the jawline. Most facial drooping is caused by displaced facial muscles. By lifting these deep facial structures and the outer layers of tissue, you can achieve tighter skin and erase any loose skin that you previously had.
Lifting and repositioning the facial muscles can provide a significant improvement in the appearance of deep creases along the nose and mouth. While a facelift can’t correct surface wrinkles, these deep creases known as smile lines can often be erased. This helps many patients achieve a smoother and more flawless complexion.
Many facelift patients have sagging at the jawline that continues down to the neck. If an unflattering neck appearance is left untreated, you are less likely to achieve the facelift results you envision. By tightening the platysma muscles and removing excess neck skin, Mr Gwanmesia is able to restore the attractive contours of your neck. The neck lift is specifically designed to create a slimmer appearance and enhanced definition.

The Different Facelift Techniques Performed By Dr. Ivo

Dr. Ivo specialises in three different facelift techniques, including a traditional facelift, limited-incision facelift, and neck lift. Let's take a look at what each one involves.

Traditional Facelift

A traditional facelift is the perfect surgical procedure for patients with sagging along the cheeks and jowls. To begin, Dr. Ivo will make incisions in the patient's hairline and follow along to the temples, behind the ears, and around the earlobes. Once that is done, the muscles in the area are lifted and tightened. If any excess skin or tissue is present, it will be removed while the remaining skin is draped to highlight the new contours of your face.

Limited-Incision Facelifty

The limited-incision facelift is ideal for candidates with localised issues around the cheeks. This technique uses fewer and shorter incisions placed around the lower scalp (the ears) and can be potentially hidden in the lower eyelids or upper lip. As a less-invasive procedure, your recovery time may be faster than that of a traditional facelift.

Neck Lift

The ideal candidate for a neck lift is a person who has a flabby neck appearance. Patients who have a double chin are also great candidates for a neck lift. For this type of cosmetic surgery, an incision is made under the chin. After that, the platysma muscles are pulled together and sutured tight to eliminate folds and neck bands. During the procedure, excess fat may be removed to improve the appearance of the chin and to improve the contours of your neck.

Common Worries Patients Have Before Undergoing a Facelift Surgery


Want to explore the idea of getting a facelift and get all of your questions answered? Book a consultation appointment with Dr. Ivo today.

Age: 45 – 50 year old female

Description: Photos taken 3 months post op

Procedure: fat grafting to midface and facelift

Technique: SMAS Plication

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Age: 56 to 60 year old lady

Description: Photos taken at 6 months post op

Procedure: Facelift and Fat Grafting to midfacey

Technique: SMAS Plication

View More Photos

Age: 40 – 45 year old gentleman

Description: Photos taken 6 months post op

Procedure: facelift and fat grafting to face

Technique: SMAS Plication

View More Photos

*Results may vary from patient to patient. There is no guarantee of outcome.

Patient Testimonials

Frequently Asked Questions

By law, patients that want to undergo a facelift surgery must be at least 18 years old. If you are under 18, you can't legally undergo a facelift surgery, even with the permission of your parents or guardians.
Dr. Ivo recommends that you wait until you are at least 40 years old before you get a face lift surgery. That way, you can get the best and most life-changing results.
The picture-perfect candidate for a facelift surgery is a person who is in good health, doesn't smoke, and has realistic expectations for the results that they are going to get.
A simple face lift procedure can make you appear 10 to 15 years younger than you are. With that said, if you get a facelift in your 20s or 30s, the results won't be as dramatic compared to someone with more aged skin who's in their late 50s.
A standard facelift at Dr. Ivo's clinic on Harley Street costs £10,500. If you want to combine your facelift surgery with a necklift, or any additional plastic surgery procedures, the price will vary. For more information of prices, you can check the price list on Dr. Ivo's website.
Facelift results aren't permanent. However, when the surgery is carried out by an experienced surgeon in the likes of Dr. Ivo, you can expect the results of your facelift to last upwards of 10 to 15 years.
After 10 years, you can undergo a face lift surgery again. In most cases, it's not necessary. Instead, you could undergo a mini facelift treatment and make tiny corrections where needed.
No, your facelift surgery won't be painful because you will be under a general anaesthetic.
General anesthesia will be used on each patient to ensure a painless and highly-effective procedure.
Technically it is possible, but it's not recommended as the procedure takes hours, and you must remain completely still throughout the entire process.
The average facelift operation at Dr. Ivo's clinic on 10 Harley Street takes approximately 3.5 hours to complete. In some cases, it can take less, while in others, it can take slightly longer.
Every face is different, and because of that, the appropriate technique will be based on the anatomy and the particular goals and desires of each individual.
Complications after facelift surgery are uncommon. However, some of the possible risks associated with any operation include adverse reactions to anaesthesia, hematoma, infection, scarring, numbness, and unsatisfactory results.
Following your plastic surgery, bruising will be visible for about 2 weeks. On average, it will take the incision sites between two to four weeks to fully heal up.
During your facelift, incisions in your skin will be made. That's why many patients interested in a facelift have the concern that permanent scarring will occur. However, that's not quite the case. Once the incision sites are fully healed, they may appear as faint lines, which are very difficult to spot. In most cases, they are almost invisible.
No, your hair won't be shaved before the facelift surgery.
Unfortunately, Dr. Ivo cannot perform a facelift surgery on patients who are pregnant or breastfeeding. Please get in touch with Dr. Ivo six months after you have given birth or after you've stopped breastfeeding to discuss your options.
A facelift surgery only addresses the mid and lower face. So, if you want complete facial rejuvenation, you can also opt for a neck lift, brow lift, or eyelid lift.
Sagging skin around the eyes and lower face is a very common problem for most of Dr. Ivo's patients. If you would like a complete facial rejuvenation that addresses your eyes and eyebrows, consider combining a brow lift and/or eyelid lift surgery alongside your facelift.
No, a facelift surgery won't change your facial structure. What it does change is your facial tissues by making them tighter and smoother.
Yes. Smoking can lead to excess blood loss during the surgery, postoperative complications, and disrupt the healing process. To get the best results, you will be asked to stop smoking and stay smoke-free before and after the surgery to heal as quickly as possible. Once you have recovered fully, you can go back to your old habits if you want to.
If you want to find out more about Dr. Ivo Gwanmesia's cosmetic surgery experience and his vast professional credentials, check out the About page on his website.

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Dr Ivo Gwanmesia

Dr Ivo Gwanmesia is one of Harley Street’s most experienced and renowned craniofacial plastic surgeons. With over a decade of professional experience, he has transformed the lives of countless patients from all over the UK & abroad.

Due to his vast and hands-on training in the UK and the US, Dr Ivo now specialises in more than a dozen different aesthetic, craniofacial and transgender procedures. Some of them include face, neck, and brow lifts, upper and lower blepharoplasty, breast reduction & breast uplift as well as facial feminisation surgery, to name a few.

Dr Gwanmesia has also conducted pioneering research, which led to the development of a new technique for the reconstruction of the middle vault of the nose, known as the ‘Fulcrum Spreader Graft’. He was also part of a study comparing the efficacy of the Sheen Spreader Graft and the Fulcrum Spreader Graft. The study has since been published on PubMed and the Journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.