You couldn’t scroll through headlines last year without seeing discourse about Kris Jenner’s facelift. When the momager eventually confirmed the procedure herself, she was widely praised for her transparency. Now, celebrity facelifts are back in the conversation, with new speculation about whether results can “slip,” or lose their lift, within a year. It’s a claim that’s picked up a lot of traction online, but is there any truth to it? We asked facial plastic surgeons to weigh in.
Featured Experts
- Jeffrey Wise, MD is a board-certified facial plastic surgeon in Wayne, NJ
- Dilip D. Madnani, MD is a board-certified facial plastic surgeon in New York
- Sam P. Most, MD is a board-certified facial plastic surgeon in Stanford, CA
- Konstantin Vasyukevich, MD is a board-certified facial plastic surgeon in New York
- Min S. Ahn, MD is a board-certified facial plastic surgeon in New York
- Kimberly Lee, MD is a board-certified facial plastic surgeon in Beverly Hills, CA
The “Honeymoon Period”
Wayne, NJ facial plastic surgeon Jeffrey Wise, MD, calls the early healing phase the “honeymoon period.” During this time, the face is still healing, and the skin is mildly swollen, which creates a more lifted appearance. “Regardless of surgical technique, deep plane, SMAS or otherwise, the facelift settles after several months,” he explains. “This is a completely normal aspect of the recovery process and should not cause alarm, as long as patients are counseled about this prior to their procedure.”
The One-Year Mark
New York facial plastic surgeon Dilip D. Madnani, MD says facelift results do not come undone over time. “What patients are seeing is normal settling, as the initially tight result softens into a more natural position by about three to four months. Skin quality, aging and factors like sun damage or weight changes influence how the result evolves, but by one year, outcomes are stable. Long-term maintenance is key.”
Stanford, CA facial plastic surgeon Sam P. Most, MD agrees: “At six to eight weeks, residual swelling adds fullness, so the face looks its most refreshed. As that resolves, the result softens into its true baseline. At one year, patients should still look clearly improved compared to their before.”
Does the Type of Facelift Matter?
“In most cases, this is normal healing and settling, unless a patient chose a smaller procedure than they really needed,” explains New York facial plastic surgeon Konstantin Vasyukevich, MD. “For example, a patient may opt for a mini facelift when a more comprehensive approach, such as a deep plane facelift, would have been more appropriate.”
“The initial result may look acceptable, but within a year, some sagging can develop,” he continues. “While it does not return to the starting point, the patient may feel the result was undercorrected.”
Normal Shifting and Facelift “Creep”
Westborough, MA facial plastic surgeon Min S. Ahn, MD, explains that what may appear to be a failure at one year is often due to natural tissue behavior. “Stress relaxation and creep are normal properties of skin and SMAS, where tissues relax and lengthen over time, even when surgery is performed correctly.” Facelift “creep” refers to this natural settling, as initially tighter tissues relax into a more natural position. He also notes that volume changes, including the resolution of swelling or partial fat graft loss, can make the skin appear looser.
Aging Doesn’t Stop
Beverly Hills, CA facial plastic surgeon Kimberly Lee, MD, emphasizes that a facelift resets the clock, but does not stop it. “Patients should still look lifted and refreshed at one year. Aging continues, which is why many patients choose another procedure 10 to 15 years later.”
She adds that longevity expectations matter. “I always tell my patients, don’t come back when you’re 95 years old and tell me the surgery didn’t work. It did work. You are just continuing to age.”
Speculation aside, a well-performed facelift should not reverse within a year. Surgeons agree that what patients are seeing is typically the transition from early healing to a more natural, settled result. Understanding that difference is key. “This is why the most accurate before-and-after results should be taken at least at the one-year mark,” adds Dr. Ahn.
