When investigating facelift surgery and its cost, keep in mind the old saying, “You get what you pay for!” Facelift surgery requires advanced surgical skill to be performed well. Surgeons with the most expertise cost more, but for this kind of complex, highly visible cosmetic surgery, it’s advisable to use a very experienced surgeon.

Facelift cost comprises three fees: the anesthesia fee, the facility fee, and the surgeon’s fee. The surgeon’s fee is the majority of the cost, and the most difficult to predict without first knowing the extent of the procedure and the qualifications of the plastic surgeon.

The average cost of facelift cosmetic surgery ranges from $6,000 to $15,000. The cost for anesthesia ranges from $1,000 to $1,300. The facility fee (or hospital fee) ranges from $500 to $2,000. The remaining cost is the surgeon’s fee.

Extent of Procedure Affects Facelift Cost

Cost also varies with the extent of the procedure. If the skin is dry and stiff from a lifetime of excessive sun exposure, the facelift procedure is more difficult and time consuming than for more elastic skin. Each facelift is unique, so it is impossible to simply answer the question, “How much will the facelift cost?” Cost can be more accurately predicted after the surgeon has performed an examination and developed a surgical plan.

Many patients elect to have other procedures performed at the same time as a facelift, such as eyelid surgery (blepharoplasty), forehead lift (brow lift), nose surgery (rhinoplasty), chin surgery, facial implants and skin treatments. Some patients spend more than $25,000 for a facelift, when combined with additional plastic surgery procedures and other treatments. If all the procedures are performed at the same time, the fees will be lower than if they were performed individually: the combined procedures incur only one facility fee and only one anesthesia fee, and require less total surgical time.

The cosmetic form of botulinum toxin, often referred to by its product name BOTOX^®, is a popular non-surgical injection that temporarily reduces or eliminates frown lines, forehead creases, crows feet near the eyes and thick bands in the neck. The toxin blocks the nerve impulses, temporarily paralyzing the muscles that cause wrinkles while giving the skin a smoother, more refreshed appearance.  Studies have also suggested that BOTOX is effective in relieving migraine headaches, excessive sweating and muscle spasms in the neck and eyes.