10 myths debunked: the facts behind the fables.

Facelift surgery today is surrounded by misconceptions, half-truths and persistent clichés. Few medical procedures are as publicly visible and at the same time so misunderstood. In a world where social media, celebrity gossip and aesthetic trends shape perception, the public idea of a facelift takes shape more on TikTok and Instagram than in the consultation room of an experienced surgeon.

Anyone who googles “facelift” today gets an overload of alarming images: tight faces, unnatural expressions, and so-called “botched” results. But those images are rarely representative of what modern facial surgery can, and especially wants to, achieve today.

The goal of a good facelift is not to change someone. It is to bring someone back to their younger self, the best version of themselves.

As a surgeon who exclusively dedicates himself to facial surgery, I see daily how these myths influence patients. How people doubt a procedure that is a perfect fit for them, out of fear of judgment. How some wait too long, hoping that a “less drastic” alternative exists. And how others, who do take the step, often say: “I wish I had done this sooner.”

Ten myths. Ten opportunities to restore the face of facelift surgery. Not only in the mirror, but also in the eyes of the world.

Myth 1: “Facelifts are unnatural, everyone sees it immediately”

When facelift results are labeled as unnatural, it almost always means that during the intended rejuvenation procedure, an element of change has taken place somewhere. Patients then see something in the mirror that was never there. No restoration to what was has occurred, something new has been created. This can be good if that was the intent of the treatment, but often this is precisely what patients do not want: change.

Unnatural results are sometimes the consequence of a suboptimal technique: for example when lifting is done in a (too superficial) plane where no aging has occurred, or lifting according to unnatural vectors. Both lead to an unnatural appearance.

If you can see that you have been operated on, the procedure was not worth it. In the same way, there is only one thing less desirable than a naturally aging face, namely a face that looks operated on or unnatural.

“If you can see that you have been operated on, the procedure was not worth it.”

Myth 2: “Facelifts are only for old women.”

Facelifts today are no longer a taboo. Not for men, not for high-performers, and not even for people in their forties. A “facelift in your 40s” is no longer an exception. Yet the concept of a preventive facelift is misleading. The word preventive suggests that there are no signs of aging, while an early facelift actually corrects beginning aging. Subtle, but purposeful.

For some patients, that is precisely the added value: timely intervention often means that the result looks less dramatic, and therefore is less quickly noticed. “Better early, to stay under the radar.” No major transformations, but natural corrections that remain true to the face, so that no one can say “you look operated on,” but rather: “you look good.”

It is not age that determines the procedure, but the anatomy of the face. Anatomy over age. Whether you are a candidate for a facelift does not depend on your age, but on the degree of age-related changes in your face. Facelifts are not about age, but about anatomy.

“It is not age that determines the procedure, but the anatomy of the face. Anatomy over age.”

Myth 3: “A facelift is painful and the recovery time is enormous”

Mini-lifts with a faster recovery often also deliver mini results that have disappeared after 1.5 years. Yet the horror stories are a thing of the past. Patients are typically professionally and socially active again at 3 weeks after the procedure.

Thanks to medical innovations such as infrared light, mild hyperbaric oxygen therapy and individually tailored care in a specialized center, your recovery can be even smoother and more comfortable.

Myth 4: “Fillers and threads are an alternative to a facelift”

Aging is primarily caused by gravity and sagging volumes. Lifting volumes is therefore the anatomical basis of rejuvenation in the face. Fillers do not lift. Fillers fill. They therefore treat volume loss and can, with strategic use, create a desired and natural result. However, they are not an alternative to a facelift.

Sagging is treated surgically. Volume loss is treated strategically.

An excess of filler does not lead to rejuvenation, but to distortion. The long-term effects of “filler fatigue” or “overfilled faces” can disrupt the natural balance in the face, and in some cases even complicate the safety and predictability of a later facelift.

The best results often emerge from a thoughtful combination of surgical lifting and subtle volume correction. Correctly applied fillers, in the right hands, can serve as an excellent temporary bridge for those who are not (yet) ready for surgery.

“Sagging is treated surgically. Volume loss is treated strategically.”

Myth 5: “You get scars that you see for life”

Suboptimal or hypertrophic scars are in the majority of cases caused by suboptimal planning. An aesthetically good placement of the scars, the absence of tension on the scars and respect for the hairline make the difference.

A Deep Plane Facelift places the tension in the deeper layers of the face and thus creates minimal tension on the scars with optimal scar healing as a result.

Myth 6: “Every facelift is the same, every Deep Plane Facelift is the same.”

Patients often look for a specific technique when considering a facelift. However, just as a facelift with surgeon A is not the same as a facelift with surgeon B, the same is true for a Deep Plane Facelift. The term “deep plane” is not a guarantee of quality.

Do not look for a technique, look for results that you find natural and that align with your wishes and expectations. And look for a surgeon with whom the feeling is right. In addition, the experience of the surgeon is of decisive importance. Is he specialized in the face and, additionally, does he frequently perform facelift procedures?

Facelift surgery is a niche craft. It requires anatomical knowledge, in-depth technical training and an aesthetic eye. A price comparison often leads to wrong choices. Discount pricing yields compromised results.

“The term 'deep plane' is not a guarantee of quality.”

Myth 7: “A facelift changes who you are”

That is a persistent myth and above all a misunderstanding about what a good facelift actually does.

A Deep Plane Facelift works precisely where the aging process takes place: in the deeper tissue layers. This technique does not pull anything “tight” or “backward,” but simply brings the facial structures back to where they once were. No further. Not forced. Only anatomically correct, as if time were turned back. Opposite this refined approach stands a widespread misconception: that a less invasive procedure also naturally looks more natural. Nothing could be further from the truth.

A mini-lift that only tightens the superficial skin, without addressing the deeper causes of aging, can actually lead to pulling or unnatural results. Especially when only one part of the face is treated, while aging is always a total process.

Less invasive does not necessarily mean more subtle. It is not the size of the procedure, but the correctness of the technique and the experience of the surgeon that determines how natural you look.

A good facelift does not change you, a good facelift repositions what has sagged. The best version of yourself. Not different, but younger.

Dr. Van Genechten offers a less extensive Deep Plane procedure. A Deep Plane mini-lift, as it were. Discuss this with him if you would like more information.

Myth 8: “You need one facelift and then you are done for life”

A facelift turns back the aging process, but of course does not stop it. The benefit of a good procedure usually remains visible for many years, but the clock keeps ticking.

A second facelift after 10 to 15 years is therefore not unusual. It is perfectly possible to undergo a first Deep Plane Facelift around the age of 45, and have it repeated around 55 or 60.

What does remain essential is your general health. A facelift is an elective procedure, not a necessary one. That is why safety and medical responsibility always come first with Dr. Van Genechten. If the risks in your specific situation are deemed too high, he will not perform the procedure.

The right timing is not only a matter of aesthetics, but also of health.

“The benefit of a good procedure usually remains visible for many years, but the clock keeps ticking.”

Myth 9: “A facelift is for vain people”

Self-care is not vanity.

For many patients, a facelift is not only about appearance, but about energy, self-image and professional presence.

Just as the procedure itself is a life event, the reason often lies in such a turning point. A divorce. A burnout. A recovery period after breast cancer. Life events that leave their traces, including in the face.

In such cases, a facelift offers more than just aesthetic improvement. It can also help to strengthen inner recovery. Not to change who you are, but to recognize yourself in the mirror again.

"Just as the procedure itself is a life event, the reason often lies in such a turning point."

Myth 10: “The best facelift is found abroad”

A top result without follow-up is not an advantage, it is a risk. Trust, accessibility and a lasting relationship with your surgeon are crucial. Not only for your safety, but also for the final result.

You do not need to go abroad or across the ocean for quality. But if you come from abroad or travel abroad, do so for the right reason: Not for the lowest price, but for the right surgeon, the right technique and the right setting.

Quality is not in the distance, but in the hands you choose. And that choice deserves more than a price list.

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