Full face-and-neck lift
The standard when ageing affects the whole lower third: repositions the SMAS, redefines the jawline and treats the neck in the same operation.
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Facelift cases
Real facelift results by Dr. César Padilla at Quirónsalud Málaga Hospital.
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Facelift
Why it happens
Facial ageing is not just wrinkles. Three things happen at once: the skin loses collagen and elasticity, the deep support layer — the SMAS — loosens, and cheek volume descends. The result: deeper folds from nose to mouth, marionette lines, a blurred jawline and jowls.
Genetics sets the pace; sun, tobacco and weight swings accelerate it. Creams and aesthetic treatments act on the surface: when the deep support has given way, only surgery can reposition it. That is exactly what a facelift does.
Techniques
The standard when ageing affects the whole lower third: repositions the SMAS, redefines the jawline and treats the neck in the same operation.
Focused on the submental region: laxity, bands and excess skin, with incisions behind the ears and along the hairline. May be combined with chin liposuction.
For younger patients with early sagging: shorter incisions, faster recovery, keeping the ‘triangle of youth’ toned.
The facelift treats sagging, not the eyelids: when the gaze also shows age, it is combined with blepharoplasty in the same session.
Before surgery
Your consultation starts with a thorough assessment of your anatomy and goals, followed by a photographic study used to plan the procedure and compare your results later on.
Practical points that apply to every surgery: arrive at a stable weight, have your medication reviewed (antiplatelets and anticoagulants are usually paused beforehand, always together with your doctor) and stop smoking well in advance — tobacco seriously compromises healing.
Specific to this surgery: tobacco must stop one to two months before — non-negotiable, as smoking compromises skin circulation more here than anywhere; and the 48 hours before surgery call for light meals, no saturated fats or alcohol.
The pre-operative tests and the anaesthesia assessment are completed at Quirónsalud Málaga Hospital.
Recovery
A facelift recovery is more comfortable than most people fear: mild discomfort controlled with standard medication. What it does demand is patience with swelling.
Tightness and swelling rather than pain. Sleep with the head elevated; numb patches of skin are normal and recover progressively.
Bruises fade, sutures are removed in stages at your check-ups. By the end of week two most patients manage a quiet social life.
Full routine, including office work, without the post-op drawing attention. Sport waits for clearance at review; so does hair dye if incisions reach the hairline.
Sun with SPF allowed once bruises are gone.
Residual swelling disappears, scars mature and the final result settles. Time for the ‘after’ photo.
Scars
Incisions follow natural folds: starting at the sideburn, tracing the ear’s contour and — when the neck is treated — continuing behind the ear towards the hairline, where hair and anatomy conceal them.
They stay pink for the first months and then fade. Discipline with sun protection during that period is what most influences the final result.
Surgical honesty
Spots, fine wrinkles and texture belong to the skin’s surface, treated by other means that may complement a lift but are not part of it.
A tired gaze is blepharoplasty territory; both can be combined in one session.
It winds it back — ageing then continues from that new starting point. Lasting, not eternal.
Threads, devices or fillers help mild cases; once deep tissue has descended, nothing external repositions it. Sometimes the honest answer is that you do not need a facelift yet.
Patient information
Every surgery carries risks and this one is no exception. You will go through them in detail during your consultation and in writing in the informed-consent form; this is the honest summary.
Expected — not a complication
Uncommon
When not to operate. With active smoking, never — quit one to two months before. Unrealistic expectations also matter: the goal is a rested face, not a different one.
Hospital
Consultation, surgery and post-operative follow-up in a leading hospital: state-of-the-art operating rooms, ICU and private rooms.
12
Operating rooms
24 h
ER & ICU
100 %
Private rooms
Price
The quote is personal: a mini-lift is not priced like a full face-and-neck lift with associated procedures. What every quote includes: surgery, operating room at Quirónsalud Málaga, anaesthesia, follow-up visits and post-operative care.
About cheap offers. You will see plenty. Our honest advice: research and choose your surgeon first, and only then compare prices — never the other way round.
FAQS
Usually yes: face and neck age together and treating them together is what gives a harmonious result. An isolated neck lift is reserved for purely submental problems.
Among the longest-lasting in facial surgery: the clock winds back and ageing resumes from there. Genetics, SPF and not smoking make the difference in how it holds.
Not while smoking. Tobacco must stop at least one to two months before surgery — it is the clearest contraindication in this procedure.
Avoiding that is the whole point: tissues are repositioned respecting your features — a rested, natural version of you, not a different face.
The anaesthetic protocol is decided at your consultation, with the assessment of the anaesthesia team at Quirónsalud Málaga Hospital as part of the pre-operative workup.
Content reviewed by
Dr. César Padilla
Specialist in Plastic, Aesthetic and Reconstructive Surgery
Member of the Spanish Society of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery (SECPRE)
15+ years of practice · Quirónsalud Málaga Hospital
Last content review: August 2026
