If you browse beauty blogs, you’ve probably heard of a trend called the ponytail facelift. It’s a less invasive procedure that aims to mimic the effect of a woman pulling her hair back in a tight ponytail. It’s popular because, when done well, it can tighten the midface while hiding the incisions in the hairline. Proponents claim it gives results similar to a traditional facelift without the possibility of visible scars. People pay a lot for a ponytail facelift in New York City. Is this the right facelift for Inland Empire conditions? More importantly, is it the right facelift for you?
What Is the Ponytail Facelift?
I taught facial plastic surgery for years at the University of Southern California’s Keck School of Medicine. We did not teach the ponytail facelift technique. Why not? Because “ponytail facelift” is not a medical term. It’s a marketing name.
Technically speaking, the procedure most often called a ponytail facelift is a limited endoscopic facelift. Patients like it because the surgeon places the incisions in the hairline. There are no incisions near the ear as there are in SMAS and deep-plane facelifts.
A facial plastic surgeon performing a limited endoscopic facelift uses small incisions to insert a fiber-optic camera through an endoscope under the skin. The camera allows the surgeon to see a magnified image. Through the endoscope, the surgeon will reposition fat and tighten muscles without removing any excess skin.
The limited endoscopic facelift, nicknamed the ponytail facelift, can rejuvenate the midface. Combined with a lower blepharoplasty, it can also remove bags under your eyes. But, as its name implies, it has limited applications. While the ponytail facelift does a good job in the midface, it can’t effectively eliminate jowls, marionette lines, a double chin, or a turkey neck.
In an article in Allure, facial plastic surgeon Jaime DeRosa, MD, explained:
“Because no skin is removed during the process, people who might opt for a ponytail lift rather than a regular facelift are those who want to make small improvements, rather than an entire procedure. The best candidates are those with minimal signs of aging and little to no excess skin along the jawline and upper neck.”
Is the Ponytail Facelift Right for You?
Dr. DeRosa and I agree about the best-qualified candidates for a ponytail facelift. Without additional procedures like blepharoplasty, a lower facelift, or a neck lift, patients with aging, sagging skin are not likely to see much more than modest results. This procedure could work well for 30- to 40-year-olds who are starting to see signs of facial aging but still have healthy, elastic skin.
Anyone who chooses a ponytail facelift needs to recognize what the surgeon quoted in Allure and what New York City board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Steven Levine stated on RealSelf about one drawback to hiding incisions in the scalp, as this procedure does: You run the risk of losing hair if the scalp incisions don’t heal properly.
My article on LookYounger.News, “Facelift Scars – Will People See Yours?” mentioned why so few patients in Inland Empire even ask about facelift scars. Many realize that highly experienced board-certified facial plastic surgeons are good at hiding incisions where any scars will be hard to notice. In the 6,000 facelifts I’ve performed in my career, this has rarely become an issue.
Ponytail Facelift Cost vs. Deep-Plane Facelift
As we’ve discussed, what many plastic and facial plastic surgeons call a ponytail lift is a limited endoscopic facelift. What does this small improvement cost?
Allure relates: “Board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Hardik Doshi says in New York City it can run you anywhere between $35,000 to $70,000 due to the amount of training and experience needed to execute it. On average, though, you should expect to pay at least $20,000.”
Without minimizing the skills of surgeons who have special training in endoscopic procedures and can deliver good results with them, $20,000 seems like a lot to pay for a procedure that usually only delivers “small improvements.”
In contrast, at STC Plastic Surgery, you can often get a deep-plane facelift that can provide dramatic results for $15,000 to $19,000. This procedure rejuvenates sagging cheeks, substantially improves your nasolabial folds, eliminates marionette lines and jowls, and significantly smooths your aging neck.
The deep-plane facelift can rejuvenate your face like no other procedure. And naturally, a highly experienced facial plastic surgeon can focus their efforts where you need it most. And while the ponytail facelift does not address sagging skin, a deep-plane facelift can dramatically smooth wrinkles in a way that looks totally natural.
Choose an Expertly Performed Procedure Over Skillful Marketing
At a time when inflation is driving prices through the roof, it makes more sense to me to pay less for a facelift that can deliver outstanding results than to pay more for the “small improvements” the ponytail facelift promises.
Any practice that can command $35,000 or more for a limited endoscopic facelift has invested in some savvy marketing. But that won’t mean much to you if you look in the mirror and still see jowls, marionette lines, and an aging neck. So, rather than getting “the new facelift,” why not have a procedure that often makes people look 10 years younger – or even more?
Get Outstanding Results Without Paying a Fortune
As I pointed out in “How to Make a $27,000 Beverly Hills-Quality Facelift Cost Much Less” on LookYounger.News, a highly experienced facial plastic surgeon can take steps to substantially lower your cost while still giving you the natural-looking results you want. For what you’d pay for a ponytail facelift at some practices, I can give you a deep-plane facelift and a blepharoplasty to rejuvenate your eyes.
So many surgeons hang their hat on a specific facelift approach, but the hallmark of a board-certified facial plastic surgeon with years of experience is the ability to tailor surgical plans to their patients’ needs. I will use the techniques that work best for your facial anatomy and your aesthetic goals.
Don’t pay more and receive less just to join a trend. Why not schedule your free consultation to see which procedures could make the biggest difference for you? You might be surprised how affordable it can be to refresh your appearance and self-esteem.