A new study released in the Archives of Facial Plastic Surgery, suggests that facelift surgery can make patients appear up to 7 years younger than their actual age.

The study, which was conducted by researchers at the University of Toronto, Canada and NorthShore University Health System in Evanston, Illinois, enlisted the help of first-year medical student volunteers to independently rate the ages of facelift recipients. Volunteers were shown the photos of 60 patients before and after surgery.

The end results showed that volunteers estimated these patients to be 7.2 years younger, on average, than their actual age post-surgery. Researchers also pointed out that the patients who received the most plastic surgery procedures, including face, neck and forehead lifts, also received the lowest age estimates of the patients evaluated by volunteers.

While it may be no surprise that facelift surgery results in a significantly more youthful appearance, researchers believe that this surgery will help to guide both plastic surgeons and potential patients when formulating realistic expectations of facelift surgery outcomes.

“The goal of aesthetic facial surgery is to improve one’s appearance and to ‘turn back the clock,” according to study authors. “Our data demonstrate a significant and consistent reduction in perceived age after aesthetic facial surgery.”

If you’re considering facelift surgery, it is important to discuss the risks and benefits with a facial plastic surgeon. The best candidate for facelift surgery is an individual who has noticeably sagging skin of the face and neck regions, but whose skin still has some elasticity and whose bone structure is well-defined.

Learn more about facelift surgery in New Haven.