Turning 40? You should know about the young lift surgery

One of the leading trends in plastic surgery today is the "Young Lift"—an advanced surgical procedure developed by Prof. Eyal Winkler. It is designed for younger women between the ages of 40-50 who wish to rejuvenate their facial skin while achieving a natural, refreshed look. The procedure helps maintain a familiar appearance for as long as possible without resulting in the "tight," "frozen," or unnatural look.

"I coined the term Young Lift to bring about a fundamental change and even provoke debate in the modern approach to facial aesthetic treatments and surgeries," says Prof. Winkler. "Young Lift is the term I chose to challenge the prevailing notion that facelift surgeries are only for older individuals—those so aged that only drastic surgery can help them appear younger."

The story began 12 years ago when an old patient of Prof. Winkler came to his clinic with her 49-year-old friend, who felt frustrated with how her face was aging. "She had the body of a soldier but the face of a grandmother," her friend said. "Can you inject something? I've tried everything, and nothing has helped. My face is sagging." He quickly explained that the only solution for her would be a facelift, which shocked both women, leading them to leave the clinic.

A few weeks later, the 49-year-old returned, telling Prof. Winkler that her older sister had a friend, a famous plastic surgeon in Jerusalem, who regularly injected her face. When this renowned surgeon heard about the suggestion of a facelift, she claimed it was "pure greed." Prof. Winkler ignored the criticism and maintained his recommendation.

"The surgery was a huge success, exceeding all expectations. Twelve years have passed since then, and I have performed hundreds of facelifts on women under 55. I realized that facelift procedures need to be tailored for younger women, which is how the Young Lift was born. These changes have made it the most requested surgery in my clinic, allowing me to develop significant expertise in customizing each procedure. This includes the extent of the surgery, its duration, the shorter recovery period, and the understanding that younger faces differ from older ones."

But what exactly is the Young Lift?The Young Lift includes surgical variations that focus on specific areas of the face, using incisions and sutures that differ from the traditional facelift methods.

Isn't 40 too young for a facelift? Why not stick to injections?"The belief that facelifts are only for older individuals and done out of necessity is fundamentally flawed. This misconception is rooted in two major reasons. First, it's an innocent mistake made by both doctors and patients, stemming from the history of facelift surgeries. The old facelift methods pulled the skin unnaturally and in the wrong directions, resulting in faces that looked significantly altered, often appearing 'operated on.'

"Second, there's a significant amount of money circulating in the 'non-surgical' aesthetic industry—like fillers, Botox, and threads—that promotes the idea that surgery is unnecessary. The proponents of these methods argue that everything can be done without surgery. They claim that the future lies in genetic medicine, bio-stimulators, and various energy-based treatments like lasers, light, or radio waves, while implying that the scalpel is outdated. However, many of those advocating these treatments lack expertise in surgical aesthetics and focus on producing and selling hyaluronic acid fillers."

Are you against injections, then?"Absolutely not. I don't oppose fillers or injections. On the contrary, they have their place. But their use must be fair to the patient. There are situations where the face has sagged too much, and the amount of filler needed to make any difference would result in an unnatural, swollen appearance and come at a high cost for the patient. People who say that facelifts are just for the surgeon’s benefit don't understand facial aesthetic surgery. One facelift can replace years of injections, making it more cost-effective in the long run."

How long does the Young Lift last, and what is the recovery time?"The results of the Young Lift last at least 5-7 years, possibly longer, depending on factors unrelated to the surgery or the surgeon (like genetics, sun exposure, significant weight gain or loss, smoking, etc.). You can return to office work in about 7 days, give or take a couple of days."

And what are its advantages compared to a mini facelift?"A 'mini facelift' is a non-scientific term that primarily refers to a procedure that only addresses the skin (skin only). This has been proven ineffective in the long term. Today, the term mini facelift is mainly used as a marketing tool to avoid scaring women with the term facelift."