Cheap Facelift: Is It Worth It?

Why you should think twice before turning to Groupon for your facelift.

As a facelift surgeon in the very economically-diverse New York City, Doctor Konstantin knows that not all prospective patients are able to afford his cosmetic enhancements. The cost of a procedure may be comfortable for some but out of reach for others. While Dr. Konstantin understands and empathizes with those who are not able to commit to a facelift, he feels very strongly that seeking facelifts at reduced rates from online marketplaces is an unwise decision. To accentuate his point, he went to his favorite money-saving site, Groupon.com, and entered “facelift” in the search bar.

 

The results: six hundred hits, with prices ranging from $36-$1500. But had he found the perfect solution to patients who couldn’t afford pricier procedures? Hardly.

A large majority of the results were not facelifts, but rather skin-tightening procedures. Most of the practitioners were not doctors, but rather aestheticians working out of spas. Some listings were by board-certified doctors, but not by plastic surgeons. Under this guise, a podiatrist could advertise his facelift services, and while he may indeed be a medical professional, there is no evidence of any plastic surgery qualifications.

What if I can’t afford a facelift?

If 2020 has shown us one thing, it’s how hard it is to make a dollar during a pandemic. The future is uncertain, and money is tight. When you need to focus on putting food on the table, it only seems wise to look for discounts everywhere possible. But when it comes to a facelift, searching for one on Groupon is not the way to go.

There is nothing wrong with skin-tightening procedures, but they simply are not facelifts. There is nothing wrong with seeking the services of an aesthetician or a podiatrist, but they will simply not deliver the results that an astute, well-trained, board-certified facial plastic surgeon can. Facelifts are intricate procedures that require years of training to be able to perform. The cost of a facelift reflects key elements like the adequacy of the doctor and the quality of the equipment. Investing in a legitimate facelift or refraining from opting for an illegitimate procedure will save you from potentially permanent unwanted results.

Finding a cheaper, yet legitimate, facelift

So does this mean there’s no hope for those who can’t afford a facelift from a facial plastic surgeon like Dr. Konstantin? Definitely not. Dr. K recommends the following for patients unsure about the pricing of a facelift:

1. Find the best board-certified facial plastic surgeon in your area. It is imperative to work with someone who knows what they are doing. After all, it is your face they will be working on!
2. Set up a consultation with him/her/them. Talking in person/over video chat will allow for conversation to flow in directions that reading a pamphlet cannot.
3. Explain what you’d like to have done and discuss your budget. Many surgeons will be willing to work with you to help make the procedure more affordable. It may not be the price of your dreams, but a discount is a discount!

If the results of your consultation are still out of financial reach, plastic surgeons offer non-surgical solutions; options like Botox and fillers are significantly cheaper but still make a substantial difference to your appearance– without breaking the bank!

The bottom line: you only have one face, and it is imperative to take good care of it. Part of taking care of it means putting research into the services you’re interested in. The price of a facelift reflects important factors such as quality, experience, safety, and service. These are factors you risk sacrificing by opting for an uncertified, unqualified practitioner’s procedure before committing to it.

To hear more from Dr. Konstantin on this topic, watch his videos on Groupon facelifts and on finding a cheap facelift.