Are You the Perfect Age for Plastic Surgery?

I remember my dad saying, "If you're going to get a face lift, you better get it done by 48!" He has a brusque, vaguely angry delivery so it stuck in my head. 48? Really? Well, too late for that.

How he came by this information is a mystery but he did elaborate when pressed, saying that skin loses its elasticity after that, and you don't heal as fast.

A new Daily Mail article says the ideal age is 52. In fact, they are even more specific: 52 years, 41 weeks and 4 days!

How they arrive at this very specific figure they don't say, but it offers a larger window.

I remember doing an article about the Youth Corridor, a term used to define the space of time between youth and old age – kind of like the 'tween years for mid-lifers – which puts the window at about 50 to 60.

The Daily Mail article goes on to cite that 1 in 3 women are concerned about signs of aging, and consider plastic surgery,

If money were no object, a fifth of women between 40 and 60 say they would gladly get a face lift to smooth out the signs of ageing."

With "women increasingly image-conscious well into their fifties and sixties" eyelifts, tummy tucks and Botox are more popular, as are wrinkle creams and fake tan lotions.

I immediately turned to our go-to guru, aesthetics consultant Wendy Lewis aka The Knife Coach, who thought my dad's assessment of 48 was far too young, especially for a man. But she also thinks waiting too long isn't the best idea:

I wouldn't recommend waiting till 52 in all cases — although 50 is the new 35. The UK is a very conservative market; women do things much later than NY or LA. Some women need their eyes done in their 30s — based on genetics — while others can wait another decade or more. You may look in the mirror and see jowls and a sagging jawline in your 40s and want it improved."

I thought the numbers in the UK seemed to echo the American aesthetic, and Chicago plastic surgeon Dr. David Teplica agreed: "I think the article is in line with what we see here in the States."

Lewis, who works quite a bit in both places notices that

American tolerance for imperfection is much lower than in the UK and Europe. You should consider cosmetic surgery when you are ready, regardless of your age, and when creams, needles and lasers just don't do it for you anymore. Too young is not a good idea before you really need surgery. But if you wait until you're in your 50s, you may need [to have] more work done …"

Which means you might look significantly different after surgery so everyone will know you've had work done. Dr. Teplica has strong feelings about this:

When folks say 'I've seen bad lips (or a bad facelift) and would never have plastic surgery,' it's understandable, but short-sighted. The only surgery one sees in public is bad surgery. Every day we encounter many people who have had all sorts of interventions which are natural in appearance and therefore go undetected. Self confidence gets a boost, and no one is the wiser."

Lewis adds,

It is never too late if you're in good health and cleared to have anesthesia. Younger is better in terms of skin texture and quality and degree of sagging, fat, excess skin, but that doesn't mean that a 65-year-old can't have a great result. There are no rules anymore. Each person is an individual, you shouldn't go by grand generalizations. Choose the best doctor you can afford and go from there."

She also noted the buzz about CNN's Candy Crowley who, at 62, does look like she's had work done recently – but if so, it's certainly good work.

Both the Daily Mail and Dr. Teplica cited work issues as a primary motivator.

I take care of professionals, none of whom want to be detected as having had ANYTHING done. The trick is to avoid detection, while minimizing the patient's concerns, " he says.

The Daily Mail concludes with Saga magazine's survey of 10,000 people, and editor Emma Soames, summing it all up:

it show[s] that today's over-50s are 'a generation that has successfully re-defined attitudes to age' in the face of the present day 'politics of beauty'.

Related stories: Walking the Youth Corridor

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Time to Forgive Your Love Handles

Choosing a Cosmetic Surgeon

Cosmetic Surgery Etiquette

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