Does ANYONE remember the good old facelift?
Not a week went by in the 1980s and 1990s without one Hollywood star who returns from a mysterious month-long 'vacation', suddenly looking as if their facial features have been secured with bulldog clips.
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But with the advent of less invasive treatments such as Botox and dermal fillers, facelifts it seemed like they were a thing of the past.
Between 2011 and 2016 – when Towie was at its plastic fantastic peak: Internet searches for Botox-style treatments rose 31 percent, while searches for lip fillers rose 78 percent.
In 2016, the number of facelifts carried out in Britain fell by 44 percent year-on-year.
And last year Botox and dermal fillers accounting for nine out of ten of the total cosmetic procedures.
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But experts in the aesthetic industry are reporting renewed demand for facelift surgery.
Plastic surgeon Nora Nugent says: “I have seen a 20 to 30 per cent increase in inquiries and consultations from women in their 40s about facelift and neck lift surgery.
“Younger facial tissue retains the lifting effect for longer – so there are advantages to having the work done at a relatively younger age.”
Real Housewives of Dubai star Caroline Stanbury48, went under the knife last year.
After years of filler injections, she opted for a 'natural' facelift, which involved removing 6mm of skin from her eyelids and two inches from her neck and around her face.
'I wanted my children to recognize me'
Caroline – mum to Yasmine, 19, and twins Zac and Aaron, 15 – says: “I always live by the motto: 'If you don't like something, fix it.'
“I want to continue to look the way I looked five years ago.
“What's the point of getting a facelift at 70?”
There were 25,972 cosmetic surgical procedures in Britain last year – 16 percent fewer than in autumn 2022.
But face and neck lift surgery could break the downward trend, especially for women in their 40s.
Surgeon Nora explains: “There is an increasing recognition that modern facelift surgery is aimed at a long-lasting, naturally rejuvenated appearance, rather than deformity.
“Having a facelift in your 40s will usually be less invasive than a facelift in your 60s.
“Skin and other facial tissues are also in better condition in younger patients, so they can hold the lift well.
'Takes their toll'
“People in their 40s also tend to be in better health, which can reduce the risk of certain complications and promote a smooth recovery.”
Caroline was a big fan of fillers, but over time they took their toll.
She says: “They're great when you're young, but you get to a certain point and you can't go any further.
“I should have dissolved them after a while and then started again, because after a while your face starts to look incredibly round.
“That's why I started wondering if there's something else out there.”
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After liking a friend's facelift, she met a surgeon and decided to take the plunge, but was afraid she would end up with a completely different face.
She says, “I wanted my children to recognize me and not say, 'Mommy, what have you done?' ”
The reality star has spent £27,442 on a deep facelift, which will help improve the definition of the jawline and reduce the appearance of jowls and loose skin around the neck.
Cosmetic surgery experts Alpha Hospital Group says women in their 40s are most likely to opt for a facelift.
Mr. Reza Nassab, from the CLNQ clinic in Manchesterthinks this could be due to “filler fatigue” and says: “Repeated use of fillers can make the face look worse.
“The taboo on facial rejuvenation is no longer the case.
“The risks of a surgical facelift are much greater than those of a non-surgical facelift.
“Having a facelift at age 40 is generally safe when done by a qualified surgeon, but it does carry risks such as anesthesia reactions, infection, hematoma, scarring, nerve damage and asymmetry.”