Facial
Facelift
The established facelift that lifts the deep support layer of the face for a natural, lasting result.
What Are the Different Facelift Techniques?
There are several facelift techniques, and the best option depends on your anatomy, skin quality, degree of laxity, facial structure, and aesthetic goals.
Mini Facelift
A Mini Facelift is usually suitable for patients with early to moderate signs of aging, especially mild jowling and reduced definition along the jawline. It is a more focused procedure than a full facelift and may involve shorter incisions and a shorter recovery. However, it is also less powerful than more advanced facelift techniques and may not be the best option for patients with significant neck laxity, heavier jowls, or more advanced facial aging.
SMAS Facelift
The SMAS facelift addresses the Superficial Musculoaponeurotic System, the deeper support layer beneath the skin. By lifting and tightening this layer, the procedure can improve jowls, lower-face laxity, and jawline definition. A SMAS facelift can be a good option for patients with mild to moderate signs of aging who need more support than a Mini Facelift can provide.
Deep-Plane Facelift
A Deep-Plane Facelift is an advanced facial rejuvenation technique that works beneath the surface of the skin, repositioning deeper facial tissues rather than simply tightening the skin. This approach can be particularly effective for patients with more significant facial descent, jowling, midface heaviness, and loss of definition along the jawline and neck. Because the deeper tissues are lifted and repositioned, the result can look more natural and less “pulled” than older facelift techniques.
At Skulpturkliniken, Dr. Matteo Amoroso will assess whether a Mini Facelift, SMAS facelift, Deep-Plane Facelift, neck lift, or a combined approach is most appropriate for your anatomy and goals.
Quick Facts
- Procedure time: Usually about 4 hours
- Anesthesia: General anesthesia
- Clinic stay: Same-day discharge or overnight stay
- Recovery: Around 2–3 weeks
- Back to social life: About 3 weeks
- Final result: Long-lasting facial rejuvenation that can endure 10 years or longer, especially with deep plane techniques.
- Price: Determined after consultation
- Minimum age: From 18 years
What it is
Facelift surgery, also known as rhytidectomy, is a surgical procedure designed to improve visible signs of aging in the face and neck. It can address concerns such as jowls, loss of jawline definition, sagging facial tissues, loose skin, neck laxity, and platysma banding. The aim is not to change your face, but to restore balance, structure, and freshness while preserving your unique facial identity.
As we age, the deeper facial tissues gradually descend. This can lead to heaviness in the midface, deeper smile lines, jowling along the jawline, and looseness in the neck. A facelift aims to lift and reposition these deeper structures, rather than simply tightening the skin, in order to create a more natural and long-lasting rejuvenation.
At Skulpturkliniken, facelift surgery is often combined with a neck lift when needed to improve the jawline, refine the neck contour, and remove excess skin. While a facelift improves tissue position and facial structure, it does not directly improve skin texture, pigmentation, or fine surface wrinkles. For this reason, it may sometimes be combined with treatments such as laser resurfacing, fat grafting, or other skin-quality procedures.
There are different facelift techniques, including mini facelift, SMAS facelift, deep-plane facelift, and extended facial rejuvenation procedures. The best approach depends on the patient’s anatomy, skin quality, degree of laxity, facial structure, and aesthetic goals.
Modern facelift surgery focuses on repositioning the deeper facial tissues to restore natural facial harmony. The goal is to avoid a stretched or artificial appearance and instead create a refreshed result that still looks like you.
The procedure can be performed under general anesthesia or, in selected cases, local anesthesia with sedation. Recovery usually varies depending on the extent of surgery and whether additional procedures are performed.
During surgery, incisions are carefully placed around the hairline, temples, ears, and sometimes under the chin. These are planned to follow natural creases and hidden areas as much as possible, with the goal of minimizing visible scarring.
During your consultation at Skulpturkliniken, Dr. Matteo Amoroso will evaluate your facial anatomy, skin quality, neck contour, and personal goals to determine which facelift technique is most suitable for you.
At Skulpturkliniken, facelift surgery is planned around your anatomy, your proportions, and your goals. The intention is to enhance your best features, soften the signs of aging,and preserve what makes your face recognizably yours.
You should still look like yourself, only fresher, more defined and more in harmony with how you feel.
What it can improve
- Sagging cheeks and jowls
- Moderate loss of jawline definition
- Moderate lower-face aging
- Deepening folds from the nose to the mouth
What it cannot achieve
- Lift the brow
- Treat the eyelids
- Improve neck contour
- Treat loose skin in the neck
- Treat platysma bands
- Improve skin surface quality, pigmentation, or fine lines
All the above conditions need separate procedures to be addressed.
A facelift can provide long-lasting improvement of the lower face, but the face continues to age naturally, though from a younger-looking baseline. Longevity depends on factors such as technique, skin quality, genetics, lifestyle, sun exposure, weight stability, and postoperative care.
What Is the First Step?
The first step is to schedule a consultation at Skulpturkliniken with Dr. Matteo Amoroso.
During the consultation, you will discuss your goals, concerns, medical history, previous procedures, and expectations. Dr. Amoroso will examine your face and neck, assess your skin quality and facial proportions, and explain which technique may be most suitable for you.
If surgery is appropriate, you will receive a personalized surgical plan, including whether a neck lift should be combined, information about the procedure, recovery, risks, expected results, and pricing.
What to Expect on the Day of Surgery
A facelift is performed by carefully placing incisions around hidden or discreet areas, usually around the hairline, temples, ears, and sometimes under the chin. the SMAS layer is tightened and repositioned, the skin is redraped without tension, and excess skin is removed. A neck lift can be performed at the same time if necessary.
Recovery after a facelift
Recovery is an important part of the final result.
At Skulpturkliniken, postoperative care is structured to support safe healing, reduce anxiety, and ensure that recovery is closely followed. Patients receive clear instructions, scheduled follow-up visits, and direct access to Dr. Matteo Amoroso and the medical team.
Recovery after a facelift requires patience. Swelling, bruising, tightness, tenderness, and temporary numbness are normal during the early healing period. Numbness around the ears and cheeks is normal and resolves gradually over weeks to months.
Most patients need some time away from work and social activities. The early recovery phase usually takes a few weeks, while the result continues to refine over several months. You will receive clear postoperative instructions and follow-up appointments to support a safe recovery.
To support healing after facelift surgery:
- keep your head elevated during the early recovery period
- avoid strenuous activity until cleared by Dr. Matteo Amoroso
- follow incision-care instructions carefully
- avoid smoking
- avoid excessive sun exposure on healing scars
- stay hydrated and eat nutritious food
- attend all follow-up appointments
- be patient while swelling gradually improves
Results: what it can and cannot achieve
A natural, lasting lift of the lower face and jawline is achievable. A facelift cannot lift the brow or eyes, cannot improve skin texture, and cannot halt aging, so the face continues to change over time, though from a younger-looking baseline.
Possible risks and complications
A facelift is generally safe in experienced hands, but all surgery carries risks. Possible risks include:
- Bleeding or hematoma, the most common early complication
- Infection
- Temporary or, rarely, permanent facial nerve weakness
- Changes in skin sensation or numbness
- Visible or widened scars
- Skin healing problems, especially in smokers
- Asymmetry
Hematoma is more common in men and in patients with high blood pressure. Smoking greatly raises the risk of skin healing problems, so smoking cessation is essential.
Who it suits
An SMAS facelift may suit patients with moderate facial aging. The average age range for a facelift is 45 – 60 years old. It is especially suitable for patients who:
- Have sagging cheeks, jowls, and a softening jawline.
- Loss of volume: As your face loses fat, the skin droops. The more fat that is lost, the more pronounced the folds and lines are. Fat can be taken from various areas and added during your facelift to increase volume. Restoring volume in this way can improve facial proportions, creating a more balanced, youthful appearance.
- Want a natural, lasting result rather than a temporary fix
- Are comfortable with a recovery of two to three weeks
- Are in good general health with realistic expectations and do not smoke or can stop before and after surgery
Preserving what makes you, you
Real-time facial nerve monitoring during face and neck lift surgery
An extra layer of information. An extra layer of safety.
At Skulpturkliniken, your safety is our highest priority.
Advanced facial rejuvenation surgery requires precision, detailed anatomical knowledge and careful surgical judgement. During selected face and neck lift procedures, we add another layer of intraoperative awareness with NIM Vital™ facial nerve monitoring.
We are proud to be the first plastic surgery clinic in Sweden, and among a very small number of plastic surgery centres in Europe, to integrate NIM Vital™, an advanced intraoperative facial nerve monitoring system, into facial rejuvenation surgery.
What is NIM Vital™ facial nerve monitoring?
An additional sense during surgery
NIM Vital™ is an advanced intraoperative facial nerve monitoring system.
During face and neck lift surgery, small electrodes monitor electrical activity in facial muscles controlled by branches of the facial nerve. The system provides the surgeon with real-time visual and audible feedback while working within delicate facial anatomy.
When needed, nerve stimulation can also provide additional information when the identity of a structure is uncertain.
NIM Vital™ does not replace surgical expertise. It adds another layer of real-time information, complementing what the surgeon can see and feel with functional information during surgery.
Why facial nerve monitoring matters
Protecting expression. Supporting precision.
The facial nerve controls movements that are fundamental to expression, including smiling, closing the eyes, raising the eyebrows and moving the lips.
Advanced facelift techniques, like deep-plane and extended sub-SMAS facelift surgery, involve dissection within anatomical layers that may lie close to delicate facial nerve branches.
NIM Vital™ provides additional functional information while the operation is taking place, giving the surgeon:
- Real-time information about facial muscle activity
- Immediate feedback during delicate dissection
- Additional information when anatomy is uncertain
- An opportunity to reassess and adapt the surgical approach when needed
- Greater awareness beyond what can be seen and felt alone
An extra layer of information. An extra layer of safety.
Why Skulpturkliniken uses NIM Vital™
Because safety comes from multiple layers working together.
Our approach combines:
- Surgical experience and detailed anatomical knowledge
- Individual surgical planning and clinical judgement
- Meticulous technique and controlled dissection
- Dedicated instruments for specific stages of surgery
- Real-time facial nerve monitoring
NIM Vital™ adds another layer by providing functional information during the operation itself.
If meaningful technology can give our surgical team additional information that may contribute to safer, more controlled surgery, we believe our patients should benefit from it.
Because your safety is our highest priority.
The science behind NIM Vital™
A 2026 prospective comparative study published in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery evaluated Nerve Integrity Monitoring during extended sub-SMAS facelift surgery in 200 patients.
Temporary facial nerve weakness
0% with NIM vs 6% without NIM, p = 0.029
Median sub-SMAS dissection time
32.86 minutes with NIM vs 63.5 minutes without NIM, p < 0.001
The results are encouraging and support the potential role of intraoperative facial nerve monitoring as an additional tool during advanced facelift surgery. Study findings relate to the specific population and surgical protocol studied and do not guarantee an individual outcome.
Scientific reference: Wongkietkachorn A, Hah WWH, Wongkietkachorn N. Use of Nerve Integrity Monitoring (NIM) in Facelifts. Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. Published online May 5, 2026. DOI: 10.1097/PRS.0000000000013167 · PMID: 42085580
Advanced technology. Expert judgement.
NIM Vital™ does not replace experience, anatomical knowledge or surgical judgement.
It provides another layer of information when every detail matters.
Natural harmony. Surgical excellence. Safety without compromise.
Why Skulpturkliniken
Facial Surgery by Dr. Matteo Amoroso
Dr. Matteo Amoroso, MD, PhD, is a senior consultant in plastic surgery with extensive experience in both aesthetic and reconstructive surgery.
His background includes advanced international surgical training at several world-leading institutions and highly specialised surgical centres. Through fellowships in microsurgery and supermicrosurgery in Taiwan, Japan, and South Korea, he gained exceptional experience in complex tissue reconstruction, precision surgery, and advanced anatomical techniques.
Dr. Amoroso also worked for several years at Karolinska University Hospital, where he performed advanced microsurgical reconstruction of the head and neck. These complex procedures required meticulous planning, detailed anatomical knowledge, and a high level of technical precision.
This reconstructive background has profoundly shaped his approach to aesthetic facial surgery. His work is founded on a deep understanding of facial anatomy, careful surgical execution, patient safety, and the creation of natural-looking, harmonious results.
His philosophy is simple: reveal, do not reinvent. The purpose of facial surgery is not to change your identity, but to restore balance, definition, and freshness while preserving the individual characteristics that make your face uniquely yours.
A Refined and Natural Approach to Facial Rejuvenation
Facelift surgery requires more than technical ability. It demands a comprehensive understanding of facial anatomy, refined aesthetic judgment, surgical precision, and respect for the patient’s natural identity.
At Skulpturkliniken, facelift surgery is performed by Dr. Matteo Amoroso using an individualised and anatomically based approach. His focus is on elegant, balanced results that restore facial definition and freshness without creating a tight, pulled, or overoperated appearance.
Successful facial rejuvenation requires the face to be considered as a whole. The cheeks, jawline, neck, eyelids, eyebrows, skin quality, and facial volume are closely connected and influence one another. Treating one area in isolation without considering the overall facial balance may produce an incomplete or disharmonious result.
For this reason, every facial procedure at Skulpturkliniken is planned around your individual anatomy, facial proportions, tissue quality, and personal goals. The intention is to enhance your strongest features, soften visible signs of ageing, and preserve what makes your face recognisably yours.
You should still look like yourself, only fresher, more defined, and more in harmony with how you feel.
A Relationship Built on Trust
Choosing a facial surgeon is an important and deeply personal decision. The relationship between you and your surgeon should be founded on open and transparent communication, realistic expectations, and strong mutual trust. This relationship is an essential part of a safe and successful surgical experience.
Dr. Amoroso’s approach is calm, honest, and attentive. From the first consultation, the focus is on understanding your concerns and helping you make a well-informed decision. He will explain what can realistically be achieved, which surgical technique may be most appropriate, and whether facial surgery is genuinely the right option for your anatomy and goals.
Each patient is personally guided through every stage of the process, from the initial consultation and surgical planning to the operation, recovery, and long-term follow-up. His aim is to achieve a result that feels natural, restores confidence, and contributes positively to the patient’s quality of life.
Patients choose Dr. Amoroso not only because of his qualifications, international experience, reconstructive background, and refined eye for facial balance, but also because of the personal attention he gives to every individual. Complications, questions, or worries may arise. That’s part of being human but you will never face them alone. Whether it's a moment of concern, an unusual symptom, or simply the need to speak to someone, we are behind you.
What Does a Facelift Cost?
The cost of a facelift depends on the extent of the procedure, the technique used, anesthesia, surgical time, and whether additional procedures are combined, such as a neck lift, eyelid surgery, brow lift, facial fat grafting, or laser resurfacing.
Facial surgery requires precision, anatomical knowledge, experience, safety, and a refined aesthetic eye. Every facelift is individually planned, and the final price is discussed clearly during consultation after Dr. Matteo Amoroso has assessed your anatomy, goals, and surgical needs.
All surgical prices include one of the most extensive, transparent, and safe warranty programs. The price is designed to be comprehensive and includes everything related to the operation, from consultation and surgical planning to the procedure itself, compression garment when applicable, direct access to Dr. Matteo Amoroso and the medical team, and unlimited follow-up controls during the first year.
Safety and Trust
When considering Facial surgery, price should not be the only factor.
Safety is central to every step of the surgical journey. At Skulpturkliniken, safety isn't a luxury, it's the foundation of everything we do. We have created an environment where accessibility, personal connection, and full transparency are not privileges, but standards. Your Surgeon will be your closest point of contact. We understand that aesthetic surgery is a personal journey, sometimes even life-changing. We have built a model where you don't just meet a surgeon, you build a trust-based, continuous relationship with him. From your first consultation to long after your recovery, your surgeon is personally available to you. You will never find yourself speaking to a call center or an automated message. Need guidance, reassurance, or a second opinion, we will be there not as a favor, but as a part of our philosophy.
Your Treatment Includes:
Choosing Skulpturkliniken means choosing a complete experience with no compromises.
Our pricing is fully transparent and published openly on our website, what you see is what you pay, with no hidden fees or additional charges.
- Extensive first consultation with Dr. Matteo Amoroso
- Eventual additional preoperative consultation with Dr. Matteo Amoroso
- Detailed assessment and individualized surgical planning
- 3D simulation
- Careful evaluation of whether surgery is the right option
- Preoperative preparation guidance
- Surgery in a safe and controlled surgical environment
- Anesthesia
- Compression garments
- Unlimited postoperative follow-up visits during the first year
- Direct access to the surgeon and nursing team
- Digital access to your medical records through Adoreal®
- Aesthetic care program
- Patient insurance through Folksam
- Long-term postoperative support
- One of the most extensive, transparent, and safe warranty programs.
Frequently asked questions
In their words
Patients trust Skulpturkliniken for care.
Trust The Adoreal Experience
The Adoreal Platform gives you complete control of your aesthetic journey. You will be guided throughout your entire process, from consultation to recovery, ensuring an exceptional experience for you as a patient.
You are in control
Complete access to your information, health records and previous journeys.
Unmatched predictability
Manage your expectations with our questionnaire Silhouette, and visualize your ideal outcomes with 3D simulation.
Trusted step-by-step guide
From bookings to payments, logistics and after care, Adoreal will be your companion.
Empowered safety measures
Complimentary health check, careful monitoring, and meticulous preparation.
