Geriatric Plastic Surgery

The population in the U.S. continues to age. It is estimated that the number of people 65 and older will double in the next two decades. In fact, people who are 85 or older are the fastest growing population in our society. It is estimated that by 2025, nearly one in five people will be over 65 years of age. Because of this aging population, more and more older patients have a desire to get some form of plastic surgery. This subject has been discussed on many a plastic surgery forum. Although this was once inconceivable it has become routine today. Most of the very elderly patients have neck aging and eyelid issues. The eyelid problem is easy to understand due to the functional issues associated with visual field obstruction. The neck movement is also understandable psychologically as it can be emotionally disturbing to see that every day as it loosely moves if they move their head too quickly.

Elderly patients are no more likely to experience blepharoplasty complications after surgery than their younger counterparts are provided two key issues are carefully considered. First, it is imperative that they have good general health and be taking no medications that might endanger them if they stopped taking the meds. Fortunately, direct neck excision, lifts, and eyelid tucks can be accomplished using local anesthesia when supplemented with some sedation such that general anesthetic is not necessary in many elder patient cases. Secondly, the operation must be tailored and minimized to account for the patient’s age. The goal is to achieve results with safety as priority number one. For this reason, most plastic surgeons prefer a direct neck lift to a traditional facelift for patients over 80 years of age.

Elderly patients easily appreciate and understand the trade offs of more limited procedures and have very real expectations. They also certainly want a quick recovery. There is no reason to not offer plastic surgery to a growing elderly population. They simply prove that it is never too old to care what you look like. And if your health is good and there is something that bothers you that can be improved quickly and safely, why not?