McKeown Medical
167 Bath Street, Glasgow, G2 4SQ
Recognising the Signs of a Bad Facelift and How To Avoid Them
Published by Dr Darren McKeown
Date posted — 10.05.25
Facelift techniques have significantly advanced over recent years, providing impressive, natural-looking results when performed by skilled surgeons. However, concerns about unnatural outcomes or complications can leave potential patients feeling hesitant. Understanding the signs of a poorly executed facelift and knowing how to avoid them can help you confidently pursue your desired look.
What are the signs of a bad facelift?
Recognising the indicators of a poor facelift can help you avoid unsatisfactory outcomes or address them promptly if they occur:
- Stretched or overly tight skin: Placing too much tension on the tissues creates a tight, stretched or lumpy appearance that looks anything but natural.
- Pixie ears: Earlobes that appear to stick onto the face and are stretched or pulled downward.
- Displaced sideburns: Sideburns moved or eliminated due to improper incision placement. Katie Price is a good example of this, following her most recent facelift.
- Altered hairline: Incorrectly placed incisions can disrupt your natural hairline, moving it backwards, creating an unnaturally large temple and forehead.
- Highly visible scarring: Poor surgical technique resulting in obvious scars.
These issues typically arise from either inexperienced surgeons or surgeons who still use outdated surgical techniques.
Medical complications
Bad surgical techniques or inadequate aftercare can lead to significant health complications, including:
- Infection: Can be caused by improper sterilisation or poor aftercare.
- Haematoma: Blood collecting under the skin, leading to significant swelling and discomfort.
- Skin necrosis (dead tissue): Resulting from excessive tension or poor blood circulation.
- Nerve damage: Potentially causing muscle weakness.
How can a bad facelift be fixed?
If you’re experiencing issues following a facelift, revision surgery or other corrective treatments can help. An experienced surgeon will thoroughly assess your case, discuss your desired outcomes, and suggest the best approach. Treatments may include:
- Revision Surgery: Carefully correcting previous mistakes, repositioning tissues, or adjusting skin tension.
- Non-Surgical Treatments: Dermal fillers or Botox can help smooth irregularities or asymmetries when appropriate.
- Laser treatments: lasers can help to revise poor scars resulting from surgery.
A qualified surgeon will tailor treatments to your unique needs, helping you regain confidence in your appearance.
How to avoid getting a bad facelift?
Preventing disappointing results starts by choosing the right surgeon and preparing adequately. Some of my tips for avoiding a bad facelift include:
Choose a qualified surgeon
Always verify credentials, training, and experience.
Attend consultations
Use consultations to assess your potential surgeon’s approach, clarity, and care.
Review Before-and-After Photos
Evaluate real patient results to ensure the surgeon’s aesthetic aligns with your goals. Do not accept the excuse’ my patients don’t consent to sharing photographs’. Whilst it’s true that most patients do not consent to sharing their photos, most experienced surgeons will have at least a number of patients who do consent. If your surgeon doesn’t show you photos, it’s either because he’s not experienced enough yet to have the photos or he’s not confident you will like the look of his work.
Maintain open communication
Clearly communicate your expectations and concerns throughout your treatment journey, especially at the initial consultation. It’s better that your surgeon understands your expectations from the outset. An ethical surgeon will say no to surgery for you if they do not believe they can achieve your expectations.
Follow pre- and post-operative instructions
Adhering strictly to your surgeon’s guidance improves your outcome.
Manage your expectations
Understand realistic results, ensuring you and your surgeon share a clear vision.
Choose the right surgeon at McKeown Medical
At McKeown Medical, natural-looking, undetectable facelift results are our speciality. Our highly qualified and experienced team offers both surgical and non-surgical facelift treatments, including:
- Non-Surgical Facelift: A minimally invasive alternative offering rejuvenation without surgery.
- Volumetric Facelift: Restores youthful volume naturally.
- Deep Plane Face & Neck Lift: Delivers profound, natural rejuvenation by targeting deeper facial structures.
- Full Facelift: Comprehensive facial rejuvenation, addressing multiple signs of ageing.
We understand that excellent results start with expert care. Our team is dedicated to guiding you through each step, ensuring exceptional outcomes. Check out our gallery to see the transformative results we’ve achieved for our patients.
Book a consultation today to discuss our available treatment options and get advice on achieving the look you want.
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