Face · Abu Dhabi & Dubai
Facelift
Medically reviewed by Dr. Paulo Michels, Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon· Updated 19 July 2026
A facelift restores the jawline, midface and neck by repositioning the deeper facial structures rather than simply tightening skin. Dr. Paulo Michels performs three approaches at Elyzee Hospital in Abu Dhabi — the deep plane facelift, the mini facelift and the neck lift — choosing the technique that matches what has actually descended in your face.
Facelift surgery has evolved far beyond the tight, “windblown” results of earlier generations. Modern facial rejuvenation repositions the deeper structures of the face — muscle, fat pads and skin — as one natural unit, restoring the jawline, midface and neck without placing tension on the skin.
Dr. Paulo Michels offers three distinct facelift approaches at Elyzee Hospital in Abu Dhabi, caring for patients from Abu Dhabi, Dubai and across the GCC. Which one you need is not a matter of preference or price — it is a matter of anatomy: what has descended, how far, and where.
What does a facelift address?
Facial ageing is structural. The deep retaining ligaments loosen, the fat pads of the midface descend, the jawline blurs into jowls and the neck develops laxity and vertical bands. A facelift corrects these changes at their source:
- Loss of jawline definition and jowls
- Drooping midface structures and deep nasolabial folds
- Marionette lines running towards the chin
- Neck laxity, vertical platysmal bands and the so-called turkey neck
What a facelift does not do is change your identity. Performed at the deep plane, it restores the youthful relationship between cheeks, jawline and neck while preserving your expressions and features.
The three approaches Dr. Michels offers
| Approach | Best suited for | Key characteristics |
|---|---|---|
| Deep plane facelift | Moderate to advanced ageing — midface, jawline and neck descended together | Releases the deep retaining ligaments; lifts muscle, fat and skin as one unit; 100% tension-free closure; results typically last 10–15 years |
| Mini facelift | Early jowls and mild lower-face sagging with good skin elasticity | Preservation Deep Plane technique through a shorter incision hidden around the ear; faster recovery; often performed under twilight sedation |
| Neck lift | Concerns confined to the neck and jawline | Platysmaplasty, deeper tissue repositioning and removal of excess skin and fat; available standalone or combined with a facelift |
Each of these pages covers the technique in depth — candidacy, the operation itself, recovery and the questions patients ask most.
Which facelift do I need?
The honest answer: it is decided from your examination, not from a brochure.
- When the midface, jawline and neck have dropped together, the deep plane facelift addresses them as a single structure — the most comprehensive and longest-lasting option.
- When the changes are earlier — mild sagging along the jawline, good skin elasticity, concerns limited to the lower face — the mini facelift offers a proportionate correction with a shorter scar and faster recovery. Patients with heavier jowls or loose neck skin usually see only partial improvement from a mini facelift alone.
- When the concern is the neck itself — platysmal bands, submental fullness, loss of the jaw-neck angle — a standalone neck lift may be sufficient. During the consultation, Dr. Michels assesses whether neck work alone is enough or whether the structural change extends into the midface.
Age is not the deciding factor. Patients in their 40s increasingly choose early, proportionate intervention, while the deep plane approach also serves patients with advanced changes — including the severe deflation associated with rapid weight loss from GLP-1 medications.
Why not just fillers or threads?
Non-surgical options have a place in early, mild laxity — but they cannot fix a structural descent. Heavy reliance on hyaluronic-acid fillers frequently produces distorted contours and “filler fatigue”; thread lifts have weak lifting capacity and temporary results; energy devices such as Morpheus8 remodel the deep dermis but cannot resuspend degraded muscle architecture. Surgery is the only treatment that releases the retaining ligaments and repositions the deeper facial structures permanently.
What is the recovery like?
Recovery depends on the extent of the operation, but modern deep plane techniques make it smoother than most patients anticipate:
- Deep plane facelift — complete rest for the first 7–10 days; most patients return to work and light social activities after one week; strenuous exercise at 4–6 weeks; final results settle over 6 months to a year.
- Mini facelift — swelling peaks in the first days and largely subsides by days 7–10, when most patients comfortably return to work and public life; the jawline defines sharply over weeks 2–4.
- Neck lift — a cephalic compression garment (chin strap) is worn for two to six weeks to readapt the skin to its new contour.
All facelift patients in the UAE benefit from protocols developed specifically for the region: melanin-rich skin care to prevent hyperpigmentation and keloid scarring, summer-heat recovery strategies, and guidance that respects modest dressing — covered in detail on the deep plane facelift and mini facelift pages.
Where is the surgery performed?
All consultations and surgery take place at Elyzee Hospital in Abu Dhabi — a fully licensed private hospital. Patients travelling from Dubai and across the UAE are seen there, and where possible the consultation, surgical date and follow-up appointments are scheduled together so the number of journeys is kept to a minimum. Depending on the surgical plan, anaesthesia ranges from twilight sedation to general anaesthesia, always with board-certified anaesthesiologists.
Questions, answered
Facelift in Abu Dhabi — your questions
What does a facelift actually address?+
Facelift surgery corrects the structural changes of facial ageing: loss of jawline definition, jowls, drooping midface structures, deep nasolabial folds and neck laxity. Modern techniques reposition the deeper layers — muscle, fat pads and skin — as a natural unit, rather than pulling the skin tight, so the result is rested, not stretched.
What is the difference between a deep plane facelift, a mini facelift and a neck lift?+
A deep plane facelift releases the deep retaining ligaments and lifts the midface, jawline and neck as a single structure — the most comprehensive option. A mini facelift targets early jowls and mild lower-face sagging through a shorter incision hidden around the ear, with faster recovery. A neck lift focuses on the neck and jawline, tightening the platysma muscle and removing excess skin and fat. The right choice depends on what has descended, not on age.
Which facelift do I need?+
That is decided at the consultation, from your examination — not from a menu. When the midface, jawline and neck have dropped together, the deep plane facelift addresses them as a single structure. When the changes are earlier and limited to the lower face, a mini facelift may be the proportionate answer. When the concern is confined to the neck and jawline, a neck lift can be performed as a standalone procedure.
How long do facelift results last?+
A deep plane facelift typically lasts 10 to 15 years — often longer — because the deep anatomical structures are repositioned rather than just tightened. A mini facelift performed with the deep plane technique also provides a permanent structural foundation, with longevity typically spanning a decade or more. Traditional skin-pulling facelifts generally last only 5 to 7 years.
Can fillers, threads or Morpheus8 replace a facelift?+
No. Energy devices and injectables can refine early laxity and texture, but they cannot fix a true structural descent of muscle and skin. Patients who rely heavily on fillers often develop distorted contours and filler fatigue; thread lifts have weak, temporary effects. Only surgery can release the retaining ligaments and resuspend the deeper facial architecture.
Will a facelift make me look pulled or artificial?+
Not with modern technique. The windblown look is a consequence of outdated skin-pulling methods. Because Dr. Michels operates at the deep plane and releases the facial ligaments, the skin is redraped naturally without tension — your identity, expressions and facial mechanics remain intact.
What is the recovery after facelift surgery?+
It depends on the approach. After a deep plane facelift, most patients return to work and light social activities after 7 to 10 days, with strenuous exercise resuming at 4 to 6 weeks. A mini facelift generally allows social reintegration by days 7 to 10 with a shorter overall downtime. A neck lift involves a compression garment (chin strap) for two to six weeks.
Are facelift scars visible?+
The incisions are placed around the ear and inside the hairline, following natural skin folds. Because deep plane techniques place no tension on the skin, the scars heal as fine lines that stay hidden during normal daily life. For melanin-rich skin, specific protocols are used so scars heal flat and light.
How do I choose a facelift surgeon in Abu Dhabi or Dubai?+
Ask which technique the surgeon actually performs and why it suits your anatomy — a deep plane facelift releases the deep retaining ligaments for a tension-free closure, while a traditional SMAS lift places tension on the skin. Check board certification and society membership, ask where the operation is performed and who administers the anaesthesia, and ask for the trade-offs — scars, recovery, what the operation cannot fix — to be explained as plainly as the benefits. A surgeon who tells you when a smaller procedure is enough is giving you the most useful answer you will get.
Where is facelift surgery performed, and do you see patients from Dubai?+
Dr. Paulo Michels performs all facelift surgery at Elyzee Hospital in Abu Dhabi, caring for patients from Abu Dhabi, Dubai and across the GCC. Patients travelling from Dubai are seen at Elyzee Hospital, and where possible the consultation, surgical date and follow-up appointments are scheduled together to reduce the number of journeys.
What does a facelift cost in Abu Dhabi and Dubai?+
The investment depends on the approach — a deep plane facelift commands more than a mini facelift, reflecting the surgical skill and operating time involved — as well as the hospital facility, dedicated anaesthesia services and any complementary procedures integrated into the same plan. A transparent, bespoke quote is provided after your consultation. No two plans are identical.
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