ReshapeGuideFacial plastic surgery: which operation fixes what
Updated
Most people who look into plastic surgery on the face start with one thing that bothers them: heavy eyelids, jowls, a loose neck, a nose that doesn't breathe well. Here's which operation deals with what, who is trained to do it, what surgeons charge, how long recovery takes and when insurance pays, from the specialty's own data and patients' own posts.
Short answer
Facial plastic surgery covers operations on the face and neck: facelifts, neck lifts, eyelid surgery, brow lifts, nose reshaping (rhinoplasty), facial fat grafting and chin surgery. The American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) estimates that eyelid surgery was the most common of these among US board-certified plastic surgeons in 2025, at 118,978, followed by facelifts at 77,933. ASPS's average surgeon fees run from $3,359 for upper eyelid surgery to $11,395 for a facelift, before anesthesia and operating-room costs.
Facial plastic surgery is having a moment. In ASPS’s 2025 figures, every face and neck lift grew by double digits in the US, and facial fat grafting grew faster than any other cosmetic operation. ASPS ties part of the rise to GLP-1 weight-loss drugs: patients can’t choose where they lose weight, and rapid weight loss can leave the face hollow and loose.
118,978
eyelid surgeries by plastic surgeons in 2025, the most common face operation
77,933
facelifts in 2025, up 13%
+39%
growth in facial fat grafting, the fastest of any cosmetic surgery
$11,395
average facelift surgeon fee, before anesthesia and facility costs
The main types of face surgery
Most face operations fall into two groups: lifts, which tighten skin and the tissue under it, and reshaping, which changes the size or shape of a feature. Here are the ones US plastic surgeons perform most, with the American Society of Plastic Surgeons’ (ASPS) 2025 counts and its average surgeon fees.
| What it changes | Procedures in 2025 | Average surgeon fee | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eyelid surgery | Hooded upper lids, under-eye bags | 118,978 (+19%) | $3,359 upper, $3,876 lower |
| Facelift | Jowls and sagging in the lower face | 77,933 (+13%) | $11,395 |
| Rhinoplasty | Nose shape, sometimes breathing | 43,116 (−5%) | $7,637 |
| Facial fat grafting | Hollow cheeks, temples or under-eyes | 34,117 (+39%) | Not published |
| Neck lift | Loose neck skin and bands | 27,315 (+21%) | $7,885 |
| Chin liposuction | Fat under the chin | 18,842 (+7%) | Not published |
| Forehead or brow lift | A low or heavy brow, forehead lines | 15,506 (+29%) | $5,460 |
Counts are ASPS national estimates of cosmetic procedures by board-certified plastic surgeons; operations by facial plastic and oculoplastic surgeons, and insurance-covered (functional) operations, aren’t included. The fees are ASPS’s latest averages for the surgeon’s part only; its cost pages don’t give a year. ASPS also publishes averages for chin augmentation ($3,641) and ear surgery ($4,625), but its 2025 report doesn’t count either one. For how face surgery compares with breast and body procedures, see the main types of plastic surgery.
Facelift: deep plane vs SMAS
A facelift (rhytidectomy) treats sagging skin, jowls, deepening folds and loose skin at the top of the neck. ASPS is clear about its limits: it doesn’t change your fundamental appearance and can’t stop the aging process. It’s also the face operation surgeons were most often asked about by GLP-1 patients: 71% of ASPS member surgeons reported GLP-1-related consultations for facelifts.
The two techniques you’ll hear about most both work on the SMAS (superficial musculoaponeurotic system), the layer of muscle and fibrous tissue under the skin. Here is how a 2023 review of SMAS techniques describes them.
- SMAS facelift. The surgeon tightens the SMAS, either by folding and stitching it (plication) or by lifting a flap of it and repositioning it.
- Deep plane facelift. The surgeon lifts and repositions the deeper layers of facial tissue, including the SMAS.
- Mini or lower facelift. A name clinics use for a smaller lift aimed at the jowls and lower face. The name doesn’t tell you which layer is lifted, so ask your surgeon.
Deep plane facelifts get most of the attention online. A 2025 review of 47 studies (10,766 patients) found comparable safety: hematomas (blood collecting under the skin) in 3% of deep plane and 2% of SMAS facelifts, and similar rates of nerve injury, most of it temporary. Only one of those studies compared the two techniques’ results directly; it found better midface results with deep plane. The authors’ conclusion: the technique should be chosen patient by patient. So ask a surgeon why they recommend their technique for your face, and how many of that exact operation they do.
Neck lift
A neck lift (lower rhytidectomy) treats loose neck skin, fat under the chin, muscle bands in the neck and jowls along the jaw. ASPS says it may suit people whose neck doesn’t match a still-pleasing upper face and who aren’t ready for a full facelift, and lists a brow lift, fat transfer and eyelid surgery as operations that can be done alongside it. Neck lifts rose 21% in 2025, and 64% of ASPS surgeons reported GLP-1-related neck lift consultations. Chin liposuction, which removes fat under the chin without lifting skin, was performed 18,842 times.
Eyelid surgery (upper and lower)
Eyelid surgery (blepharoplasty) removes or repositions skin and fat around the eyes. It was the most popular face operation of 2025 and the only one in the overall top five.
- Upper eyelid surgery corrects loose or sagging upper-lid skin, which ASPS says sometimes impairs vision. ASPS says surgery to remove extra skin covering the eyelashes may be covered by insurance (see below).
- Lower eyelid surgery treats under-eye bags, a drooping lower lid and loose lower-lid skin, according to ASPS. Ask your surgeon whether they would remove or reposition fat, and where the incision would go.
Some eyelid surgery is done by oculoplastic surgeons, eye specialists who focus on the lids (more on that below).
Brow and forehead lift
ASPS says a brow lift raises sagging brows, including brows that hood the upper eyelids, and smooths horizontal forehead lines and the creases between the brows. It lists eyelid surgery among the operations that can be done at the same time, and says the right choice depends on how much the brow has dropped relative to the extra skin on the upper lid. Forehead lifts were the fastest-growing lift of 2025, up 29%, though they’re still among the least common face operations.
Rhinoplasty (nose reshaping)
Rhinoplasty changes the shape or size of the nose. It can also be done to improve breathing, which ASPS counts as reconstructive; that work may include straightening the septum (septoplasty). It was the only common face operation to shrink in 2025, down 5% after two years of growth. The nose is slow to settle: ASPS says it can take up to a year for the final shape to show.
Fat grafting, chin and cheeks
Facial fat grafting, as ASPS defines it, removes fat from one part of your body, purifies it and injects it into the face to restore volume, for example in hollow cheeks or temples. It grew 39% in 2025, the most of any cosmetic surgery. ASPS links the rise partly to “Ozempic face”, the hollowing that can follow fast weight loss, but notes fat grafting was already becoming more popular before the recent surge in GLP-1-related consultations.
Chin surgery, according to ASPS, adds projection with an implant placed on the bone, moves the chin bone forward (genioplasty or mentoplasty), or shaves down a chin that sticks out too far. ASPS’s average surgeon fee for chin augmentation is $3,641. Cheek implants are another option, but ASPS’s 2025 report doesn’t count them separately; cheek volume can also be added with fat grafting or fillers.
Who performs facial plastic surgery
Three kinds of surgeons do most face surgery in the US, each with a different training route. Whichever you see, ask how often they do your exact procedure.
- Plastic surgeons are certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery (ABPS), one of the 24 boards recognized by the American Board of Medical Specialties. They train on the whole body: six years in an integrated residency, or three years of plastic surgery after a general surgery (or other approved surgical) residency.
- Facial plastic surgeons usually trained in otolaryngology (ear, nose, throat and head and neck surgery) and often add certification from the American Board of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (ABFPRS). That board isn’t one of the 24 ABMS boards, but it only certifies surgeons who already hold otolaryngology or plastic surgery board certification and have practiced for at least two years, submitted 100 operative reports accepted by peer review and passed an 8-hour written and oral exam.
- Oculoplastic surgeons are ophthalmologists (eye doctors) with extra training in eyelid and eye-area surgery, often a two-year fellowship approved by the American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. They focus on eyelid surgery and the area around the eyes.
You can check plastic surgery certification with the American Board of Plastic Surgery’s free lookup and facial plastic surgery certification with the ABFPRS physician finder. Both are linked, with a medical license check, on our homepage.
Face surgery after skin cancer, injury or a birth difference such as cleft lip is reconstructive and may be covered by insurance; see reconstructive surgery.
What facial plastic surgery costs
ASPS’s average surgeon fees are a starting point, not a quote. ASPS says they leave out anesthesia, the operating room, prescriptions, compression garments and medical tests, and they’re national averages, so local prices can differ a lot. Combining operations adds to every line.
| Procedure | Average surgeon fee |
|---|---|
| Facelift | $11,395 |
| Neck lift | $7,885 |
| Rhinoplasty | $7,637 |
| Brow (forehead) lift | $5,460 |
| Ear surgery (otoplasty) | $4,625 |
| Lower eyelid surgery | $3,876 |
| Chin augmentation | $3,641 |
| Upper eyelid surgery | $3,359 |
The all-in quotes patients share online, like the ones below, are often far higher than these averages, especially for combined face and neck lifts. Ask every surgeon for a total that includes the surgeon, anesthesia, facility and follow-up visits, and check whether revisions are included.
Recovery: how long each surgery takes
These are the typical figures from the surgeons’ professional societies; your own surgeon’s timeline is the one to plan around. The Aesthetic Society says the more extensive the procedure, the longer the recovery, so ask how combining operations changes these numbers.
| Bruising and swelling | Back to normal activity | Fully settled | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Facelift | Peaks at 36–48 hours, eases over 10–14 days | No driving for at least a week; no strenuous exercise for a month | At least six months; scars take a year |
| Neck lift | Bruising fades in 4–5 days | One to two weeks | Tightness and numbness can last months |
| Eyelid surgery | Bruising resolves within two weeks | Around day 10; stitches out in 2–7 days | Not stated by the society; typical recovery is about two weeks |
| Brow lift | Swelling peaks at 48–72 hours; bruising peaks on days 3–5 and fades over 2–3 weeks | Work after about a week | After an open brow lift, numbness behind the incision can last 9–12 months |
| Rhinoplasty | Mostly better in 10–14 days | Most normal activities, including exercise, within about three weeks; splint off in 7–10 days | Up to a year for the final shape |
All figures are from The Aesthetic Society’s aftercare guides, except the rhinoplasty final-shape timeline, which is from ASPS. The same guides list warning signs: after a facelift, call your surgeon about a significant increase in pain, severe pain, or bleeding that continues after 15 to 20 minutes of pressure; after eyelid surgery, seek medical attention right away for new pain, bleeding or changes in vision.
Risks of face surgery
ASPS calls facelift risks rare, but its safety pages list the general risks of surgery (anesthesia, bleeding, infection and, for facelifts, blood clots) plus some specific to the face.
- Facelift and neck lift. ASPS’s facelift list includes bleeding and fluid collecting under the skin, facial nerve injury with weakness, numbness, hair loss at the incisions, poor wound healing and visible scarring. In a 2025 review of facelift studies, hematomas affected 2–3% of patients, and most nerve injuries were temporary.
- Eyelid surgery. ASPS lists dry eyes, difficulty closing the eyes, a lower lid that pulls down or rolls outward (ectropion), a temporary or permanent change in vision, and, very rarely, blindness.
- Rhinoplasty. ASPS lists difficulty breathing, a hole in the septum (which it calls rare, and which may not be fixable), a result you don’t like, and the possibility of revision surgery.
Face surgeries can be combined, such as a facelift, neck lift, eyelids and brow in one operation. Ask your surgeon how long the whole operation will take, who gives the anesthesia, whether the facility is accredited and what staging the procedures would change. For the procedures with the highest risk overall, see the riskiest types of plastic surgery.
Does insurance cover facial plastic surgery?
Usually not when it’s cosmetic. ASPS says most health plans don’t cover facelifts, neck lifts, brow lifts or chin surgery, or their complications. Two exceptions come up often:
- Upper eyelid surgery that blocks your vision. ASPS says surgery to remove extra skin covering the eyelashes may be covered. Medicare contractors want proof: one current Medicare policy, for example, supports surgery when a visual field test shows your upper vision improves by at least 12 degrees or 30% once the lids are lifted, while another contractor (Noridian, LCD L34194) asks for pre-op photos plus visual field studies when applicable. Depending on your contractor, expect photos, a visual field test or both before approval.
- Nose surgery for breathing. ASPS calls rhinoplasty to fix an obstructed airway reconstructive and says it may be covered, after a detailed exam and prior authorization from your insurer. Ask your insurer how it handles the cosmetic part of a combined operation.
Ask the insurer for its decision in writing before surgery. If the operation is part functional and part cosmetic, ask the surgeon for separate prices for each part.
Surgery or injections?
Fillers and wrinkle-relaxing injections soften lines and add volume without an operation. ASPS calls fillers temporary treatments that need ongoing sessions, and says minimally invasive treatments can’t achieve the same results as a facelift. In ASPS’s 2025 survey, surgeons named hyaluronic acid fillers (69%) as the facial rejuvenation approach they used most, followed by fat grafting (49%) and light or energy-based devices (45%). One surgeon quoted in the report said patients with facial fat loss “want a longer-lasting procedure and are moving away from fillers.”
Surgery is aimed at loose or hanging skin: jowls, neck bands, hooded lids, or a nose you want reshaped. It removes or repositions tissue instead of adding product, though ASPS says a facelift can’t stop aging. Recovery takes weeks and most of the cost is paid up front.
Injections are aimed at fine lines and volume loss, and ASPS says they may delay the point at which a facelift becomes appropriate. Because fillers need ongoing sessions, the cost adds up. Ask a surgeon which approach fits your face. See cosmetic injections.
If GLP-1 weight loss has also changed your body, body contouring covers arm, thigh and body lifts.
The bottom line
Most face surgery comes down to three choices: which area actually bothers you, which surgeon does that operation often, and how much recovery time you can take.
Start with a consultation with a board-certified surgeon, bring photos of what bothers you, and ask how many of your exact procedure they do each year. Our plastic surgery checklist lists the other checks, from the facility and anesthesia to recovery plans. Patients who see more than one surgeon, like the patient on this page weighing deep plane against SMAS, can hear different recommendations; ask each surgeon to explain theirs. This guide is general information, not medical advice.
In patients' own words
Public posts from people planning or recovering from face surgery, copied word for word. They describe one person's experience each, not typical results.
Deciding what to have
4 posts
53, after several neck lift consultations
“It seems most doctors recommend lower facelift if neck and jowls are main concern. Most say deeplane but one doctor I like does SMAS and explains why.”
Choosing surgery over fillers after weight loss
“Minor jowels starting and a touch of loose skin on neck (yes, all from Ozempic). I want to tackle this with surgery vs all the fillers/lasers/biostimulators I'm being recommended.”
Booked for lower eyelid surgery
“After years of struggling with dark and hollow under eyes recently made worse from weight loss, I am biting the bullet and getting my lower-lid blepheroplasty done.”
Starting a facelift surgeon search
“I know I need to only look at surgeons trained especially for head and neck. … I’m scared of fake reviews.”
Recovery
3 posts
Day 1 after a brow lift, lower facelift and jaw reduction
“Pain is 4/10, and soreness is like 8/10. It reminds me of wisdom tooth removal surgery.”
Day 14 after a deep plane facelift, neck lift, upper and lower eyelid surgery and lip lift
“I am supposed to be going back to work on September 5th. I was told today that won’t be possible. More likely, it is October 28.”
Four weeks after face surgery
“I’m 4 weeks out and still have residual swelling, small folds near the temple, and the “rubber mask” feeling. I’m not psyched about that, but I knew it could happen.”
Cost and coverage
3 posts
Comparing eyelid surgery quotes in New Jersey
“I found a doctor with amazing reviews but was quoted $18k for an upper and lower blepharoplasty. No that’s not a typo. So I found another and was quoted $7,500.”
52, planning a lower facelift and neck lift
“My budget is around $25k to $30k, and I'd rather have a natural look than the cheapest price.”
Nose surgery for a deviated septum, hoping for insurance
“I was quoted 15k out of pocket cost at a top institution. Should I make sure that to have an ENT do this?”
Questions people ask
What is plastic surgery on the face called?
The umbrella term is facial plastic surgery. Each operation has its own medical name: a facelift is a rhytidectomy, eyelid surgery is a blepharoplasty, a nose job is a rhinoplasty, a brow lift is a forehead lift and chin surgery is a mentoplasty. Knowing the formal names helps when you compare quotes and read a surgeon's consent forms.
What is the most common facial plastic surgery?
Eyelid surgery. US plastic surgeons performed an estimated 118,978 eyelid surgeries in 2025, up 19% from 2024, making it the only face operation in the overall top five. Facelifts came second at 77,933, then nose reshaping at 43,116, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.
What is the best facial plastic surgery for aging?
It depends on where the aging shows. According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, a facelift treats jowls and sagging in the lower face, a neck lift treats loose neck skin and bands, eyelid surgery treats hooded lids and under-eye bags, and a brow lift treats a low or heavy brow. For hollow cheeks or temples, fillers and fat grafting add volume; they were the two facial rejuvenation techniques ASPS surgeons said they use most in 2025. Many people have two or more of these at once; The Aesthetic Society says the more extensive the procedure, the longer the recovery.
Is a facial plastic surgeon different from a plastic surgeon?
Usually in training, not in the operations offered. Plastic surgeons certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery train on the whole body. Facial plastic surgeons usually come from ear, nose and throat (head and neck) surgery, and many add certification from the American Board of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, which requires prior board certification, 100 peer-reviewed operative reports and an 8-hour exam. Oculoplastic surgeons are eye surgeons who specialize in the eyelids. Ask any of them how often they do your exact procedure.
How much does facial plastic surgery cost?
Average US surgeon fees, from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, are $11,395 for a facelift, $7,885 for a neck lift, $7,637 for rhinoplasty, $5,460 for a brow lift, $3,641 for chin augmentation, and $3,359 (upper) or $3,876 (lower) for eyelid surgery. Those averages leave out anesthesia, the operating room and other costs, so all-in quotes are higher, especially when several procedures are combined.
Does insurance cover eyelid surgery?
Sometimes, if it's for vision rather than looks. The American Society of Plastic Surgeons says eyelid surgery to remove extra skin covering the eyelashes may be covered. What Medicare asks for depends on your regional contractor: one policy (LCD L34528) requires a visual field test showing your upper vision improves by at least 12 degrees or 30% when the lids are lifted; another contractor's checklist (Noridian, under LCD L34194) asks for pre-op photos plus visual field studies when applicable. ASPS's coverage note doesn't extend to lower eyelid surgery for bags. Ask your insurer about prior authorization before booking.
What's the difference between a deep plane and a SMAS facelift?
Both work on the SMAS, the layer of muscle and fibrous tissue under the skin of the face. As a 2023 review of SMAS techniques describes them, a SMAS facelift tightens that layer, either by folding and stitching it or by lifting and repositioning a flap of it, while a deep plane facelift lifts and repositions the deeper layers of facial tissue, including the SMAS. A 2025 review of 47 studies found the two had comparable safety; only one of those studies compared their results directly, and it found better midface results with deep plane.
Sources
- American Society of Plastic Surgeons: 2025 Procedural Statistics Release (PDF, September 2026)
- American Society of Plastic Surgeons: facelift cost
- American Society of Plastic Surgeons: neck lift cost
- American Society of Plastic Surgeons: eyelid surgery cost
- American Society of Plastic Surgeons: brow lift cost
- American Society of Plastic Surgeons: rhinoplasty cost
- American Society of Plastic Surgeons: chin surgery cost
- American Society of Plastic Surgeons: ear surgery cost
- American Society of Plastic Surgeons: facelift
- American Society of Plastic Surgeons: neck lift
- American Society of Plastic Surgeons: brow lift
- American Society of Plastic Surgeons: chin surgery
- American Society of Plastic Surgeons: eyelid surgery
- American Society of Plastic Surgeons: dermal fillers
- American Society of Plastic Surgeons: facelift safety
- American Society of Plastic Surgeons: eyelid surgery safety
- American Society of Plastic Surgeons: rhinoplasty safety
- American Society of Plastic Surgeons: rhinoplasty recovery
- The Aesthetic Society: facelift recovery
- The Aesthetic Society: neck lift recovery
- The Aesthetic Society: eyelid surgery recovery
- The Aesthetic Society: brow lift recovery
- The Aesthetic Society: nose surgery recovery
- Vayalapra et al., Comparing the Safety and Efficacy of SMAS and Deep Plane Facelift Techniques: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis, Annals of Plastic Surgery (2025)
- Mortada et al., Evolution of SMAS Facelift Techniques: A Comprehensive Systematic Review of Complications and Outcomes, JPRAS Open (2023)
- American Board of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery: applying for certification
- American Board of Plastic Surgery: 2025-26 training requirements (PDF)
- American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery: fellowships
- American Board of Medical Specialties: member boards
- CMS Medicare Coverage Database: LCD L34528, Blepharoplasty, Blepharoptosis and Brow Lift
- Noridian Medicare (JE): Blepharoplasty documentation requirements, LCD L34194
About this guide
ReshapeGuide is an independent publisher run by Nicolas. He is not a doctor, nurse or surgeon. Guides explain how procedures, costs and recovery generally work, using public sources such as medical boards, specialty societies, the FDA and peer-reviewed research, which each guide lists and links.
Facts and prices were checked against the sources above on October 7, 2026. Patient quotes are public posts, copied exactly; prices and outcomes in them are the posters' own and weren't verified. This is general information, not medical advice: talk to a board-certified surgeon or your doctor about your own situation.
First published October 7, 2026 · Last updated October 7, 2026