Endoscopic facelift: what before-and-after results really show

An endoscopic facelift promises a lot: a lifted look with barely-there scars. It's one of the most searched facelift techniques, and one of the most misunderstood, because "endoscopic" describes the tool a surgeon uses, not a single fixed procedure. This guide explains what it actually changes, what it doesn't, and what genuine before-and-after photos of it really show.

It's general information to help you prepare, not medical advice.

What is an endoscopic facelift?

An endoscopic facelift, sometimes called a keyhole facelift, is one of the more requested techniques in our plastic and aesthetic surgery programme, lifting and repositioning the deeper tissue of the upper and mid-face through a few short cuts hidden in the hairline or behind the temples, guided the whole time by a thin camera called an endoscope.

The technique is well established for upper-face rejuvenation, but it gets muddled with the phrase "scarless facelift." Small and hidden is not the same as absent. The incisions are real cuts. They heal like any surgical wound.

How the keyhole technique works

A handful of short incisions, usually one to two centimetres, sit in the hair-bearing scalp or just behind the hairline at the temple, and through these the surgeon releases drooped tissue, lifts the brow and the midface fat pad, and secures it all with fine sutures beneath the skin, working precisely with the endoscope rather than the longer incision a traditional facelift needs.

An endoscopic facelift is not a smaller version of a full facelift. It lifts a different part of the face, using a different tool.

What it treats, and what it doesn't

This is where most confusion starts. An endoscopic lift is built for the top third and middle of the face:

• A heavy, low brow that makes you look tired or stern even when you're not.
• Hollow, sunken temples, common after significant weight loss or simply with age.
• A flattened or descending midface, where the cheek fat pad has dropped and deepened the fold beside the nose.

It does not remove excess skin, so it can't fix jowls, a sagging jawline, or loose neck skin. Stretching it to cover that job only disappoints the patient.

Before and after: what results really show

Genuine before-and-after photos usually show a higher brow, a fuller temple, and a lifted midface. What they should not show is a changed jawline or neck. If a "before and after" pair shows a dramatically tightened lower face too, another procedure was likely combined in, or the labelling isn't being straight with you.

Results vary from person to person, and we never guarantee a specific outcome. Photos taken at the same angle and lighting are the only fair comparison. Real results, filterable by procedure, are on our patient results page.

Who is a good candidate?

Endoscopic lifting suits people whose ageing shows mainly in the upper third of the face, with reasonably elastic skin still intact, plus good general health and, ideally, not smoking, since healing depends on it.

It's also a good fit for many men, since the incisions sit in the hairline or behind the temple rather than across the visible face, leaving beard-bearing skin untouched. Men concerned about a heavy brow or hollow temples, rather than a loose neck, often find this the better route. See our facelift guide for men.

Your surgeon makes the final call after examining you. For facial procedures at SaluVista that's Op. Dr. Caner K., a board-certified plastic, reconstructive and aesthetic surgeon.

Recovery, step by step

First days

Swelling and bruising around the eyes and temples are normal, most noticeable in the first few days, while small dressings or a few fine stitches sit at the hairline. Discomfort is usually mild, and it's managed with medication.

One to two weeks

Bruising fades and swelling settles enough for most people to feel comfortable back at work and in public, sometimes with a little makeup. Strenuous exercise and heavy lifting wait several weeks longer.

The following months

The brow and midface keep settling as swelling resolves, with the final position clear after a few months. Our facelift recovery timeline covers facial surgery recovery week by week.

How long it lasts, and the honest risks

An endoscopic lift repositions tissue rather than removing skin, and most surgeons consider it somewhat shorter-lived than a full SMAS or deep plane facelift, though it typically still holds for several years. Skin quality, age at surgery and lifestyle all play a part, and a further lift down the line is common, not a sign anything went wrong the first time.

The risks are the general risks of any facial surgery, including bleeding, infection, an asymmetric result, or temporary numbness along the incision line while nerves settle, and rarely, irritation near a small nerve branch that leaves a brow sitting slightly uneven while it heals. No outcome is ever guaranteed. Our facelift scars guide covers what a full facelift's longer incision looks like over time.

Cost of an endoscopic facelift

At SaluVista, an endoscopic facelift sits within our facelift family, from £3,990 (≈ €4,700), a guide "from" price for the whole family rather than a fixed quote for the endoscopic approach alone. The right technique, and how much work your brow, temple and midface need, can only be judged in person, so the exact cost is confirmed in an itemised quote after that assessment, never guessed in advance.

Safety & combining procedures

An endoscopic brow and midface lift is often paired with eyelid surgery (blepharoplasty), available within our plastic and aesthetic surgery programme, since a heavy brow and tired eyes usually go together and treating both refreshes the whole upper face at once. If your neck and jawline concern you too, a surgeon may combine an endoscopic lift with a lower-face procedure, or stage the two over separate visits.

Combining is only appropriate when it's safe for you, since longer operating time carries more risk, and a good surgeon will sometimes recommend less than you asked for, or two shorter visits instead of one. The NHS, BAAPS and ISAPS all stress choosing a properly qualified surgeon and understanding the risks. We echo that.

Frequently asked questions

Sources & further reading

• NHS — Cosmetic procedures
• BAAPS — British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons
• ISAPS — International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery

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