Injectables and Facelifts: Can We Coexist? A Retrospective Chart Review Assessing Injectable Treatments Preceding and Following Rhytidectomy.

BACKGROUND

Facelift surgery is a cornerstone of facial rejuvenation, yet it may not fully address volume loss, skin quality, or other age-related changes. Minimally invasive procedures-such as injectables and energy-based devices-are increasingly utilized before and after facelift surgery, though their impact on surgical outcomes remains uncertain.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this single-center retrospective pilot study is to describe patterns of minimally invasive procedures among patients undergoing facelift surgery in a real-world clinical setting and identify areas for future investigations regarding their potential influence on surgical outcomes.

METHODS

We analyzed data from 20 patients who underwent facelift surgery and had a documented history of neurotoxin, filler, biostimulator, or energy-based device treatment. Data included patient demographics, treatment history, surgical details, and post-operative satisfaction. Given the limited sample size and retrospective design, the analyses done were descriptive and exploratory in nature.

RESULTS

All patients received neurotoxin prior to facelift, 90% received hyaluronic-acid filler, and 55% received poly-L-lactic acid or calcium hydroxylapatite. Following surgery, all patients resumed neurotoxin use, and 60% received filler treatments within the first post-operative year. No reported significant surgical complications occurred because of prior filler or biostimulator treatments, and patient satisfaction was high for facelift outcomes.

CONCLUSION

Within our small, retrospective cohort, prior injectable or energy-based device use was not associated with an increased risk of observable adverse surgical outcomes; however, the limited sample size precludes definitive assessment of safety or risk. Larger, prospectively designed studies are warranted to validate these early observations and optimally define best practices for combining surgical and nonsurgical rejuvenation.