The Science of Facelift Safety

The science behind a safer facelift

A facelift is surgery, and the main risk worth talking about is a hematoma, a collection of blood under the skin. Two measures lower that risk measurably, and both are standard in Dr. Franco's protocol.

Blood pressure control

A 2024 study in Aesthetic Surgery Journal found that keeping systolic blood pressure under 120 during and after surgery lowered the hematoma rate from 3.76 percent to 0.5 percent. The old standard was under 140. That difference is the single biggest safety lever a facelift surgeon has, and it is why Dr. Franco's team manages blood pressure actively through surgery and into recovery.

Tranexamic acid

Tranexamic acid, or TXA, reduces bleeding and bruising. A 2025 systematic review found it cut drain output by about 71 percent in face and neck lift patients. Dr. Franco uses it during surgery to keep the operative field clean and to reduce the bruising you see afterward.

What the outcomes show

Deep plane lifts score well on patient satisfaction. A 2025 meta-analysis of nearly 2,900 patients found a 94.4 percent satisfaction rate, compared with 87.8 percent for SMAS lifts. A separate study that used neural networks to estimate age from photos found that patients looked about 4.3 years younger on average after a facelift, while patients themselves perceived about 6.7 years. The honest takeaway is that a well-planned facelift makes a measurable difference, and the technique and the safety protocol decide how well it holds up.

Where the data comes from

We cite published studies rather than marketing claims. If you want the references, ask and we will share them. Every number on this page comes from peer-reviewed research, not from our own advertising.

Related pages

• Facelift in Medellín: the full overview
• Deep plane facelift
• Facelift FAQ

Next steps

Send three photos from the front and one from each side. Dr. Franco will walk you through the protocol and what it means for your specific case.