# Facelift and Self-Esteem: Setting Expectations and Planning Support A personal decision deserves room for questions: specific expectations, support during recovery and when emotional care comes first. [Dr. Walter Zamarian Jr.](https://www.walterzamarianjr.com/us/walter-zamarian/) · CRM-PR 17.388 · RQE 15.688 Published October 3, 2026 · Updated October 4, 2026 Topics: [Facelift](https://www.walterzamarianjr.com/us/blog/category/facelift/) [Read the article ↓](#leitura) ## At a glance: can a facelift improve self-esteem? It can bring satisfaction with how you look, but I can’t promise how you will feel afterward. A study using the FACE-Q questionnaire found high satisfaction scores among the patients who answered, but only half of them responded, and it did not assess treatment of depression or anxiety [1]. Before choosing a date, we talk about what you want to change, who will support you during recovery and whether emotional care needs to come first. - Motivation: a change that matters to you, not a response to someone else’s comment. - Expectations: what you want to see in your face and what you want to keep, described in everyday situations. - Studies: average satisfaction in a group, not a forecast of your well-being. - Support: practical help arranged in advance, without taking the decision away from you. - Mental health: tell your surgeon about any ongoing treatment, and never stop it on your own. - Timing: waiting until you understand the plan better is a legitimate choice. My [regenerative deep plane facelift](https://www.walterzamarianjr.com/us/face/facelift/) page explains what the surgery addresses and where its limits lie. This article covers the other half of the decision: expectations, support and emotional care. ## What do you hope to find after surgery? You may have a concrete answer, such as the sagging that started to bother you in photos or the contour of your neck. Or it may still be hard to put into words. I don’t expect you to arrive knowing the name of a technique; I’d rather you tell me, in your own words, why you started thinking about it. That conversation separates what I can examine and treat from what no operation controls. Repositioning tissues doesn’t decide how your family or colleagues will react, or how you will feel at every moment. If the wish came after someone else’s comment, it’s worth asking whether it still makes sense once you set that comment aside. To make your expectations easier to discuss, think of everyday situations: what you would like to notice when you tie your hair back, what catches your eye in a photo, what you’re afraid of hearing. If you bring reference photos, I want to know what drew you to them; I don’t treat them as a commitment to reproduce someone else’s face. My article on [natural facelift results](https://www.walterzamarianjr.com/us/blog/natural-facelift-results-how-to-discuss-identity-and-expectations/) goes further into identity and expectations. ## What satisfaction studies show, and what they don’t Sinno and colleagues sent the FACE-Q questionnaire to 105 patients operated on by a single surgeon; 53 responded. Among them, satisfaction scores for appearance and for social and psychological aspects were high [1]. The study doesn’t show that surgery treats depression or anxiety. Patients who were unhappy may have chosen not to respond, and the technique studied was a high extended SMAS facelift, not a deep plane facelift. I use this kind of research as a reminder that the patient’s own view matters, not as a forecast for you. ## Support that leaves the decision with you Someone you trust can listen to the instructions with you, write down questions and help with practical matters. They don’t need to make the decision for you. Before surgery, agree on specific tasks: getting around, follow-up visits and everyday chores in the first days, instead of assuming someone will “figure it out.” Tell them how you’d like to be supported, too. Some people want company; others need privacy. Comments on every recovery photo can weigh on you, even when they’re well meant. If you’re traveling from abroad, the [patient journey](https://www.walterzamarianjr.com/us/patient-journey/) page shows how my team helps you plan your stay; you don’t have to bring a companion. ## When emotional care needs to come first If you’re seeing a psychologist or psychiatrist, tell me at the assessment. The NHS advises talking to the person treating your mental health about your plans for a cosmetic procedure and telling the practitioner about that history [2]. Don’t stop any treatment or change medication on your own in order to have surgery. A diagnosis doesn’t define who you are, and being in therapy doesn’t, in itself, rule out surgery. Some situations, however, call for specialist assessment first: NICE guidance recommends that people with suspected or diagnosed body dysmorphic disorder who seek cosmetic surgery be assessed by a mental health professional with specific expertise in the condition [3]. If concern about your appearance is seriously affecting your life, seek help; postponing surgery may be the most careful decision at that point. ## During recovery Swelling, bruising and a disrupted routine can affect your mood in the first weeks; the NHS mentions low mood for a few days after a facelift [4]. If it’s hard, tell us, without waiting until it “gets serious.” Isanna and I provide 24-hour WhatsApp support; I can assess how you’re healing and, when needed, suggest seeing another professional. If your safety is at immediate risk, seek emergency care. Try not to compare your photos with other people’s: each one has to be read in the context of your own progress. Physical care is covered in the [post-surgical recovery](https://www.walterzamarianjr.com/us/post-surgical-recovery/) guide. ## Questions Do I have to be sure before booking a consultation? No. The consultation is there to help you understand whether surgery makes sense. Considering an option doesn’t commit you to having it. Does being in therapy rule out a facelift? Not in itself. I need to understand your current situation and, when appropriate, talk to the professional caring for you. Tell me about your treatment; do not hide it or stop it. Can I bring someone to the consultation? Yes. Someone you trust can help you remember the information; if there are things you’d rather discuss privately, just let me know. What if I feel worse emotionally afterward? Tell my team and, if you have one, the professional who looks after your mental health. Intense or lasting distress deserves an assessment, not just patience. ## We can start with the questions that are still open Bring both what you’d like to change and what still leaves you unsure. [Write to us on WhatsApp](https://www.walterzamarianjr.com/us/contact/): Bruna, my AI assistant, handles the first contact and then puts you in touch with Isanna to arrange a consultation with me, including from abroad. ## References - Sinno S, Schwitzer J, Anzai L, Thorne CH. [Face-Lift Satisfaction Using the FACE-Q](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25909302/). Plast Reconstr Surg. 2015;136(2):239–242. - NHS. [Is a cosmetic procedure right for me?](https://www.nhs.uk/tests-and-treatments/cosmetic-procedures/advice/cosmetic-procedure-right-for-me/) - National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). [Obsessive-compulsive disorder and body dysmorphic disorder: treatment (CG31). Recommendations](https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg31/chapter/Recommendations). Recommendation 1.4.2.3. - NHS. [Facelift (rhytidectomy)](https://www.nhs.uk/tests-and-treatments/cosmetic-procedures/cosmetic-surgery/facelift/). ## About the author I am Dr. Walter Zamarian Jr., a plastic surgeon in Londrina, Brazil. My practice focuses on deep plane facelift surgery with fat grafting. Here I explain my approach, the available evidence, and the limits of each treatment. CRM-PR 17.388 · RQE 15.688 [Read about my training and practice →](https://www.walterzamarianjr.com/us/walter-zamarian/) This article provides general information and does not replace an individual medical consultation. 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