Overview
The authors asked how age affects expectations and satisfaction after facial aesthetic surgery. They retrospectively analyzed 248 patients who had facial rejuvenation surgery between January 2024 and January 2025. Patients were grouped by age and assessed with the FACE-Q tool.
Findings
- 248 patients; surgery between January 2024 and January 2025.
- Younger patients had significantly higher preoperative expectations and appearance-related stress than older patients (P < 0.001).
- Satisfaction improved after surgery in both age groups.
- Younger patients had lower overall satisfaction after surgery (P < 0.001).
- Age and preoperative expectations were independent risk factors for dissatisfaction.
- Level of evidence: II.
What it means for a patient
- Younger patients in this study expected more and ended up less satisfied than older patients, even though both groups improved.
- High expectations before surgery were linked to dissatisfaction afterward.
- Talking through realistic goals with the surgeon before surgery matters, especially for younger patients.
- Limits: retrospective, a one-year time window, and the abstract does not give the age cut-off, procedure mix or the size of the satisfaction gap.
Why this paper matters
It links younger age and high expectations to lower satisfaction after facial rejuvenation surgery. The authors call for better expectation management in younger patients.
Terms
- FACE-Q: a standard questionnaire for patient-reported results of facial procedures.
- Preoperative expectations: what a patient hopes surgery will achieve.
- Appearance-related stress: distress about how one looks.
- Independent risk factor: a factor linked to an outcome even after other factors are accounted for.
- Retrospective cohort: a group of patients studied by looking back at their records.
- Facial rejuvenation surgery: surgery to reduce signs of facial aging.