The degree that the clock will be turned back is a frequently asked question about facial rejuvenation surgery and it can be challenging to quantify… until now.

The concept of beauty and ageing is subjective and individual, so it can be difficult to say exactly how much younger you will look after a facelift, but most patients report they look and feel a decade or so younger than pre-surgery. Now, new research into artificial intelligence suggests it may be possible to take an objective approach to evaluating the reduction in age after a facelift.

By training artificial intelligence (AI) networks to estimate age based on facial photos, “our study shows that currently available AI algorithms can recognize the success of facelifting, and even put a number on the reduction in years of perceived age,” the study’s lead author comments.

The younger you look, the better you feel

Dr James P. Bradley, Vice Chairman of Surgery at a medical school in the US, and his team used a type of AI algorithm called convolutional neural networks which are fed millions of public images and found the algorithm was able to discern facial features more objectively than a typical person when asked to evaluate the facial age of 50 women who had undergone a facelift. The women also completed a patient satisfaction questionnaire.

Unsurprisingly, the study, which was published in the Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery journal, found that AI estimates of age reduction were directly correlated with patient satisfaction. “The younger the AI program perceives a patient’s age, the greater their satisfaction with the results of their facelift,” explains Dr Bradley.

Evaluating patient satisfaction after a facelift

A facelift can address many common ageing concerns, from a sagging neck and jawline, sunken cheeks and facial hollows, and the deep facial lines that appear as we get older. Mr Juling Ong can tighten the jowls to produce a more defined jawline, smooth the neckline, and lift and fill the cheeks, smoothing deep marked facial folds. By addressing these concerns, a facelift typically delivers high patient satisfaction.

The aim is always to deliver a wholly natural result, where you look younger and more refreshed, but not altered. To find out what a facelift can achieve, call us on 020 7927 6528 to arrange a consultation with Mr Juling Ong.