Last September, Vogue Arabia put Kris Jenner – the matriarch and mogul of the Kardashian-Jenner family – on its cover and broke the internet. Not because it was her second cover feature in Vogue history, but because of her appearance. Jenner was sporting a stark new look, carefully constructed by renowned surgeon Dr Steven Levine with a rumoured price tag of $150,000 to $300,000, and designed to make her look at least 20 years younger than her milestone 70^th birthday which was rapidly approaching. She told Vogue Arabia: “I decided to do this facelift because I want to be the best version of myself, and that makes me happy. If you feel comfortable in your skin and you want to age gracefully – meaning you don’t want to do anything – then don’t do anything. But for me, this is ageing gracefully. It’s my version.”

Calling a deep-plane facelift – an advanced surgical procedure that involves repositioning the deeper muscles and fat of the face, rather than just pulling the skin, in a three to six-hour operation, and which takes three weeks to initially heal and up to six months for full results – “ageing gracefully” is certainly controversial. But it’s not just Jennner who now views this type, and level, of surgery as just another mode of anti-ageing. 

In fact, it is representative of a large pool of women, specifically, who see facelifts as a method of holding on to their current appearance. Dr Amir Sadri, a facial plastic surgeon based at Marylebone’s Devonshire Place, says: “What I am seeing in my clinic has fundamentally shifted. Patients are no longer coming to me at 60 wanting to turn back the clock. They are coming at 42 or 45 to preserve what they have. The conversation has moved from correction to maintenance, and that reflects a generation that treats facial surgery as part of a longer-term approach to how they age rather than a dramatic intervention at a crisis point.”

While the facelift is becoming increasingly available to a new generation, the notion that it can preserve youth or perhaps prevent fading relevance is nothing new. In fact, the first widely publicised celebrity to undergo a facelift was American stage and silent film actress ⁠Edna Wallace Hopper, who tapped Dr Gertrude Steele in August 1922. At 50, the actress famously used the procedure to relaunch her fading acting career, allowing newspapers to document her transformation from looking like “an elderly person” to possessing “the bloom of eternal youth”. With that context, Jenner’s facelifts – her first at 55, and then at 70 – suddenly seem a lot less shocking. 

What is, however, is how the facelift has become almost commonplace – and increasingly accessible. Dr Dirk Kremer, a plastic surgeon who practised exclusively on Harley Street for more than 15 years, explains: “Facelift surgery is no longer viewed as something reserved for celebrities or the ultra-wealthy. Years ago, many people associated facelifts with Hollywood, public figures and those whose careers depended on looking young. Today, that perception has changed. 

“Patients increasingly recognise that a facelift is not about trying to become someone else or competing with celebrities. It is about feeling comfortable in your own skin and bringing your outward appearance back into harmony with how you feel inside. Many tell me they still feel energetic and confident, but the face looking back at them no longer reflects that. 

“As society has become more open about cosmetic surgery, people have begun to see facial rejuvenation as a personal decision rather than a luxury reserved for a privileged few. Modern financing has made surgery accessible to more people, but I believe the biggest change is psychological: people now understand the value it can have for confidence, self-image and quality of life.”

Widely recognised as one of Europe's leading facial rejuvenation specialists, Dr Kremer performs more than 100 facelift procedures each year, with particular expertise in deep plane facelifts, deep neck lifts and blepharoplasty. He explains: “There are several facelift techniques, each based on a different philosophy. The simplest approach is a skin-only facelift, where only the skin is tightened. While technically less demanding, it does not address the underlying changes that occur with ageing and can create an unnatural, pulled appearance. We don't look older simply because our skin becomes loose. Over time, the deeper tissues of the face descend, causing volume to move from the cheeks into the lower face and jawline. That's why the face gradually becomes more bottom-heavy.

The secrecy has largely gone. That is not entirely a bad thing, but it does mean the pressure on women to intervene earlier and more frequently is greater than it has ever been

“Most modern facelift techniques therefore also address the SMAS, the deeper fibrous layer beneath the skin. This can be tightened or repositioned in different ways, depending on the surgeon's preferred technique. In my opinion, the deep plane facelift is the most anatomical approach because the skin and the deeper tissues are released and lifted together as one unit. Rather than simply tightening the surface, it reverses the ageing process by restoring the facial tissues towards their original position, ideally with a more vertical vector that reflects how the face has naturally descended over time.

“Because the deeper tissues are doing the work, a deep plane facelift can achieve a more powerful lift, creating a more defined jawline, a smoother and slimmer lower face, and restoring fullness to the midface, yet with less tension on the skin. In my opinion, it is the technique that allows the strongest repositioning of the facial tissues without creating the 'pulled' appearance traditionally associated with facelifts. The aim is not to make someone look different, but simply like a fresher, more rested version of themselves.”

‘Rested’ is a term that Dr Sadri also uses when talking about how the perception of facelifts has changed. “We are already seeing what I would call ‘filler fatigue’,” he says. “Patients are coming to me wanting to dissolve previous filler and take a more structural, longer-lasting approach. The deep-plane facelift is rising in popularity precisely because it produces a natural result that does not freeze or distort. If there is a shift coming in beauty standards, I think it will be toward faces that look well-rested and authentic rather than obviously treated. The goal for most of my patients is not to look different. It is to look like themselves, 10 years ago.” 

This obsession with ageing is nothing new – but has no doubt been enhanced by society’s obsession with social media. “[It] has created a permanent, high-definition mirror that previous generations did not have,” says Dr Sadri. “Patients arrive at consultations having watched dozens of surgical videos, researched techniques in detail and compared themselves to treated images every day. Hollywood accelerates this further. 

“When public figures speak openly about procedures, it normalises the conversation and removes the shame that once surrounded it. The secrecy has largely gone. That is not entirely a bad thing, but it does mean the pressure on women to intervene earlier and more frequently is greater than it has ever been.”

Dr Kremer, meanwhile, doesn’t think awareness of ageing is necessarily a bad thing, especially as younger people begin to act on predictions of what their face could look like. “Previous generations often accepted visible ageing for many years before considering surgery. Today's patients are far more proactive,” he says. “Many have watched their parents or grandparents age and already recognise the facial changes they are likely to inherit. Some even describe this as ‘the trauma of ageing’ because they fear gradually losing the face they identify with.”

Of course, this could all be owed to vanity – but Dr Kremer says it's more about self-confidence for young people. “Social media, video calls and professional networking platforms have also changed the way people see themselves. Your face is often your first introduction before you ever meet someone in person. It has become part of your personal brand. 

“Appearance alone will never secure a job or define success; your character, ability and experience always matter most-but first impressions do influence how people are perceived. Many younger patients therefore see facial rejuvenation not as vanity, but as a long-term investment in confidence and professional presence.”

One thing is evident: patients don’t want it to be obvious they’ve had work done in the first place. Dr Kremer says: “I think the growing acceptance of cosmetic procedures has changed expectations in society, both positively and negatively. On the positive side, people no longer feel embarrassed to seek treatment if it genuinely improves their confidence and quality of life.” 

However, Dr Kremer has noted a phenomenon which he has coined ‘beauty inflation’. “As more people undergo subtle cosmetic treatments, our perception of what looks 'normal' gradually shifts. Features that once stood out, such as a smooth forehead or a sharply defined jawline, become the new baseline. We quickly adapt to these changes and begin focusing on the next perceived imperfection.”

‘Beauty inflation’ has become almost a currency in Hollywood – but at what price? While neither has confirmed whether they’ve had work done, Taylor Swift’s appearance on Graham Norton in October 2025 had the internet running wild about speculation over filler or a facelift, while Anne Hathaway’s snippet in The Odyssey trailer – where, despite her character’s turmoil and screaming, her forehead remained unwrinkled – has highlighted the unnatural nature of Hollywood’s emotional response. 

Whether its smoother foreheads, bigger lips, or a preserved and natural facial structure, Dr Kremer says ‘beauty inflation’ is “constantly moving the goalposts”. He explains: “Instead of appreciating a natural, refreshed appearance, people may feel under increasing pressure to keep up with ever-changing beauty standards. As surgeons, we have a responsibility not only to perform surgery well but also to help patients maintain realistic expectations. 

“Cosmetic surgery should enhance confidence, not create a cycle where no result ever feels good enough. The best outcome is one that allows patients to stop thinking about their appearance and simply get on with enjoying their lives.” 

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