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How to get more facelift patients: a plan for practices

A front desk team member at a plastic surgery practice handles a new patient call

A facelift is a cash-pay elective surgery, and how it is described shapes who books and what they expect. This guide is for practice owners, patient coordinators and front desk teams: what federal health sources say a facelift is and is not, which claims to avoid, and how to turn requests into well-informed consultations.

  1. SearchAn adult looks for care near them.
  2. Your pageWhat you treat, who sees them, one way to book.
  3. Call or formThey call or send a request.
  4. Front deskBooks the visit and never guesses a cause.
  5. Clinical teamThe clinician decides the plan.
How a new patient request reaches your practice.

1. Know what a facelift is and is not

The National Library of Medicine’s MedlinePlus page on facelift describes it as “a surgical procedure to improve sagging, drooping, and wrinkled skin of the face and neck”. It says that during a facelift the surgeon may:

  • remove and lift some of the fat and muscle underneath the skin, which MedlinePlus calls “the main lifting part of the facelift”;
  • remove or move loose skin, tighten muscles and perform liposuction of the neck and jowls.

MedlinePlus says a facelift “can help improve some of the visible signs of aging”. Market it as surgery for sagging skin of the face and neck, not as a way to stop aging or erase every line. MedlinePlus also says many techniques exist and “how long the improvement lasts may vary”, so do not call the results permanent.

Injectables are separate services. FDA describes dermal fillers as “injectable implants”, so do not sell fillers or Botox as a “liquid facelift”. See how to get more Botox patients and how to get more dermal filler patients.

2. Keep claims in line with the risk information

Besides the general risks of anesthesia and surgery, MedlinePlus lists:

  • a pocket of blood under the skin (hematoma) “that may need to be drained surgically”;
  • damage to the nerves that control muscles of the face, “usually temporary, but may be permanent”;
  • wounds that do not heal well, pain that does not go away, and numbness;
  • poor cosmetic results “that may need more surgery”, such as unpleasant scarring, unevenness of the face and changes in skin color.

So avoid “risk-free”, “100% safe”, “no scars”, “no downtime”, “permanent results” and “look 10 years younger”. Better: “surgery for sagging skin of the face and neck”, “all surgery has risks” and “your surgeon will discuss realistic results with you”.

3. Answer first-call questions honestly

  • How much does it cost? Give a clear starting price, say what it includes (surgeon, facility, anesthesia, follow-up visits) and that combining it with other procedures affects the total.
  • Will it last forever? “No one can promise that. How long the improvement lasts varies, and the surgeon will discuss it with you.”
  • Is it safe? “It is surgery, and all surgery has risks. The surgeon will go through them with you at the consultation.”
  • Who is the surgeon? Give the surgeon’s name and real credentials. Let callers check them with the state medical board.

Leave screening to the surgeon. MedlinePlus says people with diabetes, heart disease or other conditions may be asked to see the provider who treats them, and that smoking “can slow healing and increase the risk for blood clots”. Your intake form can ask; the surgeon decides whether someone is a candidate. Use the new patient phone script for the rest of the call, and book the consultation, not the surgery, while the caller is on the line.

4. Plan the consultation and recovery

According to MedlinePlus, the consultation includes a history, a physical exam and a psychological evaluation, and patients may want to bring someone with them. Patients may be asked to stop blood thinners the week before, and an illness may postpone surgery.

For recovery, MedlinePlus says the face “may look pale, bruised, and puffy, but in 4 to 6 weeks it will look normal”. Swelling, bruising and numbness last 10 to 14 days or longer, mild swelling may continue for several weeks, and patients should avoid straining, bending and lifting right after surgery. Tell callers early so they can plan around work and events; the surgeon gives exact aftercare instructions.

5. Price, finance and follow up

  • Self-pay patients may be entitled to a good faith estimate; see the good faith estimate guide.
  • If you advertise a discount, follow advertising prices and specials. Avoid deadline pressure on a surgical decision.
  • If you offer financing, follow the patient financing guide.
  • Before-and-after photos need written authorization and honest comparisons; see before-and-after photos. FTC guides treat a patient’s result as typical unless you disclose what patients can generally expect.
  • Follow up after the consultation without pressure; see consultation to treatment. Track facelift requests separately, from request to consultation to surgery.

Where MediLeadGen fits

MediLeadGen sends practices requests from people interested in cash-pay elective treatments. Each request goes to one practice only, with the person’s consent naming that practice, at a fixed price per delivered request.

See how it works for practices

Questions practices ask

How do we get more facelift patients?

Answer requests quickly, give clear prices and what they include, introduce the surgeon by real credentials, describe a facelift as surgery with real risks, and book a consultation where the surgeon can assess the patient and discuss realistic results.

Can we say facelift results are permanent?

No. MedlinePlus says many facelift techniques exist and how long the improvement lasts may vary. Let the surgeon discuss what a patient can expect.

Are fillers or Botox a nonsurgical facelift?

Do not market them that way. A facelift is surgery to improve sagging skin of the face and neck, while FDA describes dermal fillers as injectable implants. Market injectables as separate services with their own claims.

What should we tell callers about recovery?

That swelling, bruising and numbness are expected for 10 to 14 days or longer, the face may look bruised and puffy but should look normal in 4 to 6 weeks, straining and lifting are avoided right after surgery, and the surgeon gives the exact aftercare instructions.

General information for practice teams, not legal or clinical advice. Check device labeling, FDA requirements, state rules and your advertising with counsel and your surgeons. Last reviewed October 2026.

More resources

All resources for practices