Facelift Consultation: The Questions That Lead to a Good Decision

A facelift consultation is short, and it is easy to come away with a date and a price but without answers to the questions that matter most. Preparing in advance changes that. This guide groups the key questions by theme, explains why each one matters and what a clear answer sounds like. It is written for readers who are considering surgery in Moscow and will probably have their first conversation online, but the questions apply to any consultation.

Before the consultation: prepare your own goals

The most useful thing you can bring is a clear description of what bothers you. Stand in front of a mirror and note which changes you notice most: sagging cheeks, jowls along the jawline, a double chin, loose neck skin, deep nasolabial folds or marionette lines at the corners of the mouth. These are the typical concerns that City Medical Centre lists for facelift candidates.

Then prioritise. Is the neck your main concern, or the lower face? Do you also dislike heavy brows or a tired look around the temples? Your answers help the surgeon choose between the options rather than offering a standard package.

Gather the practical information too: a list of medicines and supplements, past surgeries and any cosmetic injections or threads, because they can affect the plan. Prepare photos in good light from the front, both sides and at an angle. The first consultation at the clinic is free and can be held online, so good photos are especially important.

Which operation is right for me?

City Medical Centre offers four surgical options: a SMAS facelift of the mid and lower face, a full facelift covering the forehead, temples, mid and lower face and neck, a lower face and neck lift using the SMAS technique, and an endoscopic brow and temple lift. Ask:

• Which option do you recommend for my face, and why that one?
• What would the other options not achieve in my case?
• Will you work on the SMAS layer or only on the skin?
• Do I need anything combined with the facelift, or should it wait?

A clear answer links each recommendation to a specific feature of your face. Vague replies like "everyone needs a full lift" are a signal to ask more.

The clinic says a facelift can be combined with other surgeries, with the decision made at the consultation. If you are considering another procedure at the same time, raise it early. The four facelift options compared on the clinic's page help you prepare this part of the conversation.

Questions about scars, anaesthesia and safety

Scars are a fair topic to discuss in detail. For a SMAS facelift the clinic describes incisions along the hairline and around the ears. Ask the surgeon to show you exactly where they will run in your case, how they are expected to look after a year and how hairstyle choices might hide them.

Then cover anaesthesia and the stay. The clinic uses general inhalation anaesthesia and provides an inpatient stay with round-the-clock monitoring and meals. Useful questions:

• Who will monitor me during the night after surgery?
• Which tests do I need beforehand, and can I do them at home?
• Which of my medicines must be paused, and when?
• What are the possible complications, and how are they handled?

Do not be shy about asking for the warning signs that need an immediate call, and how to reach the team once you are at home. A good surgeon welcomes these questions; they show that you will follow instructions after the operation.

Recovery, follow-up and how long it lasts

Plan the time you will spend out of public view. City Medical Centre describes seven to ten days of rest with a compression bandage, swelling and bruising that fade in two to four weeks, first clear changes after three to four weeks and a final look at three to six months. Full recovery takes about two months. Ask:

• When can I return to work and social events?
• When can I fly, exercise, colour my hair or use make-up?
• Which follow-ups can be done remotely?

The clinic states that the operating surgeon follows up for a year, so ask how that works for a patient abroad: video calls, photos sent by message or visits.

Longevity is another fair question. The clinic says the effect usually lasts seven to ten years. Ask the surgeon what, in your case, is likely to shorten or extend that range, such as skin quality or weight changes. An answer tailored to your face is more useful than a general number.

Cost and the final decision

All four facelift options at City Medical Centre are listed from $2,400 at the time of writing (October 2026). The final figure is set after the examination, and the clinic offers 0% in-house instalments. Ask what the quoted price includes: anaesthesia, the inpatient stay, garments and follow-up visits. Ask also how and when payment is made, and what happens if an additional procedure is suggested later.

Practical matters that the clinic's page does not describe, such as accommodation or how many days to stay in Moscow before flying home, should be discussed with the coordinator rather than guessed.

After the consultation, give yourself time. Read your notes, compare the answers with what you hoped to hear and decide only when every part of the plan is clear. Patients in the United States can start with the facelift page for patients travelling from New York. The goal of a consultation is not to be persuaded but to understand exactly what you would be agreeing to.