Condition
Face tightening
The face and neck with age — what changes and what can be done, by length of recovery.
What changes in the face with age?
The face changes on four levels at the same time, and each of them needs a different procedure. That is why two people with the same "tired look" do not have the same answer.
The skin loses elasticity and gets thinner. The surface becomes uneven, and fine lines and widened thread veins appear.
Volume is lost and moves — the cheeks pull back, and the weight sinks towards the lower third of the face.
The muscles cut into the skin with repeated movements: lines between the brows, on the forehead and around the eyes.
The supporting structures give way, so the skin and soft tissue drop — folds form from the nose towards the corners of the mouth, and the line of the lower jaw becomes slack.
Why don't different procedures give the same result?
Procedures on the face act on different levels and do not replace one another.
Botox and fillers act on muscle and volume — they do not tighten loose skin. A facelift changes the position of the skin and soft tissues — it does not change the texture of the skin or the lines that came from movement.
That is why at the examination we first establish which level is affected, and only then what makes sense.
When should I see a doctor?
With procedures on the face there is no moment when you "have to". You come to an examination when the change bothers you enough that you keep thinking about it.
The exceptions are changes that are not related to age: an eyelid that interferes with your sight → Drooping eyelids and a change on the skin of the face that is growing, bleeding or changing → A lump under the skin.
What does the examination involve?
The face is looked at at rest and in movement, standing and lying down, because lying down shows how much the skin returns by itself. We look at the quality of the skin, the loss of volume in the cheeks and temples, the depth of the folds beside the nose and mouth, the line of the jaw and the neck. From this it follows whether the main problem is skin that hangs (lift), volume that is missing (fat transfer, filler), the surface of the skin (skin renewal) or muscle movement (Botox); in most people it is a combination, so we talk about the order.
We photograph you from several angles and look together at what bothers you in those photographs. We also talk about how you want to look: the aim is a more rested look in which people recognise you, not a different face. If you ask for something that would make the face look unnatural, we say so at the examination.
What can be done?
The procedures are arranged by how many days they need, because that is the difference you notice first: first those with no recovery (you go home straight away), then small procedures (a few days), and at the end operations (planned over weeks).
| Problem | Procedure | Also, in the same visit |
|---|---|---|
| Lines between the brows, on the forehead and around the eyes, caused by muscle movement | Botox | With fillers, Profhilo, PRP and microneedling in the same visit; often combined with eyelid surgery. |
| The cheeks are pulling back, folds beside the nose and mouth; volume is missing, and you do not want surgery | Facial fillers | With other procedures that need no recovery, in the same visit. |
| Skin that is tired, dry, with an uneven texture and fine lines | Profhilo, PRP and microneedling | PRP and microneedling are most often done together; with Botox and fillers in the same visit. |
| Lost volume in the cheeks and temples, more lasting than filler | Facial fat transfer | With a facelift in the same procedure, because tightening does not bring back lost volume; often with Botox, eyelid surgery or a mini facelift too. |
| An uneven skin surface, lines on the upper lip | Dermabrasion | With a facelift, in the same recovery. |
| Widened thread veins on the face | Facial thread vein removal | — |
| Loose skin on the face and neck, a lost line of the lower jaw | Facelift (face and neck tightening) | Facial fat transfer; if needed, upper and lower eyelids and the temple area in the same procedure. The nose is not done together with a facelift. |
| Milder slackening of the lower third of the face; the neck is not the main problem | Mini facelift | Double chin liposuction or a transfer of your own fat into the middle of the face. |
| Lowered brows, a heavy upper third of the face | Brow lift | Upper eyelid surgery in the same procedure, after the brow lift. |
If what bothers you most is fullness under the chin, and not the whole face → Double chin
Specialist and team
Specialty: plastic, reconstructive and aesthetic surgery.
When the procedure is done under sedation or general anaesthesia, the anaesthesia is led by a specialist in anaesthesiology, resuscitation and intensive care who works full time at the clinic.
In the operating theatre, the surgeon is assisted by head nurse Martina Šereg, with the help of nurses Kristina Jurešić and Mateja Tomorad, and in recovery the care assistant Mirjana Kovačić is with you. Martina also looks after preparation, scheduling and contact after the procedure.
Who will operate is decided at the examination, based on the findings and the type of procedure. You know the name of the surgeon before the procedure and meet them at the examination.
→ Doctors and team at Poliklinika Barbel
Frequently asked questions
Is there face tightening without surgery? A number of procedures on the face are done without a cut and without recovery — Botox, fillers, Profhilo, PRP, microneedling. They do not replace a facelift because they act on a different level, but in some people they solve what they came for.
Can two procedures be done in the same visit? Procedures from different groups are often combined — with a facelift, fat transfer is most often done, because tightening does not bring back lost volume. What is feasible is judged at the examination.
When is it too early and when too late for a lift? It is too early while you can put the skin back in place just with better care and volume; then a lift has nothing to tighten. It is never too late as long as your general health is good, but with very thin and damaged skin the result lasts a shorter time. Most patients who have a lift are between 50 and 65 years old.
What about the neck? The neck is rarely tightened on its own; with a full facelift it is included, with a mini facelift it is not. If the neck and the area under the chin bother you most, that changes the choice of procedure, so mention it first at the examination.
How long does a facelift take? A facelift takes 3 to 5 hours and is done under general anaesthesia. A mini facelift takes 2 to 3 hours, under general anaesthesia or sedation.
→ Facelift
How long is the recovery after a facelift? Sick leave is 14 to 21 days, and you can go out in public after 10 to 14 days. With a mini facelift, sick leave is 7 to 14 days, and you can go out in public after 5 to 7 days.
When is the final result of face tightening seen? With a facelift after 6 to 12 months, and with a mini facelift after 3 to 6 months.
How much does a facelift cost? A facelift costs €5,000–6,000, and a mini facelift €3,500–4,000; the range depends on the extent of the procedure. The price includes general anaesthesia, check-ups in the first three months and dressing changes.
Medical review: doctors of Poliklinika Barbel · October 2026.