- Face
- Neck
Facelift
When the face starts to sag, it is not only the skin that has given way. The layer beneath it — the SMAS — and the muscle of the neck have descended with it. Pull the skin alone and it stretches back by as much as it was pulled, leaving that area looking taut. This operation lifts and fixes the layer underneath.
- Cases
- 56
- Surgeons on this team
- 1
- Stay in Korea
- At least 14 days
RESULTS BY CONCERN
Facelift Before & After
Pick the area that bothers you and only those cases remain.
Sagging does not begin in one place. These photographs show how far, and where, the lift was taken.
56 cases
- Face
- Neck
- Under-eye
- Brow
- Hollow cheeks
Facelift
- Face
- Neck
- Under-eye
- Neck bands
Facelift
- Face
- Neck bands
- Brow
Facelift
- Face
Facelift
- Face
Facelift
- Face
- Neck
- Forehead
Facelift
- Face
- Neck
- Under-eye
- Hollow cheeks
Facelift
- Face
- Neck
Facelift
- Face
- Neck
- Under-eye
- Forehead
Facelift
- Face
- Neck
- Under-eye
- Forehead
Facelift
- Face
- Neck
- Under-eye
- Forehead
Facelift
12 of 56
See all facelift resultsGet a one-to-one photo quote from a surgeon
You can learn which approach suits you, and what it costs, without flying in. Send photographs and the surgeon who would operate looks at them.
COMPARE
All three, side by side
Even among facelifts, how far the procedure goes changes both the recovery and the number of visits.
Swipe across to compare all three
- Operation time
- About 2-3 hours
- Anesthesia
- Sedation
- Hospital stay
- Not required
- Suture removal
- After 1 week
- Follow-up visits
- 1-2 visits
- Recovery period
- After 2 weeks
Crystal is not the same as a standard facelift
- A slimmer, smoother facial line
- Long-lasting results
- Skin with elasticity
- Removal of facial wrinkles
- 3D CT facial analysis
Crystal facelift — the key points
VERYGOOD Plastic Surgery uses a minimal-incision technique to improve wrinkles more effectively and create a youthful face.
A smoother face shape and firmer skin, together
A natural look that does not obviously read as surgery
Stable, long-lasting results
Only the part that needs it
This is not an all-or-nothing operation. Depending on where the problem sits, we address the cheekbone alone, the jaw alone, or the whole contour together with the lift.
Cheekbone + lift
When the cheekbone projects sideways and widens the face. It is reduced while the loosened layer is lifted at the same time.
Jaw + lift
When an angular jaw makes the face read hard. The jawline is refined while the descended layer is drawn back up.
Full contour + lift
When both the cheekbone and the jaw stand out. The contour is addressed in one operation, with the lift included.
Swipe to see the three
Is the crystal facelift for you?
- Sagging skin makes your expression look harsh
- An angular face reads as masculine
- Hollows in the cheeks make you look unwell
- Skin has lost its firmness and has sagged and creased
- Wrinkles and an angular face make you look older
The cheekbone, jaw and chin operations themselves are covered in more detail on the facial contouring page. See facial contouring
All three, side by side
Swipe across to see more
FIND YOURS
Find the one that fits
Five questions — the ones that actually decide this in consultation. The result is a guide; the decision is made with the surgeon.
1 / 5
What bothers you most?
SURGERY OR NOT
Can thread lifting not do this?
A question we get often. It comes down to one thing — whether the slack skin is removed or left in place.
Facelift
Pulls the layer beneath the skin, and cuts away what is left over
The SMAS layer — the origin of the sagging — and the skin are pulled directly, and the excess skin is cut away. What has stretched is actually reduced.
This page does not cover thread, ultrasound or radiofrequency procedures. The comparison above is limited to the single question of excision, and does not compare the effect or duration of any individual treatment.
YOUR SURGEON
Every facelift here is performed by our chief surgeon
Crystal, SMAS and mini — all three are handled by the same doctor, from the consultation and surgical plan through the operation and the follow-up.
Chief Director
Im Young Min
- Full member, American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS)
- Board-certified plastic surgeon, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital
- Adjunct professor of plastic surgery, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital
Crystal · SMAS · Mini
Why Dr. Im
Eighteen years of accumulated craft
With over eighteen years of facial contouring and facelift experience, Dr. Im personally handles the consultation, the diagnosis, the surgical plan, the operation and the aftercare — analysing what suits each patient and tailoring the surgery accordingly.
Im Young MinChief Director
Centres
- Eyes
- Nose
- Anti-Aging
- Body & Breast
- Facial Contouring
Board-certified in Plastic Surgery
Eyes, nose, facial contouring, body and breast, anti-aging — five of the clinic’s eight centres, the widest remit of anyone here.
- Full member, American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS)
- Board-certified plastic surgeon, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital
- Adjunct professor of plastic surgery, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital
426cases their centres handle
1 international credential
HONEST FIRST
Who this suits — and who it does not
Hiding the cases we turn away in a footnote is not honesty, it is a disclaimer. If the right-hand column describes you, we will say so in the consultation.
This usually helps if
The conditions we most often confirm during consultation.
- Sagging across the whole faceSee 8 cases with this concern
- Other lifting procedures have not worked for youSee 8 cases with this concern
- The jawline and cheeks have loosened after facial contouring surgery
- You can stay in Korea for two weeks or more for suture removal and follow-up
We do not recommend surgery if
Cases where we postpone surgery or suggest another route first.
- Volume loss, rather than sagging, is the main cause — we would look at fat grafting first
- You have been diagnosed with hypertrophic or keloid scarring
- A schedule that does not allow two weeks in Korea for suture removal and follow-up
- Uncontrolled systemic illness or a bleeding disorder
RECOVERY
How many days off, and when to fly
The number international patients need before anything else. From the day swelling peaks to the final result — nothing left out.
Recommended stay in Korea
At least 14 days
Enough time to have your stitches removed and your first follow-up before you fly home.
Facelift
Day 0Day 3Week 1Month 1Month 3Month 6
- Swelling peaks5–7 days
- Stitches out7 days
- Back to daily life1–2 weeks
- Starts to look natural3–6 months
- Final result12 months
How many days do you actually need?
RECOVERY Q&A
What you can do the day after
The timeline above answers how many days. This answers what those days actually look like.
- How do I manage swelling right after surgery?
Cold compresses help bring the swelling down in the first days. Sleeping with your head raised on two or three pillows also eases the pain.
- When can I eat normally again?
No food on the day of surgery. For the first week, keep to soft food — porridge, milk, juice. From week two, cut side dishes into small pieces. Hard food is best left until after week four.
This applies when an incision inside the mouth is part of the surgery. It does not apply to a SMAS facelift, which is incised only in front of the ear.
- How should I brush my teeth?
Keeping your mouth clean is what prevents inflammation and infection. Rinse with mouthwash after every meal.
This applies when an incision inside the mouth is part of the surgery. It does not apply to a SMAS facelift, which is incised only in front of the ear.
Recovery differs from person to person. The schedule above is a general guide; the actual timing is decided in consultation as your healing is reviewed.
RECOVERY
What finishes, and when
For anyone booking a flight first — here is the actual course of recovery, in order.
Crystal
After 2 weeks
Right after
Swelling begins to rise
Cold compresses and keeping your head raised both help.
SwellingComing downDays 5-7
Swelling is at its worst
Past this point it starts to come down noticeably.
SwellingAt its peakDay 7
Sutures come out
You come in and we check how it is healing together.
SwellingComing down1-2 weeks
Back to everyday life
Most people plan their flight home around this point.
SwellingMostly settled3-6 months
It settles
Tissue settles and expression eases. The final result is around twelve months.
SwellingMostly settled
Recovery differs from person to person. These are general timings; the actual schedule is decided in consultation as healing is reviewed. The stages are common to all three procedures — what differs between them is the recovery period.
TOGETHER
Done alongside
A facelift on its own is the exception rather than the rule. These are combinations we have actually performed, and the number is how many.
What gets combined depends on how far things have descended and where. The combination is decided in consultation.
SYSTEM
The youthful-look surgery system at VERYGOOD Plastic Surgery
A look at what makes youthful-look surgery at VERYGOOD Plastic Surgery different.
Precision analysis system
The patient's skin condition, skeletal structure and other factors are analyzed together to build the surgical plan best suited to them.
One-to-one tailored youthful-look system
That precisely analyzed information is used to carry out surgery tailored to each individual patient.
Precision surgery system
VERYGOOD's long-accumulated expertise goes into precise surgery with minimal incisions, keeping swelling and side effects to a minimum.
Aftercare system
A range of laser equipment is used to support a faster recovery.
MINIMUM STAY
How many days you need in Korea
For patients travelling from abroad, we ask you to plan for the minimum stay below so that we can check your recovery before you fly home.
Minimum recommended stay for this surgery
At least 14 daysFace & neck lift
| Surgery | Minimum recommended stay |
|---|---|
| Eye surgery | At least 7 days |
| Nose surgery | At least 7 or 14 days14 days when osteotomy is involved or for revision surgery; 7 days otherwise. |
| Facial contouring | At least 14 days |
| Breast augmentation | At least 7 days |
| Body contouring (liposuction) | At least 10 days |
| Fat grafting | At least 7 days |
The length of stay can change with how your recovery goes. We set the exact dates together during your consultation.
FOR INTERNATIONAL PATIENTS
What we arrange for patients flying in
These benefits are for international patients residing outside Korea.
Free interpretation for your consultation
Interpretation during consultation is provided free of charge for international patients.
Languages
- English
- Indonesian
- Japanese
- Chinese
- Mongolian
- Vietnamese
- Thai
- Russian
- Cambodian
Airport pickup
We arrange a taxi from the airport for patients travelling from abroad. Depending on your surgery booking you can use it one-way or round-trip, between the airport and your hotel or the clinic.
Airport pickup Type Eligible from One-way Surgery booking of KRW 20,000,000 Round-trip Surgery booking of KRW 30,000,000 Offered to patients who have completed a surgery booking. Requests are taken on WhatsApp, with no deadline.
Request on WhatsAppPartner hotels
We can introduce partner hotels near the clinic at partner rates. We help with the booking during your consultation.
See partner hotels
PARTNER HOTELS
Partner hotels
Hotels near the clinic. The partner rates below are listed exactly as the hotels gave them to us.
3-star
Toyoko Inn Seoul Gangnam
서울특별시 서초구 강남대로 323Open in mapsPartner rateFrom ₩80,000
Toyoko Inn Seoul Gangnam Room Partner rate Single ₩80,000–₩100,000 Double ₩100,000–₩130,000 Twin ₩110,000–₩140,000 Triple ₩160,000–₩180,000 
3-star
Urban Place Gangnam
서울특별시 서초구 효령로77길 30Open in mapsPartner rateFrom ₩99,000
Urban Place Gangnam Room Partner rate Standard Twin ₩99,000 Standard Double ₩99,000 Superior Double ₩110,000 Deluxe Double ₩121,000 
1-star
Jerry's Planet Hotel
서울시 강남구 강남대로92길 13Open in mapsPartner rateFrom ₩100,000
Jerry's Planet Hotel Room Partner rate Standard Double ₩100,000 
3-star
Hotel Seine
서울 강남구 논현로 533Open in mapsPartner rateFrom ₩110,000
All rooms have one queen-size double bed.
Hotel Seine Room Weekday (Sun–Thu) Weekend (Fri–Sat) Classic Double ₩110,000 ₩140,000 Premium Double ₩140,000 ₩170,000 Junior Suite ₩160,000 ₩190,000 Executive Suite ₩220,000 ₩250,000 
2-star
Hotel The Designers LYJ Gangnam Premier
서울특별시 강남구 봉은사로 113Open in mapsPartner rateFrom ₩110,000
Hotel The Designers LYJ Gangnam Premier Room Weekday (Sun–Thu) Weekend (Fri–Sat) Superior Twin ₩110,000 ₩150,000 Superior Family Twin ₩120,000 ₩160,000 Deluxe Double ₩130,000 ₩170,000 Deluxe Family Twin ₩140,000 ₩180,000 Designers Suite Double ₩160,000 ₩200,000 Designers Suite Triple ₩180,000 ₩220,000 LYJ Suite ₩260,000 ₩300,000 
4-star
Ocloud Hotel
서울특별시 서초구 사평대로58길 12Open in mapsPartner rateFrom ₩180,000
Rates need to be confirmed before booking each month.
Ocloud Hotel Room Weekday (Sun–Thu) Weekend (Fri–Sat) Standard Double ₩180,000 ₩180,000 Deluxe Double / King ₩190,000 ₩190,000 Family Twin ₩210,000 ₩210,000 Family Suite ₩300,000 ₩300,000 
5-star
Novotel Ambassador Seoul Gangnam
서울시 강남구 봉은사로 130Open in mapsPartner rateFrom ₩250,000
Novotel Ambassador Seoul Gangnam Room Weekday (Sun–Thu) Weekend (Fri–Sat) Superior ₩250,000 ₩250,000 Deluxe ₩280,000 ₩280,000 Executive ₩330,000 ₩330,000 
5-star
Josun Palace
서울특별시 강남구 테헤란로 231Open in mapsPartner rateFrom ₩280,000
Josun Palace Room Weekday (Sun–Thu) Weekend (Fri–Sat) King Classic ₩280,000 ₩280,000 King Junior Suite ₩370,000 ₩370,000 State Room ₩400,000 ₩500,000 Masters Room ₩450,000 ₩550,000 Grand Masters Room ₩600,000 ₩700,000 Grand Masters Bay Room ₩650,000 ₩750,000 Masters Junior Suite ₩800,000 ₩900,000
These are partner rates and may change depending on when you book. We help with the booking during your consultation.
SAFETY
What we have in place
The further you travel, the heavier this question gets. If something goes wrong you cannot simply come back the next day, and there may be no one beside you who speaks your language.
Analysis before surgery
We analyse the face before surgery to decide what to address and how far to go.
The doctor who consults, operates
One doctor handles the consultation, the diagnosis, the surgery and the follow-up. Your surgeon does not change partway.
Emergency readiness
Medical equipment and response procedures are in place for emergencies during surgery.
Anaesthesiologists on site
Board-certified anaesthesiology specialists are on site, and we publish who administers your anaesthesia.
Follow-up after surgery
We schedule your visits for suture removal and healing checks together with you.
Sterilisation
Instruments and the operating room follow disinfection and sterilisation procedures to prevent infection.
SEND PHOTOS
Three photos start the conversation
You do not have to come in first. Send these three angles and the surgeon looks at them.
01 · Front
Camera at eye level, looking straight ahead
02 · 45°
Turn your head 45 degrees so the profile shows
03 · Profile
Full side view, with the jawline and neck both in frame
- In good light, with no shadow across the face
- Hair tucked behind the ears
- Neutral expression, chin not tucked
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