This facelift comparison is Beauty Link's own work from October 2026, with each section's sources noted. It is not medical advice and has not had a doctor's review. Questions about your face go to your surgeon.
What a facelift is
A facelift is surgery that lifts the skin and tissue of the lower face and neck. The NHS says it is designed to reduce loose skin around the lower half of the face, mainly the jowls, and the neck. Sagging skin, deep nose to mouth folds, jowls, and loose skin or fat under the chin are what it can address, per the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS).
- Traditional facelift. In the ASPS description, the incision runs from the temple hairline, around the ear, to the lower scalp, and the deeper layers and muscles are often lifted as well.
- Mini facelift. A smaller version with shorter cuts near the temples and ears. ASPS says it is meant for people with less loose skin and gives a smaller change.
ASPS also says a facelift does not change your basic look and cannot stop ageing. It says non surgical treatments cannot do the same job, but may delay when a facelift is needed.
Sources: NHS, American Society of Plastic Surgeons
What people mean by a Korean face lift
There is no single Korean face lift. Search for face lift Korea and some of the top results are pages from hospitals in Seoul. Those pages use names such as SMAS lift, deep plane facelift, mini lift, neck lift, thread lift and fat grafting.
They also talk about natural looking results and fast recovery, but those are the hospitals' own claims. Ask your surgeon which technique they suggest for your face, why, and what recovery period to plan for.
Sources: American Society of Plastic Surgeons, Google Australia results for "face lift korea" read in October 2026
What Smartraveller says about each country
South Korea. Smartraveller calls Korea a popular medical tourism choice with good facilities and care. The catch is language: not many staff speak English, and care may be given in ways that feel culturally different. It asks you not to use discount or uncertified providers. Korea's official tourism site lists hospitals offering face lifts among other anti ageing care, and its listings mention interpretation and pick-up.
Vietnam. Smartraveller's view is more mixed. It rates Vietnam's care as uneven and mostly under the Australian standard, says the foreign private clinics in its two big cities may fall short too, and calls care in most public hospitals poor.
Smartraveller says hospitals and doctors inside one country can differ, so your own facelift surgeon needs checking. Expect to pay up front in either country, it adds.
Sources: Smartraveller (South Korea, Vietnam, Medical tourism), VISITKOREA (Korea Tourism Organization)
Language and entry rules
- Language. In Korea, ask each hospital who will translate for you. In Vietnam, Beauty Link gives you English speaking support in a WhatsApp group with you and the hospital team.
- Entry rules. Smartraveller says Australians can visit Korea as tourists for up to 90 days without a K-ETA, an exemption that runs until 31 December 2026. For Vietnam, it says Australians cannot get a visa on arrival. Apply online for an eVisa through the official government website only. Vietnam's rules can change at short notice, so check both close to your trip.
Sources: Smartraveller (South Korea, Vietnam), Beauty Link team records
Recovery and when to fly home
The NHS says a facelift usually takes 2 to 3 hours under general anaesthetic, and most people stay in hospital overnight. It takes about 2 to 4 weeks to fully recover, and bruising shows for at least 2 weeks. Swelling or numbness may last weeks or months. Unless they dissolve, the stitches are removed at roughly 7 to 14 days. In ASPS terms, most people are presentable to the public within 10 to 14 days.
For flying after facial cosmetic surgery, the NHS describes a wait of 7 to 10 days, as air travel on top of major surgery makes a blood clot more likely, and such a clot can be life threatening. In either country, your surgeon is the one to confirm your flying date.
Sources: NHS, American Society of Plastic Surgeons
Facelift risks, in either country
Among facelift risks, the NHS names nerve damage that numbs or weakens part of the face, an uneven result, hair loss by the scars, thick scars and slow healing. Any operation has a small risk of heavy bleeding, a blood clot, infection or an allergic reaction to the anaesthetic. Your surgeon should explain how likely these are, and how they would be treated.
Back in Australia, follow up care is often missing, says the Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons. And because most insurers exclude complications from cosmetic procedures, Smartraveller suggests a specialised policy.
Sources: NHS, Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons, Smartraveller (South Korea, Medical tourism)
Questions to ask any facelift surgeon, in Korea or Vietnam
These come from the NHS and Smartraveller. Send them to a Seoul or a Vietnam hospital before you book.
- How many facelifts have you done, and how many had complications?
- Which kind of facelift do you suggest for my face, and why?
- Does the local health authority license or accredit this hospital?
- Can I have two consultations with you before surgery, not only with sales staff?
- Do you speak a language I understand? If not, who will translate?
- Can you show me pictures of facelifts you did yourself?
- When can I fly home, and where will my follow up be?
- What happens if something goes wrong after I am home?
- Do you and the hospital have indemnity and malpractice insurance?
Get the replies in writing, together with a quote, which healthdirect Australia says you should always ask for.
Sources: NHS, Smartraveller (Medical tourism), healthdirect Australia
How Beauty Link helps if you choose Vietnam
Beauty Link cannot help with a facelift in Seoul, since it only covers Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. Take the question list above to Korean hospitals yourself.
If you pick Vietnam, Beauty Link acts as a free concierge, paid by hospitals and not by you. Each hospital it suggests holds a Vietnamese Ministry of Health license and registration.
- A quiz captures what you want from a lift, and Beauty Link lists matching licensed hospitals.
- A WhatsApp chat links you to the hospital, and an advisor translates.
- You receive the hospital's written facelift plan, with a quote showing what it includes.
- You get an airport pickup when you land, and your advisor checks in on you during recovery.
Not everyone should be approved for surgery. Your hospital and surgeon decide whether it suits you. Andrew Lam, Co-founder, runs Beauty Link.
Read face lift Vietnam, plastic surgery Korea vs Vietnam, Thailand face lift vs Vietnam and plastic surgery safety in Vietnam.
Sources: Beauty Link team records
Questions
It is not one operation. Seoul hospitals use the name for several facelift types, such as SMAS lifts, deep plane facelifts and mini lifts. ASPS says many facelifts lift the deeper layers and muscles, not only the skin. Ask your surgeon which type they plan for you.
Beauty Link does not rank countries for a lift. As Smartraveller puts it, standards may vary by region, hospital and medical professional inside a country.
No source used here names one technique as the most natural. ASPS says good candidates have realistic expectations. Ask for photos of the surgeon's own facelift patients, as the NHS suggests.
This page lists no facelift prices for either country. Ask each hospital for a written quote that says what is included. Smartraveller says to consider all possible costs, including care if there is a complication.
The NHS describes waiting 7 to 10 days after facial cosmetic procedures before you fly, because of the clot risk. Ask your surgeon which wait fits your face lift.
Sources: NHS, American Society of Plastic Surgeons, Smartraveller (Medical tourism)