Stealth Surgeries Are the Gold Standard of Rejuvenation
In 2025, the celebs we love have publicly moved away from minimally invasive treatments like filler in favor of advanced surgical techniques with extremely natural results. From a rejuvenated Marc Jacobs to Jane Fonda‘s forever-young look, even the stars who have admitted to undergoing a facelift look undetectable. The new era of stealth surgeries has arrived, and it’s now the gold standard of anti-aging.
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What are stealth surgeries?
The answer is more simple than it might first appear. Stealth surgeries are just an aesthetic procedure that results in a natural-looking enhancement. And that’s been the gold standard for expert plastic surgeons for a while now.
“In order to achieve a facelift that looks natural and not artificial, you really have to have an expert understanding of the anatomy,” New York plastic surgeon Elie Levine, MD explains. “When you’re focusing on restoration, the facelift and fat transfer addresses signs of aging and volume loss in a way that creates profound improvement without looking unnatural.”
For Houston, TX plastic surgeon Henry Mentz, MD, part of the shifting facelift trends has been the patients themselves. “We have definitely seen momentum toward younger facelift patients,” Dr. Mentz says. “Back in the year 2000, most patients were between 60 and 75 having facelifts. Our average age now is in the low 50s and starting to trend toward the mid-40s.”
How to Get a Facelift That Looks Natural
The best results also have a lot to do with the technique used. And facelift technique has changed in the last few decades to fall under what we would consider “stealth surgeries.”
“There’s a growing trend toward prevention instead of correction,” says Beverly Hills facial plastic surgeon Kimberly Lee, MD. “The facelifts we’re performing today are very different from those of past generations—we’re using smaller, more hidden incisions that provide maximum results while maintaining a natural look.”
Alongside hidden incisions and reduced scarring, experts now also delve deeper into the layers of the face to restore a naturally youthful look.
According to New York plastic surgeon Aviva B. Preminger, MD, a natural-looking facelift requires a comprehensive approach. “My method focuses on dual plane lifting, by addressing both skin and the underlying muscles (SMAS layer) for a more natural and long-lasting result. I also combine fat grafting or subtle fillers to replace lost volume, so we’re not relying on tightness alone. I also like to pair the facelift with treatments like laser resurfacing, microneedling or PRP for overall rejuvenation.”
Wayne, NJ plastic surgeon Jeffrey B. Wise, MD, agrees. “In my opinion, traditional skin-only procedures can create a pulled or operated-on appearance,” Dr. Wise says. “That’s why I rely on deep plane procedures, where repositioned fascia and muscles allow the skin to naturally drape.”
