The facelift files

What is it? A "mini" facelift to firm the jawline. The "S"-shaped scar is short, running from the front of the ear to behind it, rather than up into the hairline as with a classic facelift.

How long does it take? Approximately two hours. You can be heavily sedated rather than undergo a general anaesthetic.

What's the downtime? Less swelling and bruising than a facelift, but still takes 10 days to recover.

What's it best for? If the laxity in the lower face is only moderate, this is better to firm the jawline as there is minimal scarring. Good for patients aged 35-45.

Possible problems? Slight swelling and bruising, possible numbness.

How much does it cost? £4,000

Browlift

What is it? Keyhole surgery to lift a "heavy" brow. Six to eight incisions are made along the hairline, then the surgeon uses an endoscope - a tiny camera - to free the tissues of the brow and reposition them higher. Excess skin is "re-draped" on the bone with tiny metal/plastic screws.

How long does it take? An hour.

What's the downtime? A week for swelling or bruising to fade.

What's it best for? A heavy brow which is either hereditary or droopy due to ageing, making the eye area look "crowded". Can be performed in the early thirties, but usually 40-plus.

Possible problems? The area may feel numb. If the brow wasn't very droopy, the result may be minimal. How much does it cost? £3,500

Eyelift

What is it? An eyelift (blepharoplasty) is the removal of excess skin and fat from the upper and/or lower lids. For heavy upper lids, the surgeon makes an incision in the crease of the lid, removes fat and trims the skin. For the lower lid, the incision is made just under the lower lash line, excess fat and skin is removed. The scars should be hardly noticeable.

How long does it take? Half an hour for each procedure on both eyes, an hour when both procedures are done together.

What's the downtime? Sunglasses for a week, to conceal bruising.

What's it best for? Loose skin on the upper lids, making the eyes look tired and "heavy" or under-eye bags. The latter can be hereditary and removal can be done as early as the late twenties. Otherwise, eyelifts can be performed at virtually any age.

Possible problems? Lids pulled too tightly give a cat-like appearance.

How much does it cost? £2,900 separately; together, £3,500

Laser resurfacing

What is it? A "hot" laser vaporises and dissipates the top layers of skin to improve lines and tighten skin, giving a fresher appearance. Can be done in conjunction with a facelift.

How long does it take? One hour.

What's the downtime? Can be extremely sore and takes up to six weeks for livid redness to fade. Special creams, to keep the skin moisturised and cleansed, must be used for at least a week after surgery.

What's it best for? Fine-to-medium wrinkles. Can be done in separate areas, such as around the eyes or mouth. Usually performed on people aged 30-plus.

Possible problems? The affected area can be infected if not cleansed.

How much does it cost? Full face,

£3,700

Lip Implants

What is it? Temporary or permanent "fillers", such as collagen, injected into the lips so they look fuller.

How long does it take? Half an hour, whether the surgeon is using temporary fillers (three to four months), longer-lasting ones (a year), or permanent fillers such as Artecol.

What's the downtime? Lips will be swollen for 24-48 hours.

What's it best for? To plump up naturally thin lips or lips that have become thin due to ageing.

Possible problems? Temporary fillers can be absorbed by the body too quickly so you have to keep forking out to maintain the appearance. Some people are allergic to collagen; a skin test a month before is essential. Permanent fillers can produce the dreaded "trout pout" and have to be removed by cutting into the lips, which can be painful.

How much does it cost? For temporary fillers such as Restylane, Perlane, Collagen and Juvederm,

£300-£400 per treatment; Artecol, from £700

Botox

What is it? A purified and diluted form of the deadly botulism toxin which makes a muscle relax when injected into it. The result is the smoothing out of expression lines which have resulted from overactivity of the muscles that "make" the expression. Each treatment lasts about four months.

How long does it take? 10 minutes

What's the downtime? The area injected may be red for a few hours and pin-prick needle marks may still be visible.

What's it best for? Smoothing out frown lines and crow's feet around the eyes. A skilful surgeon can inject the muscles above the eyebrows to make the brow "lift" and this can sometimes be as effective as the £3,500 browlift procedure, at a fraction of the price. Most surgeons prefer patients to be over 30 and under 65.

Possible problems? If too much Botox is given the brow may droop or the forehead may become immobile. Treatment around the mouth can cause dribbling.

How much? Per treatment, £200-£500

Fillers

What is it? Filler (the same as for lips) to fill forehead lines, nose-to-mouth lines, crow's feet or "marionette" lines at the corner of the mouth. There's also Isologen, which creates a filler by taking a sample of the patient's skin and "growing" natural collagen in a lab.

How long does it take? 15 minutes, but with Isologen, there is at least a six-week gap between taking the sample and injecting it.

What's the downtime? The area injected may be swollen and red for 24 hours.

What's it best for? Deep lines that need to be "grouted" to make them less noticeable. Patients are usually 30-plus.

Possible problems? Hard lumps can form along the lines and the filler is usually absorbed by the body after three to four months. Isologen, unlike other fillers, does not give instant results as it literally grows in the body once injected and there may not be any visible result for up to three months.

How much does it cost? Fillers, £300-£400 per treatment; Isologen, starts at £2,500