What is the facelift revision that comedian Shim Hyung-rae underwent at age 67?

Shim Hyung-rae / Captured from Young9TV

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Comedian Shim Hyung-rae, 67, revealed that he recently underwent a revision facelift procedure, saying he decided to have the surgery so he could present a more polished appearance to viewers as he begins a new chapter on YouTube.

Shim shared the news through a video posted on his channel “Young9TV,” titled “[First video] I’m starting YouTube — and I fixed my face first.” In the video, he visits a clinic and explains, “This isn’t just facial lifting, it’s what you’d call a facelift. I’m trying to remodel my face completely,” adding that entertainers need to maintain their appearance, especially when starting a new broadcasting platform.

After changing into hospital attire, Shim reacts nervously when a nurse explains that the procedure will be a revision facelift. “This is really painful,” he says, recalling his previous experience. He adds, “I’m doing this for the fans. Entertainers need to have professional awareness, and if possible, I want to meet fans with a better face.”

Following the roughly three-hour surgery, Shim appears with bandages wrapped around his face, and the production staff note that although his face appears swollen, he already looks visibly younger.

What is facelift surgery and who is it for?

A facelift procedure is performed to treat sagging facial skin and wrinkles. Surgeons typically make incisions around the front or back of the ears or along the scalp line, and depending on the degree of facial sagging, midface, lower face or neck lift techniques may be performed at the same time.

The operation is usually performed under general anesthesia or sedation, and may take between three and six hours depending on the surgical area. Rather than tightening only the surface of the skin, the deeper fascial layers are lifted, helping restore collapsed facial contours and improving jowl sagging, nasolabial folds and drooping cheeks.

Higher complication risk in older adults

Possible side effects after facelift surgery include bleeding, hematoma, infection, asymmetry, skin necrosis and nerve injury. Experts say that older patients face increased risk because blood supply to the skin is relatively reduced with age, which can delay wound healing or cause partial tissue necrosis.

In some cases, temporary weakness may occur around the mouth or eyes due to irritation of the facial nerves. Most symptoms improve within several months, but in rare cases long-term complications may remain.

Before surgery, doctors emphasize the need for comprehensive evaluation of underlying conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis and the use of anticoagulant medications. Substances such as aspirin, circulation enhancers and certain supplements can increase bleeding risk and may need to be discontinued before surgery. Smoking significantly reduces blood flow and increases the likelihood of skin necrosis, meaning strict smoking cessation before and after surgery is essential.

Why revision surgery requires greater caution

Doctors say that revision facelift procedures, such as the one Shim underwent, must be approached with particular care. Tissue that has previously been operated on often contains scar tissue and adhesions, which raises the difficulty of the surgery and increases the risk of nerve or blood vessel damage.

For that reason, experienced surgeons need to review previous incision areas and recovery history while assessing skin condition, elasticity and facial balance before deciding whether surgery is appropriate. Specialists say patients should avoid excessive correction during revision procedures and instead focus on addressing specific areas of dissatisfaction, since aggressive lifting can create an unnatural or overly tense facial appearance.

This article from Kormedi.com, Korea’s top health care and medical portal, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.