It is often assumed by those wanting to get cosmetic surgery that it will make them look much younger than their real age.

However it seems that this is possibly a myth, according to a recent study. While patients are rejuvenated, in reality they may only look around 3 years younger than their real age.

Speaking with reporters, one of the lead researchers who also works at a New York hospital clinic said he didn’t want his patients to think that if they get face-lift, they’ll only look a few years younger. He stated that the study only includes those who had a brow or eyelid lift, recently.

This latest research though contradicts Canadian research in 2012, which suggested patients who have a facelift or necklift ‘looked’ on average 9 years younger.

But the Toronto-based research has been criticised as the number of procedures looked at were limited. Also, the procedures included in the study tended to be rather more superficial such as eye-lid surgery, plus anti-wrinkle treatments were not included in the study.

By contrast, the more recent study took a wider range of cosmetic surgery procedures.

In a related study, people were asked how they rated others’ ages and attractiveness. Participants were shown photographs of people after surgery and gave an average age-rating of 5.2 years younger than the actual age of the person.