Ruling on exfoliation of the face and face-lifts

Exfoliation means removing a layer of skin to expose new
skin. The reason for doing that may be to remove a blemish on the skin that
resulted from a burn or tear, or it may be for cosmetic purposes, to
beautify the face. If it is the former, then it is permissible, because
removing blemishes makes this action permissible. But if it is for the
latter then it is not permissible, because that is changing the creation of
Allaah, and is a kind of beautification that is not permissible in
sharee’ah. 

In the answer to question no.
34215 we stated that it is haraam
to exfoliate the face, and that it is changing the creation of Allaah.  

Face-lift operations are usually done for purposes of
beautification and to remove wrinkles. This comes under the heading of
changing the creation of Allaah. In the answer to question no.
47694 we have stated the ruling on
cosmetic surgery, and we explained that some of it may be essential so it is
permissible, and some of it may be for the purpose of beautification, and it
is haraam, because it comes under the heading of changing the creation of
Allaah. And we gave face-lifts as one of the examples of such operations. 

In addition to what we mentioned of rulings in the two
answers referred to above, we may also mention the harm caused by some of
these operations. 

There is nothing wrong with trying to beautify the face by
means other than exfoliation, such as using some kinds of permissible creams
or medicines, so long as that does not do any damage to the face. 

And Allaah knows
best.