Thank you for this important question.
The realistic goal is for no one to notice resultant scars after a face lift. Scaring is mostly genetic in nature. However the resultant scar depends on where the incision is placed and the technique used for suturing the edges of the skin together.
There are several types of face lift (rhytidectomy). However what they all have in common is a incision and a resultant scar. The primary goal after obtaining the structural improvements of the face is the hiding of the scars so they are not noticeable or can be easily found. Placing a incision along a natural creases, at junction of different structures (base of ear and face), behind structures (ear tragus/behind ear and within or along behind hair line).
The resultant scars after a traditional face lift start just under and adjacent to the sideburn area and then along the natural crease of the upper ear and junction of the face then behind the tragus (the bump in front of the ear canal) continuing in the natural crease of the lower ear junction of the face ) of the lower ear and facial skin to the ear lobe. At the base of the earlobe the incision continues behind the back side of the ear and then up into the scalp hair or along the hair line.
My personal goal is for face lift patients scars to blend with the surrounding skin, not to have use makeup to cover scars and wear their hair in a pony tail or bun style without anyone noticing the their scars.