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Facelift

  • Standard Recovery Time:
    1 month
  • Average Cost:
    $6,000 - $25,000
  • Anesthesia Required:
    Yes
Facelift Beautifi Procedure

About Facelift

A face lift (aka Rhytidectomy) is a surgical procedure that improves the appearance of aging in the face and neck. Skin and tissue naturally lose their elasticity which leads to sagging and wrinkles as we get older.

Excess skin is removed, wrinkles/folds are smoothed out, and facial tissue is tightened during a facelift. However, a facelift does not include a brow lift or an eye lift, these are separate surgeries, but they can be done simultaneously as a facelift procedure.

Usually, a facelift is focused on the bottom part of the face and, in most cases, includes the neck. A flap of skin is pulled back on each side of the face, and the tissue beneath the skin is changed to help restore the face’s natural contours and give it a more youthful appearance.

Commonly asked questions about Facelift

1. What is a facelift?

A facelift (aka Rhytidectomy) is a surgical procedure that improves the appearance of aging in the face and neck. Skin and tissue naturally lose their elasticity which leads to sagging and wrinkles as we get older.

Excess skin is removed, wrinkles/folds are smoothed out, and facial tissue is tightened during a facelift. However, a facelift does not include a brow lift or an eye lift, these are separate surgeries, but they can be done simultaneously as a facelift procedure.

Usually, a facelift is focused on the bottom part of the face and, in most cases, includes the neck. A flap of skin is pulled back on each side of the face, and the tissue beneath the skin is changed to help restore the face’s natural contours and give it a more youthful appearance.

2. Why is a facelift done?

A facelift isn’t a treatment for superficial wrinkles, sun damage, creases around the nose and upper lip, or irregularities in skin color. These can be treated with non-surgical procedures such as Botox, filler, and microdermabrasion.

The following are examples of age-related changes in the face that can be decreased with a facelift:

  • Sagging cheeks
  • Excess skin at the lower jawline/jowls
  • Deepening folds of skin at the side of the nose and corners of the mouth
  • Sagging and excess fat in the neck

3. Am I a good candidate for a facelift?

The soft tissues in your face and neck should sag with deep wrinkles, a double chin, and jowls to be a good candidate for a facelift.

In addition, you are generally a good candidate if you:

  • Are in overall good health
  • Are a non-smoker
  • Have realistic expectations of the outcome
  • Have sufficient skin elasticity
  • Understand the recovery process

4. How is a facelift performed?

Step One – Anesthesia
The choices for anesthesia for this procedure include intravenous sedation and general anesthesia. Most of the time, general anesthesia is used.

Step Two – The Incision
Depending on the degree of change you want to see, there are three choices for a facelift – a traditional facelift, limited incision facelift, or a neck lift.

A traditional Facelift incision begins at the temples within the hairline, goes around the ear, and ends in the lower scalp by the nape of the neck. The fat in the face, jowls, and neck is then sculpted or redistributed, and the underlying tissue is relocated (usually, the deeper layers of the face and muscles are also lifted). Skin is then re-draped over the uplifted contours, and the excess skin is trimmed. Finally, there may be a second incision under the chin to improve an aging neck.

Limited incision Facelift is an alternative to a traditional facelift, also known as a “Mini-lift,” this method uses shorter incisions at the temple and continuing around the ear. This method is usually used for patients with less skin relaxation, as the results are lesser than a full facelift.

A Neck Lift is performed to address sagging jowls, loose neck skin, and fat accumulation under the chin (double chin). The incision for a neck lift begins at the front of the ear lobe and wraps behind the ear, and ends within the hair behind the ear.

Step Three – Closing the Incision
To close the incisions, sutures or skin adhesives are used. Depending on the sutures used, they may need to be removed after a few days, and others dissolve independently. Once the incisions are healed, the incision lines are concealed within the contours of the face or in the hairline.

Step Four – Results
Once bruising and swelling subside, the results will be visible. Your appearance should appear more youthful and rested.

5. How long does a facelift surgery take to complete?

Depending on the complexity of your surgery, a facelift can take two to four hours to complete, but if it is combined with more procedures such as a brow, eye, or neck lift, it can take up to six hours.

6. What is the recovery like after surgery?

Day 1: When you wake up after surgery, you will feel groggy and sleepy. Someone will have to drive you home and care for you for the first night after surgery.

Day 2: You will most likely have a follow-up visit with your surgeon. They will change any dressings and evaluate your incision sites and swelling.

Day 3: You should start to see an improvement in how you feel. Bruising and swelling are usually at their worst at this time and will most likely be around for a couple of weeks.

Days 4-6: By this time, you should no longer need pain medication, and you should start to see the swelling go down significantly. Doing light housework is permitted if you feel well enough to do so.

Days 7-14: Some swelling and bruising will remain, and you may experience some numbness, tingling sensations, and tightness around the affected areas – this is all normal. At around the 3-4 week mark, you should be able to begin to see the improvements to their facial contour. Exercise can be resumed.

Day 30: By the end of the month, you should see the full effect of your new face. Although, minor swelling, bruising, numbness, and tightness can last for up to one year after your procedure.

7. How long do the results last?

A facelift provides long-lasting results, but it does not stop the aging process altogether, and it is essential to have realistic expectations. Once you undergo this procedure, you can enjoy a more youthful appearance for up to 20 years. The total length of your results depends on your age at the time of the surgery and how your body ages over time.

8. How much do facelifts cost in Canada?

Because no two patients are identical, the average cost of a facelift in Canada varies greatly. In the same way, no two facelift procedures are performed in the same way. The cost of a facelift in Canada can range between $6,000-25,000. The extent of the procedure and where the procedure is performed will heavily influence the price.

9. What are the risks of a facelift surgery?

As with any surgical procedure, there is some risk of complications. Facelift risks, while rare, include:

  • Bleeding
  • Deep vein thrombosis, cardiac and pulmonary complications
  • Facial nerve injuries
  • Fluid accumulation
  • Infection
  • Numbness
  • Persistent pain
  • Poor wound healing
  • Prolonged swelling
  • Hair loss at incisions
  • Scarring
  • Asymmetry of the face

10. Is a facelift worth it?

2,030/2,183 people who have undergone a Facelift procedure have rated the procedure “Worth It” (92%)