Facelifts: Frequently Asked Questions & Answers
Facelift surgeries are one of the most effective ways to restore a youthful appearance. As we age, deep wrinkles, sagging and creases can make us look older than we feel, but a facelift can address these concerns by tightening the skin and muscles of the face and neck. In Vancouver, board-certified facial plastic surgeon Dr. Ritchie Younger has been performing facelifts for over 30 years, helping patients feel more comfortable and confident about their appearance. His high level of expertise and surgical skills have made him one of Canada’s leading plastic surgeons, where he’s known for producing balanced yet refined results.
If you’re considering a facelift, you might have some questions before consulting your plastic surgeon. To help you feel prepared, Dr. Younger and the Younger Facial Surgery Centre team have addressed a few topics that come up frequently during consultations. Keep reading to learn more about facelifts and how this procedure can help rejuvenate and refresh your appearance.
What is a Facelift?
A facelift is a surgical procedure used to reverse the signs of aging in both men and women. A facelift can rejuvenate your appearance by eliminating loose skin, wrinkles and sagging around the face and neck. Some of the reasons people consider a facelift include:
- Loose and sagging skin in the face and neck
- Jowls, a drooping jawline or double chin
- Hollowed or sunken cheeks
- Marionette lines, also known as laugh lines
- Deep wrinkles and folds
- Visible neck lines or muscle bands
Dr. Younger is a highly experienced, board-certified facial plastic surgeon known throughout Canada for providing exceptional results. There are several different kinds of facelifts available, but he can recommend the right technique for rejuvenating your appearance. His surgical expertise and artistic eye will ensure a balanced, seamless look that enhances your natural features.
What is The Best Facelift Procedure?
Although there are different variations of the facelift procedure, no one option is “best” for everyone. Dr. Younger will consult with you to discuss the areas or issues you wish to improve and decide which procedure best meets your needs. With that in mind, here is a breakdown of some of the most common facelift options available:
- Standard facelifts are a full-service facelift procedure that can address most signs of aging in the upper, mid or lower face. As the gold standard in facial rejuvenation, this procedure effectively eliminates wrinkles, loose skin, jowls and sagging to dramatically transform your appearance.
- Mini-facelifts are used when there is less sagging or loose skin present. Mini-facelifts tighten the skin and muscles to give you a more youthful appearance, but address more localized concerns than a full facelift. This procedure is ideal for middle-aged patients with specific signs of aging that aren’t too pronounced.
- Mid-facelifts are effective at treating the middle of the face and are often referred to as cheek lifts.
- Stretch-back facelifts are designed for patients who have had a previous facelift. The signs of aging continue after surgery, but this procedure retightens the skin and muscles to maintain your results.
- Neck lifts are used to treat loose skin, sagging and muscle banding that occurs in the neck area. This procedure tightens the neck for a youthful appearance and improves the definition of the jawline. When combined with a facelift, neck lifts can provide seamless and comprehensive results.
- Brow lifts are used to treat signs of aging in the brow and forehead. This procedure is often combined with eyelid surgery to rejuvenate the area around the eyes.
Am I the Right Age for a Facelift?
Facelifts are typically performed on men and women in their 40s, 50s, or 60s. Deep lines, wrinkles and sagging become more prevalent around this time, and these concerns are best addressed with surgical procedures that tighten the affected skin and muscles. In contrast, patients under 30 experience more moderate signs of aging, which respond well to nonsurgical treatments like Botox or dermal fillers. The less invasive mini-facelift is also an effective option for younger patients, using smaller incisions to correct mild sagging in the lower face and upper neck. During your consultation, Dr. Younger can evaluate your concerns and recommend the right approach for rejuvenating your appearance.
Regardless of your age, it’s important to have reasonable expectations about your facelift results. This procedure can provide substantial and long-lasting results, but it cannot stop the natural aging process or make you look 18 again. Instead, a facelift will remove and tighten sagging skin, smooth out deep wrinkles, and redefine your jawline. You’ll look rejuvenated, refreshed and great for your age. With good skin care habits and a healthy lifestyle, you can expect to maintain your results for 10 years or more after surgery. If you’ve previously had a facelift, Dr. Younger can perform a stretch-back facelift to eliminate any new sagging.
Will There Be Scarring?
With a facelift, incisions are required to allow Dr. Younger to tighten the underlying skin and muscles in the face or neck. In such a visible part of the body, it’s understandable that you may be concerned about scarring in this area. Fortunately, facelift incisions are placed where they can be easily hidden by the natural contours of your face, such as behind the ears or along the hairline. Some patients also require an incision beneath the chin. While the exact placement will vary depending on the severity of your concerns, Dr. Younger is a highly experienced facial plastic surgeon who takes great care to conceal your incisions. He will choose discreet locations to minimize scar visibility and produce seamless results. He’ll also provide you with detailed aftercare instructions to improve post-surgical healing.
After your facelift, there are some steps you can take at home to help your incisions fade. This includes wearing sunscreen, not smoking, and resisting the urge to pick or scratch at your skin as it begins to heal. You’ll also want to limit strenuous activities for the first month of your recovery, which can strain the area and cause incisions to open back up. By following these tips and your plastic surgeon’s advice, you can expect beautiful, natural-looking results with little to no visible scarring.
How Long is the Recovery Process?
A facelift provides more noticeable and longer-lasting results than nonsurgical treatments such as dermal fillers or Botox, but requires a bit more downtime than these other options. While recovering from any surgical or medical procedure varies from person to person, most patients feel comfortable returning to work after two weeks. Most of the bruising and swelling will subside by then, but strenuous activities will continue to be restricted for up to a month to ensure good results. If necessary, makeup can be applied to conceal any remaining bruises. While you’ll notice significant improvements in the weeks following your surgery, it can take up to two years for complete healing.
If you receive a mini-facelift or stretch-back facelift, these procedures are less invasive and utilize minimal incisions for a faster recovery. Bruising and swelling are milder and most patients are ready to return to work within one to two weeks. You can expect complete healing to occur after three to four months, during which time your results will continue to improve. If you’ve combined facelift procedures, you can expect the overall process to last longer, but you’ll have the benefit of just surgery and one recovery period.
Ready to Learn More?
At Younger Facial Surgery Centre in Vancouver, our goal is to refine your appearance and help you achieve a more youthful, vibrant version of yourself. For over three decades, Dr. Younger has been one of Canada’s top facelift providers, regarded for his surgical skill and expertise. If you’d like to learn more about facelifts or schedule a consultation, don’t hesitate to reach out. Contact or call us today at 604-265-9730 to get started.
