When Is a Facelift Right for You?
For those of us lucky enough to grow old, the physical outcomes of aging can be distressing and difficult to accept. This is especially true if you generally feel healthy, vibrant, and youthful. When your external appearance doesn’t match your internal feelings, it can be difficult to watch lines set in and your features droop. Many people who consider a surgical facelift here in Montreal struggle with the question of “when.” When is the best age to undergo surgery—when will it yield the most meaningful, long-lasting results?
The answer isn’t as simple as one might hope. There is no perfect age when facelift surgery becomes ideal. Instead, it’s almost entirely based on the level of facial aging that’s present. Because every person ages differently, some may be “ready” for facelift surgery by their mid-40s, while others feel comfortable delaying the surgery until their 60s. Typically, I look for the following symptoms to determine a patient’s eligibility for the surgery:
- Significant sagging in the midface
- Lines and wrinkles around the mouth and chin
- Loss of definition of the jawline
- Laxity and looseness of the chin or upper neck
Today’s Facelift: Worth Waiting For
Throughout the last few years, the accepted techniques for facelift surgery have made incredible strides. Previously, a facelift was achieved by a rather crude, superficial stretching of the skin. Although this approach achieved its desired result of smoothing away lines and wrinkles, it often left behind a very artificial “stretched” look. Additionally, the results simply didn’t last very long.
Today’s facelift techniques have been highly refined to improve the position of the deeper layers of facial tissue, lifting the muscle and skin as a single unit. In addition to reducing the look of wrinkles, this method lifts the muscles to a more youthful position and creates a much longer lasting outcome.
When performed on an eligible candidate by an experienced surgeon, this approach to facelift preserves the unique character of the face, taking off the years but leaving behind a natural look.
An additional option that’s preferred by many of my patients is combining surgeries for more comprehensive results. This approach is relatively straightforward. By performing more than one facial rejuvenation procedure during the surgery, I can address multiple concerns at once.
Combining procedures also has the added benefit of reduced overall cost. Undergoing a single surgery rather than multiple surgeries spaced out over a number of weeks costs less money and saves time, too. Popular combinations include:
- Eyelid surgery and facelift: The delicate skin of the upper or lower eyelids makes them especially susceptible to lines, wrinkles, sagging, and an overall loss of integrity. By combining eyelid surgery with a facelift, I am able to revive a patient’s entire face.
- Brow lift and facelift: Often, the brow line or forehead carries a great deal of visual weight. For some people, this is a natural facial feature that’s present from early life. For others, a sagging brow appears as a result of the aging process. In either case, a brow lift procedure can reduce the “weight” of the brow, opening the face and creating a more alert, rejuvenated appearance.
- Nonsurgical procedures and facelift: Using nonsurgical treatments, such as injectable fillers or BOTOX Cosmetic® to complement the results of facelift surgery is an excellent option for many. These treatments often go where surgery cannot, focusing on small, targeted lines and areas of lost volume. Nonsurgical treatments may be administered at the time of facelift or afterward as a means to enhance or maintain results.
My approaches to facelift surgery are as unique as the faces I operate on. Wherever you are on the spectrum of facial aging, I strive to meet you there, creating solutions that precisely address your needs.
