• Length: 3-4 hours
• Anesthesia: General
• In/Outpatient: Outpatient
• Side Effects: Bruising, swelling, numbness in the skin
• Risks: Bleeding, infection, minor scarring, nerve injury
• Recovery:
  

  Return to work: 10 days to 2 weeks

  Light exercise: 2 weeks

  Swelling completely resolves: 4-8 weeks

Before and after facelift photos

While facelift surgery doesn’t stop the aging process, it can help reduce the visible signs of aging by removing excess fat, tightening your underlying facial muscles, and re-draping the skin on your face and neck.

Because of the complexities of facelift, only the most talented plastic surgeons should perform the procedure. Montreal plastic surgeon Dr. Arie Benchetrit has many years of experience in facelift surgery and is known for producing beautiful, natural-looking results.

The Facelift Consultation

During your consultation, Dr. Benchetrit will discuss your cosmetic goals and review your general health, medical history, and previous surgeries to determine whether you are a suitable candidate. He will also walk you through surgical and non-surgical facial rejuvenation options, share before-and-after photos, and outline a treatment plan tailored to your needs.

This is also the time to ask questions and learn what to expect — including how to prepare for surgery (such as stopping smoking at least two weeks beforehand and avoiding certain medications), what the day of surgery will involve, and recovery tips to ensure the smoothest healing.

Facelift Techniques

A facelift is completely tailored to your individual needs.

Classic Facelift

When doing a “classic” facelift, Dr. Benchetrit makes the facelift incisions above the hairline at your temples, extending in front of your ear and continuing behind your earlobe to your lower scalp. Through the incisions, he carefully separates the facial and neck tissue and muscles. Dr. Benchetrit will trim excess fat, redistribute fat in areas where it may be depleted, tighten the facial muscles and tissues, and re-drape the skin more tightly over the face. After trimming excess skin, he secures the remaining skin with self-dissolving sutures and applies surgical bandages.

Short-Scar Facelift

Dr. Benchetrit specializes in the short-scar facelift technique. This is essentially a full facelift performed through an incision one-third the usual length. The results are the same as a “classic” facelift, but the scar is much shorter, recovery is faster, and the risk of complications is lower.

Mini Facelift

If you lack the requisite skin laxity, you may be a better candidate for a “mini facelift,” which is less extensive than a full facelift or a short-scar facelift. Inquire about this option with Dr. Benchetrit during your consultation. You can also learn about other facial rejuvenation options, such as a brow lift or eyelid surgery.

What to Expect on the Day of Surgery

Facelift surgery is typically performed on an outpatient basis at an accredited surgical center or at Lakeshore Hospital. The procedure can take several hours or longer, especially if you have decided to combine it with another surgery, such as a brow lift or blepharoplasty. An anesthesiologist will administer the appropriate medications to help you sleep painlessly through surgery.

When Dr. Benchetrit finishes the surgery, you’ll rest in a recovery suite before being released to go home. You will need to make arrangements ahead of time to have someone drive you home from surgery and look after you for the first 24 hours or so after surgery.

Recovering from a Facelift

Your face will be swollen and bruised right after surgery, but most patients experience surprisingly little pain after a facelift. You may also have some numbness in your skin. Any pain or discomfort can be alleviated with oral pain medication prescribed by Dr. Benchetrit.

Our team will supply detailed instructions for caring for your face, and specifically your incisions, as you recover. In general, it’s best to avoid strenuous activities and rest as much as possible during your facelift recovery. Performing routine, non-strenuous activities is fine, even the day after surgery.

While the initial facelift dressing is quite bulky, it only stays in place for a day or two. Once removed, no further dressing is required. Patients can usually shower and wash their hair the day after surgery!

You will need to return to Dr. Benchetrit’s office several times during your recovery so he can check your healing progress and advise you on when it is safe to return to work, exercise, and your normal routine. Full facelift recovery varies by patient, but generally, patients can exercise one week after surgery and return to work 10-14 days later. Results of the surgery are immediately visible, but the final results take several months to see, after all the swelling has completely resolved.

Why Choose Dr. Benchetrit For Facelift Surgery in Montreal, QC?

Few Montreal plastic surgeons bring the depth of credentials and experience Dr. Benchetrit offers. A Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of Canada in both General and Plastic Surgery, he has been performing facelifts since 1990 and holds privileges at Lakeshore General Hospital — providing a safe, accredited setting for your procedure. As Medical Director of Cosmedica, one of the few Quebec clinics offering both surgical and non-surgical facial rejuvenation, he delivers unbiased treatment plans tailored to your goals and budget. His commitment to marrying science with artistry consistently produces the natural-looking, refreshed results his patients have come to expect.

Frequently Asked Questions about Facelift Surgery

Is a facelift right for me?

A facelift is a highly individualized procedure, and you should do it for yourself, not to fulfill someone else’s desires or to fit any ideal image.

Facelift surgery is a good option for you if:

• You are physically healthy
• You don’t smoke
• You have a positive outlook and specific but realistic goals in mind for improving your appearance.

What can a facelift do for me?

If you are bothered by the signs of aging in your face, a facelift may be right for you. Technically known as rhytidectomy, a facelift is a surgical procedure to improve visible signs of aging in the face and neck, such as:

• Sagging in the midface
• Deep creases below the lower eyelids
• Deep creases along the nose extending to the corner of the mouth
• Fat that has fallen or is displaced
• Loss of muscle tone in the lower face may create jowls
• Loose skin and excess fatty deposits under the chin and jaw can make even a person of normal weight appear to have a double chin.

Rejuvenation procedures typically performed in conjunction with a facelift include a brow lift to correct a sagging or deeply furrowed brow and eyelid surgery to rejuvenate aging eyes.

What won’t a facelift do for me?

As a restorative surgery, a facelift does not change your fundamental appearance and cannot stop the aging process.

A facelift can only be performed surgically; non-surgical rejuvenation treatments cannot achieve the same results, but may help delay the time at which a facelift becomes appropriate and complement the results of surgery.

What about bruising after my facelift?

Most facelift surgeries are associated with some bruising. The degree of bruising depends on the surgical technique and the patient’s own tendency to bruise. The bruising will gradually fade and move with gravity. It is therefore expected that the discoloration from bruising will gradually diminish and migrate down the face in the first few days following surgery.

Will the results of my facelift be long-lasting?

It may take several months for swelling to fully dissipate and up to 6 months for incision lines to mature. Long-term sun protection will help maintain your rejuvenated appearance by minimizing photo-aging and sun damage. In addition, a healthy lifestyle will also help extend the results of your rejuvenated, more youthful appearance.

Learn More from Dr. Benchetrit

Are you interested in looking up to 10 years younger? Schedule a facelift consultation with Dr. Benchetrit to learn how you can safely take years off of your appearance. Contact our practice today at 514-695-7450.