Facelift Surgery in West Island, Montreal

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

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 Arie Benchetrit has many years of experience with facelift surgery and is known for producing beautiful and natural-looking results. If you are curious about what facelift can do for you, why not schedule a consultation with Dr. Benchetrit to discuss?

The Facelift Consultation

The facelift consultation serves several purposes. First, it gives you the opportunity to identify your cosmetic goals and explain your desired outcome. After listening to your reasons for seeking a facelift, Dr. Benchetrit can ascertain whether your expectations are reasonable, and determine if you are a suitable facelift candidate. In making this decision, he also takes into account your general health, medical history and any previous surgeries. Dr. Benchetrit will also explain what other surgical and non-surgical options are available for facial rejuvenation so that you can choose the procedure(s) that best fits your needs and aesthetic goals. He will then show you a broad selection of “before and after facelift” photos of his patients so you can have an idea of what to expect. When you have decided to go ahead with facelift surgery, Dr. Benchetrit will lay out a treatment plan that is tailored to your individual needs and goals.

The facelift consultation is also an excellent forum for you to ask questions about the procedure and learn what you can expect throughout the entire experience. Dr. Benchetrit and our team will explain how you should prepare for surgery — for example, you must stop smoking at least two weeks prior to surgery and avoid certain medications — and outline what the day of surgery will be like. Dr. Benchetrit can also give you tips to follow after surgery for the quickest and smoothest recovery. He may recommend certain scar-reducing products to use during your recovery to minimize any facelift scarring.

Vectra 3D Photography

Dr. Benchetrit is one of the very few surgeons in Canada to own the Vectra 3D photography system. This revolutionary device can take 3D photos of the face and neck and then simulate the results of the planned surgery on a computer screen. This makes it easier for the patient to make her decision and, by giving a “preview” of the final result, takes much of the worry out of the process.

Facelift Techniques

A facelift is completely tailored to your individual needs. 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.

Dr. Benchetrit specializes in the Short-Scar facelift technique. This is basically a full facelift performed through an incision that is one-third the usual length. The results are the same as a “classic” facelift but the scar is much shorter, the recovery faster and there is less risk of complications. This technique is described in more detail under the heading “Short Scar Facelift.”

If you lack the requisite skin laxity, you may be a better candidate for a “mini facelift,” which is not as extensive as 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 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 the Lakeshore Hospital. The procedure can take several hours or longer, especially if you have decided to combine another surgery like brow lift or blepharoplasty. An anesthesiologist will administer the appropriate medications to help you sleep painlessly through surgery. When Dr. Benchetrit is finished with 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 Facelift

Your face will be swollen and bruised right after surgery but there is surprisingly little pain for most patients 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 that you avoid strenuous activities and simply 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, there is no further dressing. 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 when it is safe to go back 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 completely resolves.

Why Choose Dr. Benchetrit For Your Surgery?

Dr. Benchetrit is an experienced plastic surgeon who has performed hundreds of facelifts in Montreal with very good results. He is board-certified, familiar with the latest technologies and techniques, and has obtained a very high degree of satisfaction for his patients. His hospital affiliation allows him to provide his patients with a safe environment in which to have this complex procedure. Dr. Benchetrit spends a lot of time in the consultation process explaining the different options and helping the patient select the right procedure(s) for their desired result. Because his clinic offers all of the non-surgical and surgical facial procedures, Dr. Benchetrit can give you an unbiased, objective treatment plan that will fit your goals and budget. With the help of the Vectra 3D photo system, patients can “preview” the results of their surgery on a computer screen to help them decide if this is exactly what they want.

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.

Frequently Asked Questions about Facelift Surgery

Q: Is a facelift right for me

A: A facelift is a highly individualized procedure and you should do it for yourself, not to fulfill someone else’s desires or to try to fit any sort of 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 the improvement of your appearance.

Q: What can a facelift do for me?

A: Enhancing your appearance with a facelift

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 are brow lift, to correct a sagging or deeply furrowed brow, and eyelid surgery to rejuvenate aging eyes.

Q: What won’t a facelift do for me?

A: 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.

Q: What about bruising after my facelift?

A: 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 in appearance and move in the direction of 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.

Q: Will the results of my facelift be long-lasting?

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

Q: What is a facelift?

A: A facelift (medically known as rhytidectomy) is a surgical procedure that smoothes loose skin on the face and neck, tightens underlying tissues and muscles, and removes excess fat. It is one of the most popular cosmetic procedures performed in the United States today.

Q: What’s involved?

A: There are many possibilities involved in a facelift. Loss of elasticity in the skin along with deflation needs to be addressed. Some patients will need volume replacement which can be achieved with facial fillers and/or fat grafting, to fully restore their youthful look. Others will only have their muscles, tissues, and skin tightened. A specialist in facial cosmetic surgery, like Dr. Benchetrit have the experience and knowledge to make decisions for every facelift patient that results in a greatly improved appearance.

Aesthetics will be a top concern for Dr. Benchetrit and he will make sure that your restored, vibrant face fits naturally with your body and your original appearance. Dr. Benchetrit’s experience allows him to properly assess which procedures are necessary for each patient. A good cosmetic surgeon will listen carefully to your wishes and expectations before deciding how to go about your facelift with you.

Q: What about recovery and scarring?

A: A moderate recovery time can be expected following your facelift. You will need to take it easy and follow our orders to the letter following this procedure. Typically, patients are back to their regular routine after only a few weeks. Scarring is minimal with a facelift.

If you have any questions about facelift surgery, or interest in other facial plastic surgery procedures, please contact us at any time at 514-695-7450.