Facelift | Rhytidectomy
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Facelift | Rhytidectomy
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Facelift | Rhytidectomy
With natural aging, the skin and supporting ligaments of your face can stretch with time creating a sagging or deflated appearance. Significant weight loss can produce a similar effect. This will cause your cheeks, jawline and neck to descend downward, leading to intensified and deep creases. At the same time, we lose some of the fat in our faces, further adding to an aged appearance. As the surface of our face changes, deeper structures previously hidden may become more apparent, such as the facial bones, neck muscles or glands. Our Surrey facelift surgery can correct these aesthetic issues caused from aging.
A facelift (rhytidectomy) is a procedure to remove excess skin to reposition the supporting structures of the face and neck for a more youthful and rejuvenated appearance. Dr. Ratanshi frequently combines his facelift with a neck lift for a refined yet powerful means to improve your neckline. He also combines a facelift with other techniques, such as micro fat grafting, to provide volume otherwise lost through the aging process. This helps create a more rejuvenated appearance.
For some patients, only a minor amount of skin removal is needed with or without anchoring of the supporting layer of the face (the “SMAS”). This is referred to as a mini facelift. In these cases, a formal neck lift is also not required, meaning that your surgery can be accomplished with a smaller scar. Dr. Ratanshi will discuss with you if you are a candidate for a “Mini” Lift.
As the cheek lowers with age, it can also be accompanied with a loss of fat volume. During your facelift surgery, volume can be added in a very precise and targeted fashion using fat harvested from elsewhere in the body. This can be a useful adjunct to help achieve a more youthful appearance.
The upper lip can lengthen with age, resulting in a longer distance between the base of your nose and the top of the upper lip, and a more aged central face appearance. Removing some of the excess upper lip skin with an upper lip lift can help revitalize a central feature of the face that is not otherwise addressed with a Facelift procedure. During your consultation for your facelift Surrey plastic surgeon, Dr. Imran Ratanshi, will evaluate your concerns and perform a thorough facial analysis with every consultation for a Facelift.
At present, there is no permanent solution to adding volume to the lips. The addition of non-permanent facial filler remains the best option for adding volume to a thin lip. This can be done at the time of your surgery for more comfort and combining your facial goals in one setting. It can be done in combination with an Upper Lip Lift to add volume and shorten your lip-nose distance for a more youthful appearance.
No two faces look the same. No two faces age the same. Patients vary in how their tissues heal and settle with time. Weight changes and certain medical problems can also affect how our tissues behave. Dr. Ratanshi will review your specific concerns, perform a detailed facial assessment, and tailor a treatment plan that works best for you.
Facelift surgery takes 3 to 6 hours, depending on complexity. This surgery is performed in a private surgical facility under general anesthesia. A board-certified Anesthesiologist will provide your anesthesia and will discuss your anesthesia plan with you on the day of surgery. Additional local freezing is placed in all incisions to maximize comfort after surgery.
Incisions are planned in your hairline, extend along the creases at the junction of your ear and cheek, and may extend behind your ear into your hairline. Extra fat contributing to fullness below your chin can be directly removed through a small incision, or with minimally invasive liposuction where appropriate for a more defined neckline.
Incisions are closed with a combination of dissolving stitches near the ear and non-dissolving stitches or staples in the hairline.
You will have surgical tapes on your cheeks and neck to assist with swelling management, along with a gentle compression garment. Tapes are maintained for 1 week. Any stitches that do not dissolve are removed at 1-2 weeks. If a drain is placed, it is typically removed within 1-2 days.
You may have minor bruising that will settle over the course of 2-3 weeks. Swelling from facelift surgery settles in two phases. Peak swelling is 3-7 days after surgery and the majority of swelling rapidly resolves over 2-4 weeks. A residual amount of minor swelling will settle over 3 months from the time of your surgery.
Most patients will notice a significant change immediately. You can expect close to your final result at 3 months with some subtle changes in swelling over the course of 1 year.
Rhytidectomy surgery requires a general anesthetic. It is important to note that secondary facelift surgery carries a higher risk of surgery owing to prior scar tissue.
Additional Risks you should be aware of include but are not limited to:
Starting at $15,500 + GST
Pricing is based on your individual surgical goals and the operative strategy required to achieve them. If comparing fees between surgeons, please remember some techniques are more involved, requiring more skill, expertise, and time to perform. Additional techniques, such as micro fat grafting or management of deep neck structures add additional complexity and time to perform. Additional fees are applicable and vary depending on what is needed.
A facelift to address cosmetic concerns is NOT a benefit of the British Columbia Medical Services Plan. Dr. Ratanshi has partnered with Beautifi and iFinance Canada to provide financing options for patients looking to pursue facelift surgery.
Most Plastic Surgeons will advise that a facelift should provide a patient with a rejuvenated look for approximately 10 years. In some patients, this may be less. In others, this may be more. Younger patients may achieve a longer-lasting result, as the processes that contribute to facial aging tend to accelerate as we get older. Outcomes are dependent on many factors, particularly the quality of the skin and its laxity. A history of significant weight loss or weight fluctuations may result in less elastic skin more prone to stretch, reducing the longevity of your result.
Yes! Absolutely!
There is a real stigma felt by men looking to undergo similar Plastic Surgery procedures women have used for decades to counter the effects of aging. Fortunately, that is changing. Together with the global trend of patients making greater efforts to improve their overall health, we are also seeing a significant uptick in men who are looking to invest in themselves and age better.
Yes, you are! We have many patients who have undergone a prior thread lift, or even a full facelift elsewhere who may be looking to update their look, or who may not have had the result they were looking for with a minimally invasive technique.
A prior thread lift can add additional scar tissue that can add more time or risk to surrounding structures. It is important to advise your surgeon of any prior procedures you have had on your face, including Botox™, filler, radiofrequency or ultrasound devices, or prior surgery.
No, unfortunately. You are not a candidate for a facelift at this time.
The active use of nicotine products is a strict contraindication to undergo Face Lift | Rhytidectomy Surgery. Nicotine is a potent vasoconstrictor (i.e. it shrinks blood vessels) and can substantially reduce blood flow to a healing wound. In extreme cases, it can result in catastrophic full-thickness loss of skin, potentially needing debridement, dressing changes, or a skin graft that can dramatically affect your cosmetic outcome.
Your safety is the most important factor in surgery. Dr. Ratanshi requires that patients who consume any nicotine products, including cigarettes, vaping, chewing tobacco, etc. cease completely for at least 6 weeks before they can be considered a candidate for surgery.
Dr. Ratanshi prioritizes patient safety and satisfaction above all. He is a Fellowship-trained subspecialist in Craniofacial Surgery and Facial Aesthetics. Dr. Ratanshi aims to utilize the latest evidence-based techniques and technology to deliver exceptional results. Dr. Ratanshi is committed to making your journey to enhanced beauty as comfortable and rewarding as possible.
