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Facelift

Facelift Surgery in New Westminster, BC | MacDonald Plastic Surgery

As you get older, your skin loses some of its supportive scaffolding of collagen and elastin. As a result, you start to notice wrinkles, drooping skin, particularly along the jaw line, and deepening furrows around the mouth and chin. Your neck may start to develop excess fatty tissue due to stretched supportive muscles and loose skin.

A facelift reverses these signs of ageing by tightening muscle, removing fat, and trimming excess skin, giving your face a fresher, youthful look. After surgery, some patients look up to 10-15 years younger.

A facelift involves a very fine incision that starts in the hairline of the temple, continues along the edge of the ear in front, and then around to the back of the ear into the hairline. Once your incision has healed, you will be left with a faint scar.

To learn more about facelifts, continue reading below or schedule a consultation with Dr. Jeannie MacDonald by calling (604) 288-8517 or by filling out our online form.

facelift before and after graphic MacDonald Plastic Surgery

Candidates for Facelift Surgery

  • Deep creases between the nose and mouth (nasolabial folds)
  • Deep furrows in the chin (marionette lines)
  • Sagging skin and fat under the chin and jaw
  • Loose wrinkled facial skin or jowls due to loss of muscle tone
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Your Facelift Consultation

Your first step will be to have a detailed consultation with Dr MacDonald where she will listen to your goals and concerns and complete a careful examination. Then, Dr. MacDonald will discuss the treatment options that best address your concerns and particular situation.

Dr. MacDonald and her staff will:

  • Give you detail information about the surgery and what you can expect before, during, and after the procedure
  • Discuss any concerns or questions that you may have
  • Discuss potential risks of the procedure
  • Assess if the facelift procedure can be combined with other facial rejuvenation procedures, like a neck lift, brow lift, or eyelid surgery.

True Beauty Starts Today

Look as good on the outside as you feel on the inside

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Combining her unique surgical expertise with her artistic understanding of balance and proportion, Dr. Jeannie MacDonald brings out the most naturally beautiful you. Meet Dr. MacDonald today to learn more.

What Can I Expect During Facelift Surgery?

A facelift requires a general anesthetic, so you will complete a pre-operative questionnaire to ensure you are ready for surgery. You will be given instructions on what time to arrive for your surgery and reminded not to eat or drink anything the night before.

A facelift takes approximately 3-4 hours and you will then spend approximately 3 hours in the recovery room, so set the whole day aside for the surgery. You will be given a prescription for pain medication before leaving the hospital.

What Can I Expect During Facelift Recovery?

You will need someone to drive you home from the hospital and stay with you for the first 24 hours. You cannot shower for 48 hours after surgery.

You will receive an ointment that must be applied daily with a Q-tip. You will also receive a wrap on the day of surgery which must be worn full-time for 4-6 weeks until the healing is complete.

Dr. MacDonald will meet with you 5-7 days after the surgery to ensure that you are healing well. The stitches will dissolve on their own after a few weeks, so they do not need to be removed.

If you have a very physical job, it is recommended that you plan a minimum of 4 weeks healing time before returning to work. If you have a more sedentary job, it could be possible for you to return as early as after 2 weeks.

You need to avoid activities that may increase your blood pressure, such as running or lifting weights, until 4-6 weeks after surgery. However, you are encouraged to go out walking as soon after surgery as is possible.

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Mini Facelift in New Westminster, BC

If you are bothered by premature sagging skin in your cheeks and midface, a mini lift can give you a more uplifted, youthful appearance.

A mini facelift is similar to a full facelift but has smaller incisions, less downtime, and less cost. In some cases the procedure can be done in the office with a local anesthetic.

This procedure is useful if you have mild sagging and early signs of aging. For individuals who have more pronounced sagging, deep wrinkles, and/or fatty tissue under their chin or neck, a traditional face and neck lift will give a better result.

The surgery involves small incisions above the ear in the hairline. The skin of the cheek and midface is lifted away from the underlying muscle and fat and the excess skin is trimmed and then carefully stitched.

Once the incision has healed, you will have a faint scar in front of the ear.

Are You a Good Candidate?

A mini facelift can help rejuvenate your appearance if you have:

  • Mild sagging skin in the cheeks and midface
  • Creases an either side of the upper lip and below the cheeks.

Your Consultation

Your first step will be to have a detailed consultation with Dr MacDonald where she will listen to your goals and concerns and complete a careful examination. Then, Dr. MacDonald will discuss the treatment options that best address your concerns and particular situation.

Dr. MacDonald and her staff will:

  • Give you detail information about the surgery and what you can expect before, during, and after the procedure
  • Discuss any concerns or questions that you may have
  • Discuss  potential risks of the procedure
Before and after facelift for men

What Can I Expect During Mini Facelift Procedure?

You will need someone to drive you home from the office.

You need to avoid activities that may increase your blood pressure, such as running or lifting weights, until 4-6 weeks after surgery. However, you are encouraged to go out walking as soon after surgery as is possible.

Facelift FAQS

You will have bruising and swelling for the first 2-weeks. You are allowed to shower 2 days post-surgery. Sutures will come out in 6 days.

The key to longer-lasting results is controlling the swelling and bruising in the first two weeks. Also, be minimally active for the first 2-weeks and follow a regular skin care routine that includes Botox, microneedling, and IPL.

A traditional facelift incision goes higher up into the hairline to include the cheek and eye area. A mini-facelift focuses more on the neck and jaw area.

It’s best to arrive at the consultation with no makeup so that Dr. MacDonald can appreciate your skin quality.

Please do not wear makeup. Dr. MacDonald’s office will give you detailed instructions regarding the time, location, and what medications to take (if any).

Swelling, bruising, asymmetry of the incision lines, and temporary nerve irritation are the risks. Dr. MacDonald is highly prepared to perform surgery in a way that makes complications highly unlikely.

No. You will need to stop smoking for 6 months prior to and 6 months following your facelift surgery.

The first 2 weeks are the most significant. The following 4-weeks are when the residual swelling and bruising settle.

Typically, 6-weeks after surgery is when you can begin to increase your activities. However, light walking immediately following your surgery is important.

This depends on the type of work you do. Patients who perform non-strenuous work may go back as early as 2-weeks post-facelift if they are comfortable, but there will still be some residual bruising and swelling. Ideally, 3-4 weeks is best.

On average, facelift patients are in their 60’s, but it depends on your concerns and skin type. We have had patients as young as in their 40’s have a facelift.

Yes, however, if you are looking for skin tightening, the best results are with a facelift. Dr. MacDonald’s office offers topical treatments such as laser (IPL) and microneedling to help tone the skin. 

The results are variable depending on the strength of your underlying tissue, but typically 5-8 years.

Depending on which facelift procedure you are doing will determine the results. With a full facelift, you should expect smoothing contouring under the chin and neck area and along the jawline. Also, it repositions your cheeks to a more anatomic position, softening the folds from the nose to the edge of the mouth for a more youthful appearance. 

That is a procedure where you go below the soft tissue of the face to reposition it back to its natural position.

This type of facelift involves elevating the skin and the thin fibrous layer off the top of the muscle layer to help pull the skin and soft tissue back to a more natural position.

A typical facelift procedure can take 3 hours but will vary with any add-on procedures.

Other procedures done simultaneously with a facelift are brow lifts, upper eyelid lifts, lower eyelid lifts, and Botox.

Yes, but Dr. MacDonald does not post them on any social media site without your permission.

1-week after surgery will be the initial follow-up, then Dr. MacDonald will typically see you 2 more times during the recovery period, each 2 weeks apart.