Montreal, QC Facelift

Facelift surgery is performed under local anesthesia with sedation or general anesthesia, ensuring a comfortable experience throughout. Following surgery, some areas of the face may feel tight or temporarily numb — sensations that are normal and will resolve over time. Any discomfort is managed effectively with prescribed oral medication, and most patients find the post-operative experience more manageable than anticipated.

The full treatment process includes an initial consultation, a pre-operative preparation visit, the day of surgery, and a series of follow-up appointments at scheduled intervals. These postoperative visits allow Dr. Deane to remove sutures, monitor healing, and evaluate the developing result over the months that follow. Dr. Deane remains actively engaged throughout the recovery arc to ensure healing is progressing as planned.

Most patients notice meaningful improvement in their appearance within two to four weeks as initial swelling subsides. The result continues to refine over the following months as residual swelling resolves and the repositioned tissues fully settle. Final results are typically apparent within six to twelve months of surgery.

Incisions are placed deliberately within the hairline and the natural creases surrounding the ears, where they are well concealed. In the early stages of recovery, scars may appear slightly raised or pink, but they fade progressively and become difficult to detect as healing advances. Dr. Deane provides scar care guidance as part of her post-operative instructions to support optimal healing.

Light walking is encouraged from the early post-operative period to support circulation and general well-being. Strenuous exercise, heavy lifting, and any activity that raises the heart rate significantly should be avoided for four to six weeks. A specific return-to-activity timeline is discussed at follow-up appointments based on individual healing progress.

Yes. Facelift surgery is frequently combined with complementary procedures — eyelid surgery, brow lift, lip lift, facial fat grafting, or laser resurfacing, among them — to address the full range of a patient’s concerns within a single recovery period. The appropriateness of any combined approach is evaluated individually during consultation, with safety, recovery capacity, and overall facial harmony as the guiding considerations.

As with any surgical procedure, facelift surgery carries inherent risk. Potential complications include swelling, bruising, bleeding, infection, asymmetry, temporary or prolonged changes in sensation, isolated temporary weakness, fluid accumulation, and the possibility of revision surgery. These risks are meaningfully reduced through thorough preoperative evaluation, meticulous surgical technique, and attentive postoperative follow-up. All potential risks are reviewed openly during consultation so that patients proceed with a complete and honest understanding of what the procedure involves.

Selecting the right surgeon requires careful evaluation of training, board certification, subspecialty credentials, and demonstrated outcomes. When fellowship training in facial plastic surgery is paired with certification from a recognized national board and a body of work marked by natural outcomes, it speaks to a surgeon’s competence with authority. Dr. Deane encourages all prospective patients to ask direct questions during consultations — about technique, complication management, realistic outcomes, and what the result will look like over time — and to choose a surgeon whose communication, approach to safety, and commitment to individualized care align with their expectations.