If you’re considering a facelift, a combination improvement might be your best bet. Have you ever wished that you could counteract the effects of gravity and restore the vibrant, firm-faced look you remember? The changes creep up over time, but starting soon after 30, skin becomes more challenging to hydrate, less elastic, more sun-damaged, and aged overall.
By the time many people are in their 40s and 50s, they start to consider treatments that are a little more invasive than Botox and fillers.
Perhaps you’re seeking a facelift in Toronto, but you’re a touch uncomfortable about the idea of surgery. We want you to know that the term “facelift” covers a diverse number of cosmetic surgeries. Read on to find out what a beautiful variety of options await you.
It might be time to visit Dr. Torgerson’s facelift clinic if you can say yes to the following:
- You continually attempt to hide your neck in photos or in person
- You wear turtlenecks and high collars
- You’re frustrated by what you see in your reflection and photos of yourself
- You feel that you look older than you are, and this may affect your career or personal relationships
The best facelift surgeon in Toronto will offer options
When you find a specialized and highly experienced facial plastic surgeon, they’ll be able to offer you several complementary treatments that target specific facial needs. For the radiant face you want, you can select procedures individually or in combination like puzzle pieces.
Facelift – how many types are there?
A variety of surgical procedures designed to smooth and tighten facial skin are all generally referred to under the same umbrella of “facelift”. Did you ever spend time looking at face-lift before and after photos only to find results you love, but you have no idea how they were achieved? Dr. Cory Torgerson’s face lift clients generally choose one or more of the 4 most common procedures at his Toronto facial cosmetic surgery clinic.
The 4 top facelift procedures include:
- Mini
- SMAS (superficial musculo-aponeurotic system)
- Deep plane or sub-SMAS
- Neck lift
Additional options for non-surgical facelift in Toronto include Botox, dermal filler, and Ultherapy.
Removing excess skin, smoothing deep folds, and tightening the deeper structures can have a dramatically refreshing, pro-aging effect. This doesn’t mean that each client must go all-in with a full-face procedure. A surgical “spot treatment” has impressive youth-boosting ability without making it obvious that a person had work done.
Not everyone’s face ages the same way. We don’t all have the exact same problem areas. For people on the younger side in their 30s and 40s, the idea of a dramatic facial surgery may feel like a little too much. For them, a mini or a mid facelift is often preferable. Some people retain toned, firm skin in the lower face but show lines and sagging on the brow. Today’s facial plastic surgery options are not one-size-fits-all. Your facial cosmetic surgery should be bespoke just for you.
What is a mini-facelift?
Patients who show mild signs of lower face sagging are often good candidates for a mini-lift. It’s a less invasive technique that allows a facial surgeon to tighten deep tissues through short incisions. The incisions are made along the hairline above the ears and in natural creases around them. Through these incisions, the cheeks are elevated and fastened in a smooth, toned position to create a youthful jawline and eliminate jowls.
Dr. Cory Torgerson’s facelift patients often choose a mini lift when they’re showing early mild to moderate signs of facial sagging and they want to prevent further gravitational effects. After the mini lift, patients tend to heal quickly and will age more gracefully in the long run. One of the attractive benefits when choosing this procedure earlier in life is that while the results are refreshed and youthful, it’s not usually readily apparent that you had work done.
What is the deep plane face-lift technique?
The stereotypical facial plastic surgery that some people picture involves skin that is pulled tight for a smooth but unrealistic face. Pulling on the skin with even a little tension can create some unwanted distortion and leave a person looking less like themselves. New developments in facial cosmetic surgery employ a more sophisticated understanding of facial layers, lifting and avoiding skin tension at all costs. When operating, Dr. Torgerson targets underlying muscles and fat pads. The skin is gently redraped and secured with well-hidden incisions minus the tension to distort facial features.
What layers does your face have?
Your face is comprised of 3 tissue levels, referred to as “planes”. The layers include the following:
The superficial plane, which is the top/outer dermal skin layer. Early face lift surgery only adjusted this outer plane, which created the “overdone” look.
The midplane includes the SMAS. This is the tissue under your skin and overlying deeper muscles and ligaments in the face and neck.
The deep plane containing tissue and muscle lies underneath the SMAS layer.
The SMAS facelift targets the specific fascial layer between the skin and deep tissues. It’s suitable to address sagging in the jowl and neck areas. During SMAS, unwanted fat under the chin can also be removed through liposuction. It’s an ideal choice for patients who are bothered by a sagging, aged lower face and perfect to define the jawline.
The deep plane or sub-SMAS method involves lifting the SMAS to access the muscle beneath it. Patients with severe sagging and deep mid-face folds can benefit from work on the deep plane.
The true test of excellent facial plastic surgery is the longevity of your outcome. A qualified facial cosmetic surgery should not just smooth away a few years temporarily. It should also provide natural results that last and age well over decades to come. Choosing a skilled and experienced surgeon means that they’ll know when and how to adjust specific layers so you’re satisfied in the long term.
Can you have an eyelid or brow surgery along with your facelift?
Though many people think that every feature on the face will be included, this is generally not the case. Most face lift techniques will address the lower 2/3 of the face only.
Each little subregion of the face is quite complicated and delicate. For every person, these features are quite distinct as well. The skin and muscle along the brow and surrounding eyelids are distinct and require separate, specific focus.
It’s common for patients to choose eyelid lift, brow lift, or neck tightening when they plan facial rejuvenation, but these are separate procedures, and great care must be taken not to have one interfere with the other. If the surgeon feels that recovery or results may be less than ideal, they could suggest undergoing the operations separately.
Not sure where to begin?
We welcome you to contact us for a consultation with Dr. Cory Torgerson, facelift and facial surgeon in Toronto. During your private consultation, he’ll examine your areas of concern and ask you questions about how you feel, what you want, and what your goals and expectations are. From there, he’ll walk you through the available methods and combinations that could get you the result you want.
Have you considered non-surgical facelift solutions?
Because Dr. Torgerson is highly skilled in both surgical techniques and non-surgical modalities, he’s developed unique and innovative ways to blend the best of all worlds for his clients. Many people either add facial injectable fillers and Botox to their surgical procedure for better results, or they arrange a schedule of strategic, facial injectable facelift maintenance after. The combination of smooth skin, lifted muscles, and restored volume through facial sculpting can create a soft, natural, and incredibly long-lasting outcome. Inquire about surgery-free treatments that could benefit you.
What is facelift recovery like?
An important element of your consultation will be discussing the timeline for recovery and the results that are possible for your unique face. Dr. Torgerson offers digital 3D imaging tools to help patients envision their new look, but it’s essential to understand the need for time and tissue healing before seeing that final result.
Your healing experience will depend somewhat on your exact procedure, interventions, and physiology. Everyone experiences discomfort a little differently, and some people will show bruising or swelling more than others. Regardless, there are a few standard guidelines that help most patients prepare.
You should take 2 weeks off work and daily activities. Some patients will be advised to take a little longer if their regular career or lifestyle demands are strenuous or if they want to prioritize complete discretion. Most of the visible signs of surgery such as facial swelling or bruises will resolve by two weeks, but there is significant healing to do still after that point.
We provide all our patients with Dr. Torgerson’s personal contact information, and we see them back at our clinic shortly after their procedure. We’ll follow up with you closely while you heal and offer guidance along the way. As a rule, you’ll need to pause the gym, regular aerobic workouts, and other strenuous activity for 3 weeks. You’ll be given instructions to protect your healing incisions. Those include no baths, hot tubs, or swimming pools until your surgeon clears you. You’ll start to look and feel more like yourself after the first 14 days, and many people see encouraging results right away as their fat pads and excess skin are gone. Count on a few months for all residual swelling and skin sensitivity to leave, while scars will mature and fade between 6 and 12 months.
Ready to learn more?
If you want to begin the conversation about a facial cosmetic procedure to bring back the smoother, more youthful you, we can help. Dr. Torgerson can custom-tailor a plan for you, and your procedure will be designed to give you just what you need. Contact us today, and let’s talk.