Surgical vs. nonsurgical facelift

In today’s aesthetically driven culture, cosmetic enhancement is not as polarizing as it once was.

Monthly or even bi-weekly Botox injections are the norm, and other visual enhancements such as lip

augmentation or jaw restructuring are increasingly more common than they were several decades ago.

According to Dr.Torgerson, a facial plastic surgeon based out of Toronto, one incredibly popular

procedure is the face lift, a procedure defined as “a cosmetic surgical operation to remove unwanted

wrinkles and loose skin by tightening the skin of the face.” Modern facelifts come in two different

varieties: surgical and non-surgical. Each has its own set of benefits and drawbacks, so choosing one is

solely at the discretion of the prospective patient.

What is a surgical face lift? Often known as a rhytidectomy, a surgical facelift is a procedure which

diminishes the visual effects of aging. Per the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, this includes:

Sagging in the middle of the face

Deep creases along the nose extending to the corner of the mouth, below the lower eyelids

Fat that has fallen or has disappeared

Loss of skin tone in the lower face that creates the appearance of jowls

Loose skin that gives the visual effect of a “double chin” or excess fat

The surgical face lift process involves a small incision at the hair line (for women) or beard line (for men),

which allows the plastic surgeon to tighten the facial muscles and remove whatever excess fat is

deemed unnecessary. Recovery time for surgical face lifts often takes 2-3 weeks, and the amount of pain

and discomfort is contingent upon the person. Dr. Torgerson always prescribes medication to ensure

patients are comfortable throughout the recovery period. Surgical face lifts also have varying shelf life

with some patients seeing long term results of 15 or more years.

Top Photo - is a patient of Dr.Torgerson who under went a surgical face lift at his Toronto Yorkville Clinic

What is a non-surgical face lift? Generally known as a rejuvenation procedure, non-surgical face lifts

generally involve the injection of dermal injectable fillers such as Restylane, JuvedermVoluma or Teosyal

in order to achieve the appearance of a surgically retouched face. These include:

Facial sagging overall

Light creases in the forehead

Laugh lines, crow’s feet, and other minor wrinkles

Loose skin around the eyes that give the appearance of dark, “baggy” eyes

Below is a video of Dr.Torgerson discuss non surgical rejuvenation procedures:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FihVf6L2mO8

Top Photo - is a patient of Dr.Torgerson who under went a non-surgical face lift at his Toronto Yorkville Clinic

Since non-surgical face lifts only consist of the injection of dermal fillers, recovery time for this process

can range from a day to a week. Non-surgical face lifts can be done in a short amount of time, with some

individuals choosing to have a treatment done on their lunch break. Non-surgical face lifts also have

varying shelf life, but on a whole they generally only last approximately from 6 months to 2 years. Due

to the facial muscles not being directly manipulated, a non-surgical facelift will require maintenance and

regular upkeep, unlike a surgical facelift.