Featuring Dr. Nancy Van Laeken, MD, FRCSC, Plastic Surgeon

Duration: 2 minutes

Well the risks with the facelift are similar to the risks with any operation. They can include those associated with the anesthetic, risks of bleeding, risks of infection. 

The other risks are focused more on the actual procedures and this would include risk of damage to the facial nerve, possibly having permanent numbness to the cheek area, possibly having hair loss in the area where the incisions are placed. The risk of facial nerve injury is very small but the risk of persistent numbness to the cheeks is quite high.

What most patients might be concerned about is the fact that there has to be scars even though it is considered plastic surgery and the scars are in the area of the ear and the earlobe and behind the ear. So, patients have to be aware that it might alter the type of hairstyle they have or the shape of their earlobe.

If the patient is considering having a facelift, they have to be in good health. Things that we are mostly concerned about are, high blood pressure, patients who might be on some sort of blood thinner, diabetics, or people who are on any medications that might suppress the immune system.

That is why we prefer that patients discuss having the procedure done with their family physician before being referred to a consultant to insure that those issues have been addressed before they are referred on or so that they understand the nature of their medical problems and how that might affect the outcome of the surgery or the potential risks.

If a patient is contemplating having a facelift, it is important that they have their medical conditions assessed by their family physician. This might include hypertension, blood thinners that they are taking for other reasons, if they are diabetic, or if they are on immunosuppressants. Those things should be addressed by their family physician before being referred to a consultant.