Facelift

Why let the years give away your age? Growing older does not have to involve looking old. The years, the elements, and stress work against us all to create wrinkles and sagging skin on the cheeks, jawline, and neck. Learn here how you can erase years with facelift surgery.

Starting from € 5950
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Facelift Basics

Surgery: 2 hours
Local or general anaesthesia
Incision depending on the type of facelift
No overnight stay required
Recovery: 2 weeks
Bandages: 10 days

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Types of facelifts

Mini Facelift

A Mini-lift, also called an S-lift, Quick Minilift or weekend facelift, has an especially rejuvenating effect on the cheeks and on the so-called hamster cheeks/jowls at the jawline. The recovery period for this procedure is fast, there is minimal swelling and very few side-effects.

The word 'mini' in mini-lift stands for the 'mini scar' and the 'mini recovery period' this type of facelift involves. The procedure can be performed under a local anaesthetic or intravenous sedation. After having a mini-lift performed you sleep off the anaesthetic in the clinic. You return home the same evening and can resume your daily activities one week later.

A mini-lift has a lifelong effect
A mini-lift gives life-long results. The mini-lift doesn't stop the ageing process: but you will look ten years younger than you would without the treatment.

MACS Facelift

MACS stands for 'Minimal Access Cranial Suspension-Lift'

Minimal Access = Short scar.
Cranial Suspension = Lifting towards the crown and affixing with several strong, permanent sutures.

This method achieves a long-lasting lift. This is also the secret of the invisible scars: all the tension is subcutaneous: there is barely any traction on the skin itself. Your sagging neck, lower chin and cheeks are corrected subcutaneously and only a very small amount of skin is removed.

The tension on the skin and the subcutaneous tissues is applied in a vertical and not a horizontal direction. This prevents the face from looking as though it has been 'pulled taut' and the rejuvenating corrective procedure produces a completely natural look.

SMAS Facelift (and Necklift)

The subcutaneous SMAS tissue (SMAS: Superficial Muscular Aponeurotic System) weighs more than the skin itself. This is why it weighs on the skin. This causes the skin to slacken.

Lifting and tightening the subcutaneous SMAS will also make the skin look much smoother.

The excess skin is only removed once the SMAS has been lifted and fixed in place. The skin is stitched without any tension. This means that your face does not look like it has been 'stretched taut'.

The result is rejuvenating and extremely natural.

A full SMAS facelift with neck correction is still the best option for correcting prematurely ageing skin and slack facial muscles. This method requires superb surgical skill and extensive experience.

The full SMAS facelift with a neck lift is still the ultimate technique for a beautiful, well-balanced rejuvenation of the prematurely slack neck and facial skin and muscle.
When skillfully performed the Deep plane full SMAS lift technique gives a very natural and long-lasting result.

Suitable candidates for a facelift

In general, the best candidate for a facelift is a healthy person who is a non-smoker and who do not have medical conditions that may impair their ability to heal. This procedure may also be paired with various other facial surgeries and treatments to help address a full range of facial ageing issues.

A facelift will make you look younger and fresher but it won’t make you look like a different person. When the results are excellent, those around you will notice that you look better or “rested”, but the reason won’t be clear to them.

Facelift procedure

A facelift is usually done under general anaesthesia which means you will be completely asleep and feel nothing during surgery. The surgery takes about 2 to 3 hours but can be longer if additional procedures are performed. Drainage tubes may be placed that exit the skin near your ears. Some drains might remain in place overnight while others may stay in place until you return for your first postoperative visit. You may or may not have any dressings after surgery depending on your surgeon’s preference.

After surgery, you will stay in the recovery room until you are ready to go home or to an overnight facility.

What to expect?

The majority of people are able to return to work after 2 weeks as bruising has usually resolved but this depends on your job. If other procedures like fat grafting are included, this can lengthen the time needed to return to work. You will have to refrain from any exercise for 2 weeks and heavy exercise for 1 month, although you should be walking around as much as possible after surgery. It will take about 3 months until most of the swelling resolves and you see your true results; however, some areas of your skin may remain firm for 6-9 months. Also, it will take up to a year or longer until all scars fade.

Post-operative lymphatic drainage can be also suggested by your surgeon to help the healing process.

It is important to follow up with your surgeon as directed so that any potential complications can be detected and treated early. For the most part, these are rare and you will spend most of your time enjoying your new look!

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Step by Step

Consultation

During your consultation, you will meet the surgeon who will perform your surgery. The consultation will start with you expressing your desired result.

Your surgeon will then perform a medical examination to assess whether you are a suitable candidate.

During your consultation you can expect:

Honest and expert advice
Unambiguous information
Full price transparency

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Surgery

Depending on the type of treatment, your surgery will be performed under intravenous sleep sedation, local or general anaesthesia. More information about all types of anesthesia can be found on this page.

Your anaesthetist will insert a needle into your arm through which the medication will be injected. It takes about 10 seconds to take effect.

After surgery, incisions are closed with dissoluble sutures and necessary plasters and bandages are applied. When general anaesthesia or intravenous sleep sedation is applied, the anaesthetist will start the wake up process and you will be transferred to the recovery area where you will be closely monitored.

Immediate Recovery

After surgery, you will be taken to the recovery area where you will be closely monitored by our medical staff. If the surgery took place under general anaesthesia or intravenous sleep sedation, your bodily functions will routinely be monitored whilst you start to awake.

Once you are fully conscious, you will be taken to your room where you can continue resting until you feel fit to go home.

Some surgeries require patients to stay overnight.

Aftercare & Recovery

For optimal healing and aesthetic outcome, it is important to strictly follow your surgeon’s post-operative guidelines. These guidelines may vary from patient to patient.

All stitches are dissoluble so you don't need to visit your family doctor or a nurse to remove them. Depending on the type of surgery you might be expected to return for a follow-up consultation. You will be informed accordingly by our team members.

We are there to support you day and night. Our doctors and staff will advise and assist you until you are fully recovered.

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Our strengths

Easy to book & plan

At the Wellness Kliniek you can book all your appointments, consultations, treatments and operations online. This means you can choose the date that suits you best. The steps are easy to follow and the Intelligent Wizard ensures you are assigned the doctor-specialist with the most expertise related to your treatment.

N° 1 Private Clinic in Belgium

When the Wellness Kliniek was founded in 1996, it was the first private clinic in Belgium. We were pioneers in private plastic surgery and we are proud of everything we have accomplished so far. The Wellness Kliniek is known for its high-quality service and is one of the most trusted names in plastic and cosmetic surgery.

Excellent Service

We make sure we put safety, expertise and patient satisfaction at the core of what we do. We consider it to be extremely important for you to be able to balance the risks and the expected results as well as possible. This is why you are always entitled to free preoperative consultations.

Before

After

Combined SMAS facelift and SMAS neck lift

Before

After

Combination of mini facelift and chin correction

Before

After

MACS facelift

Our team of specialists

Dr. L. Damen

Plastic, Aesthetic and Reconstructive Surgery

Dr. L. Visser

Plastic, Aesthetic and Reconstructive Surgery

Dr. R. Taraquois

Plastic, Aesthetic and Reconstructive Surgery

View the entire team

Sophia

Facelift

3 years ago

View this review on Estheticon.com

Maisie

Facelift

4 years ago

View this review

Rina

Facelift

5 years ago

View this review

Tilly

Facelift

6 years ago

View this review on Treatment Abroad

Rosie

Facelift

6 years ago

View this review on Treatment Abroad

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I go home straight after my facelift has been performed?

A facelift such as the Minilift, MACS and the neck lift are performed as day surgery and are usually performed under a local anaesthetic or intravenous sedation. This means that you can return home or to your hotel a few hours after the procedure. After a more extensive facelift, such as a SMAS facelift and SMAS neck lift you stay one night at the clinic.

When can I start eating again?

You can already drink something after the procedure. The next day you can eat an easily digestible meal such as cheese with some dry toast.

Do I need to wear a bandage?

Following a Minilift, MACS facelift or neck lift you will be given an elastic bandage. After the first night the nurse will replace the head bandage in the morning with the elastic facelift bandage. This bandage must be worn for between 2 and 6 weeks.

Will I feel any pain after the procedure?

Everyone experiences pain differently. After a facelift you will feel a pulling sensation because the skin and muscles are slightly taut. Usually the area around the ears is also more sensitive. Take the pain medication prescribed for you. The pain will subside after a couple of days.

When can I start taking a shower again?

You can shower again 24 hours after your procedure. However it is extremely important that your face, wounds and the bandage do not get wet. Also make sure that the water is not too hot. This can result in the treated area becoming swollen.

When can I start to wear my contact lenses again?

It is better not to wear contact lenses the first couple of weeks after your facelift because you may put pressure on the treated area when inserting and removing your lenses.

When can I start driving again?

We advise you not to drive or bicycle the first couple of weeks. Wait at least until the stitches have been removed or have dissolved.

Will the feeling return?

Your skin will feel hard for a few weeks after a facelift. This is due to the scar formation. Sometimes the skin also lacks any sensation or it may feel over sensitive. This is a normal bodily reaction. The feeling will usually return a few weeks later, the subcutaneous stitches will dissolve and the swelling and bruising will gradually disappear.

When can I drink alcohol again?

During the first few weeks following your procedure, it is important that you do not drink alcohol or take any blood-thinning medication. This can give rise to undesired complications such as post-operative bleeding and hematoma formation.

When can I resume smoking?

Smoking is detrimental to your healing and rehabilitation. It can cause undesirable complications such as poor wound healing. You must definitely not smoke the first 4 to 6 weeks following your procedure.

When can I enjoy the sun again?

You can enjoy the sun but it is essential that you protect your scars properly from the sun and completely cover them up for the first 18 months. You must not expose your scars under a sunbed either.

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About the Clinic

Since 1996, we at Wellness Kliniek Belgium are dedicated to spreading self-confidence and happiness to patients from around the world.

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Contact

Whenever you have a question, please do not hesitate to contact us. We are available at all times and can be reached by phone, email or one of our Social Media channels.

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Next-Day-Surgery

For patients who travel from abroad, we offer a consultation and treatment serviced on consecutive days.

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Anaesthesia Types

Anaesthesia is the insensitivity to pain artificially induced by the administration of gasses or the injection of drugs before a surgical procedure or medical procedures or tests. All types of anaesthesia are administered to keep the patient comfortable and pain-free.