Facelift and Neck Lift in Paris: the G-Lift
In short: The G-Lift is the name Dr David Ganon gives to his lower face and neck lift (lifting jugo-cervical): skin undermining, SMAS plication and platysma treatment, measured skin removal and, last, subdermal Quantum radiofrequency on the redraped skin. General anesthesia, 2 to 3 hours, one night in the clinic, about two weeks of social downtime; €8,000 all-inclusive.
THE G-LIFT: A LOWER FACE AND NECK LIFT
With time, the skin and muscles of the lower face and neck slacken: jowls appear, the jawline blurs, the angle between the chin and the neck fades, and the skin may hang under the chin, in what is often called a “turkey neck”. A facelift corrects this sagging by restoring the anatomical structures — skin, muscle and fat — without changing the shape of the face: the aim is to recover the appearance you had some years earlier.
For the lower face and neck, the technique Dr David Ganon performs is one he developed himself: the G-Lift, a registered trademark. It is his lower face and neck lift, called lifting jugo-cervical or lifting cervico-facial in French, completed at the end of surgery by subdermal radiofrequency using the Quantum technology from InMode.
A facelift does not change expression lines, crow's feet or the fine lines around the mouth; deep folds are improved but not erased, and are treated with injections. It does not correct the eyelids either, but a blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery) can be combined in the same operation.
HOW THE G-LIFT IS PERFORMED
The G-Lift is performed under general anesthesia, at Clinique Alphand (Paris 16th) or Clinique Monceau (Paris 17th). It lasts 2 to 3 hours on average, radiofrequency included, and is followed by one night in the clinic. The steps follow a precise order:
• Incisions largely hidden in the hair and around the ear, plus a short incision under the chin; a solution containing epinephrine is infiltrated to reduce bleeding.
• Skin undermining, over an extent adapted to the degree of sagging.
• SMAS plication and platysma treatment: the SMAS, the musculo-aponeurotic layer beneath the skin of the face, and the platysma, the broad muscle of the neck, are re-tightened in a precise, measured way that preserves natural expression.
• Measured skin resection: the skin is redraped over the new contours without excessive tension, the excess is removed and the sutures are made without tension.
• Subdermal Quantum radiofrequency, last: delivered to the neck and jawline under continuous temperature control, on skin that has already been redraped.
• A compression dressing around the head completes the operation.
When needed, localized excess fat on the neck, chin or jowls is removed by liposuction during the same operation or, conversely, fat grafting restores volume where the face has hollowed.
Facelift names describe the layer in which the surgeon works. A lift limited to the skin tightens the skin alone; a SMAS lift also re-tightens the SMAS, by plication or resection; a “deep plane” lift passes beneath the SMAS and moves skin and SMAS together. The G-Lift is a SMAS-plication lift with platysma treatment, completed by radiofrequency.
WHY RADIOFREQUENCY COMES LAST
The lift repositions the tissues and removes the excess skin; radiofrequency acts on the skin itself. A fine cannula, passed under the skin through the incisions already made for the lift, delivers a bipolar radiofrequency current that heats the tissues evenly. The energy is measured in real time and the device regulates itself, so that the tissues reach their contraction threshold while the skin is preserved.
The heat has two effects: an immediate contraction of the fibrous septa and of the deep layer of the dermis, then collagen production that continues for months after surgery. Applied to skin that has already been redraped, it reinforces its retraction, particularly where the skin is thin: under the chin, at the angle between the chin and the neck, and along the jawline.
This step requires no additional incision and changes neither the anesthesia, nor the hospital stay, nor the social downtime.
RECOVERY, SCARS AND RESULTS
• Days 1 to 5: compression dressing. Swelling, sometimes greater on day 2 than on day 1, bruising of the neck and chin, and a feeling of tightness behind the ears and around the neck are expected.
• After day 5: the dressing is removed and the scars are left uncovered, with a thick layer of petroleum jelly three to four times a day.
• Day 10: removal of the stitches and of the staples in the scalp.
• About two weeks: bruising and swelling fade, and social life resumes.
• One month: the swelling has mostly gone; a slight firmness of the treated areas remains, more palpable than visible.
• One to three months: a good idea of the final result.
The scars are hidden in the hair in front of and behind the ear; the one slightly visible area, below the earlobe, can be concealed by hairstyle or makeup. With the short scar under the chin, they stay pink for the first weeks and become almost invisible between the third and sixth month.
A lift pushes back the signs of aging without stopping them: a new lift may be considered after 12 to 15 years, and regular, lighter treatments such as hyaluronic acid, Radiesse or botulinum toxin help maintain the result.
Complications are rare but must be known: a hematoma, which may need prompt drainage in the operating room; localized skin necrosis, a risk greatly increased by smoking; infection, which is exceptional; an injury to a branch of the facial nerve, also exceptional, which usually recovers within weeks to months; changes in sensation near the scars; and, exceptionally, abnormal scars. Smoking must stop at least one month before surgery and until one month after the end of dressing care, that is 6 to 8 weeks after the operation.
WHEN A LIFT IS NOT NEEDED: THE QUANTUM NECK LIFT
Not every sagging neck needs a lift. When laxity is moderate, comes with excess fat under the chin, and the skin is still elastic, Dr Ganon offers a distinct procedure, the Quantum radiofrequency neck lift: targeted liposuction followed by subdermal radiofrequency, through three 2-mm entry points, under local anesthesia, in about 30 minutes, as an outpatient. It involves no facelift and does not carry the G-Lift name. Social downtime is 7 days, including 5 days of compression dressing; the result is expected to last 6 to 8 years; the fee is €4,000.
When the excess skin is clear — established jowls, a blurred jawline, a lost angle between the chin and the neck — skin has to be removed, and the G-Lift is indicated. Age is not the criterion: some people of 55 are good candidates for the Quantum neck lift, while others already need a lift at 45. The examination decides; the criteria are compared, in French, on the page G-Lift ou lifting cervical par radiofréquence.
FEES AND PRACTICAL INFORMATION
The G-Lift costs €8,000, all-inclusive: the surgeon's fees, the clinic fees (hospital stay and operating room) and the anesthesiologist's fees. As an aesthetic procedure, it is not covered by French health insurance. A detailed quote is given in consultation, followed by the legal cooling-off period of at least 15 days. The first consultation costs €100; follow-up visits are not charged.
Before surgery, you will see the anesthesiologist at the latest 48 hours beforehand, avoid aspirin, anti-inflammatory and anticoagulant medication for five days, fast for six hours, and wash your hair the evening before and the morning of the operation. If you are coming from abroad, plan your stay around the night in the clinic, the dressing for 5 days and the removal of stitches on day 10; see English-speaking plastic surgeon in Paris for practical information.
FURTHER READING
In English: Quantum radiofrequency neck lift, blepharoplasty in Paris, facial fat grafting and consultations in English with Dr David Ganon.
French version: Lifting cervico-facial (G-Lift). Neck procedures and their fees compared, in French: combien coûte un lifting du cou à Paris. To book a consultation, use the appointment page.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT FACELIFT AND NECK LIFT
How much does a facelift cost in Paris?
At Dr David Ganon's practice in Paris 8th, the G-Lift, his lower face and neck lift with radiofrequency, costs €8,000. This all-inclusive fee covers the surgeon, the clinic and the anesthesiologist; the exact amount appears on the detailed quote.
What is the difference between a facelift and a neck lift?
The G-Lift treats the lower face (jowls, jawline) and the neck in a single operation. When the problem is limited to the neck, with moderate laxity and fat under the chin, a Quantum radiofrequency neck lift may be enough, without a facelift.
Where are the facelift scars?
Around the ears, largely hidden in the hair, plus a short scar under the chin. The one slightly visible area, below the earlobe, can be concealed by hairstyle or makeup, and the scars become almost invisible between the third and sixth month.
How long is the recovery after a facelift?
Social downtime is about two weeks. The compression dressing stays on for 5 days, the stitches and scalp staples are removed on day 10, and the swelling has mostly gone after one month.
What is the difference between a SMAS facelift and a deep plane facelift?
In a SMAS facelift, the skin is undermined separately and the SMAS, the musculo-aponeurotic layer under the skin, is re-tightened by plication or resection. In a deep plane facelift, the dissection passes beneath the SMAS and both layers are moved together. The G-Lift uses SMAS plication with platysma treatment; which approach suits a face is assessed at the examination.
How long does a facelift last?
A lift pushes back the signs of aging but does not stop them. A new lift may be considered after 12 to 15 years, and lighter treatments such as hyaluronic acid, Radiesse or botulinum toxin help maintain the result.
Will my face look pulled after a facelift?
That is not the aim. The muscles are re-tightened and the skin is redraped without excessive tension, so that the face keeps its features and its expression rather than taking on a surgical look.
Is a facelift different for men?
In some respects, yes: thicker skin, the displacement of hair-bearing areas, and often thinner hair that hides the scars less well. These points are discussed specifically in consultation.