Mini Facelift - How it Rejuvenates the Face

Patients who want to gain a younger and rejuvenated look to the face often turn to a facelift to turn back the clock on the aging process. There are multiple facelift options available to patients and one of them is a mini facelift which is a modified version of the traditional procedure. During a mini facelift, the surgeon uses small incisions that are made in the hairline of a person to lift the lower portion of the face to address the issue of sagging skin that is present around the jawline and neck.

Mini Facelift – How It Works

In general, a mini facelift is an ideal choice for a patient who wants to address sagging skin while also receiving fewer incisions since they have less excess skin to remove. The skin will be lifted in an upwards motion so the skin will be tighter and have less wrinkles.

The surgeon will use anesthesia to keep the patient comfortable while creating small incisions around the hairline and ears. The underlying tissues will then be manipulated by lifting the tissues upwards through the cheeks and also removing the necessary amount of excess tissue. Sutures will be used by the surgeon to close the incisions.

There are also times when a brow lift will be performed at the same time to gain even better results across the whole face. A brow lift is often performed in conjunction with a mini facelift since it only targets areas on the face that are in the lower portion of the face such as the cheeks and jawline.

Mini Facelift – Recovery, Risks and Side Effects

Once the procedure is complete, the patient will be sent home with dressings over the incisions and possibly some drains to help the body get rid of excess fluid. It can take several weeks to recover from a mini facelift and patients should avoid any exercise or strenuous activities until they are cleared for these activities by their doctor.

The results are considered to be permanent but patients might want to have other treatments in the future, such as Botox and fillers, to help them address future fine lines and wrinkles and any loss of volume in the face.

There are some common side effects that patients need to know about and they include swelling, bruising, and some pain. These symptoms will subside on their own after several days.

Some of the other symptoms that patients need to know about include:

• Severe pain
• Bleeding
• Oozing from the stitches
• Changes in sensation in the skin
• Nerve Damage

Mini Facelift and Nonsurgical Procedures – What’s the Difference?

The main difference between a mini facelift and nonsurgical procedures is the fact that a mini facelift is an invasive surgical procedure that has a risk of scarring. Procedures such as Botox and fillers are injectables that do not provide permanent results but they are also not invasive treatments.

Some of the most popular nonsurgical procedures include fillers which add lost volume back into the skin to give the treated area a plumper look, Botox that reduces the look of wrinkles and also gives the skin a smoother appearance, laser resurfacing that improves the texture and tone of the skin, and ultherapy that uses ultrasound technology to stimulate the production of collagen in the skin.

Mini Facelift – What to Discuss with a Doctor

The first step in the mini facelift process is scheduling a consultation appointment with an experienced and board-certified plastic surgeon who has the necessary training and skills to perform any type of facelift procedure.

The consultation appointment is the opportunity for the patient to ask any questions or voice any concerns they have about undergoing a mini facelift. The doctor should be open and honest and willing to answer any questions about the procedure. If the doctor is hesitant to provide the answers requested by the patient, this should be a red flag that this surgeon is likely not the best choice to perform the desired treatment. The patient should also ask to see “before and after” photos of actual patients treated by the surgeon in order to get a better idea of the type of results they can expect to enjoy after having a mini facelift performed.

During the consultation appointment, the doctor will examine the patient to make sure the person is healthy enough to have the surgical procedure. In addition, the surgeon will examine the face of the person to determine if a mini facelift is the ideal choice to gain the desired look to the face. While a mini facelift can make changes to the lower half of the face, it will not provide the same dramatic results as a traditional facelift. The surgeon will discuss the different medical options available to the patient so the person will be able to make an informed and educated decision about having a mini facelift to rejuvenate the look of the face.

- MA