What is a Mini Facelift?
This is a very common question we receive here in San Diego, where patients want to heal quickly and resume their active lifestyles, but still want RESULTS from their surgery. A good mini facelift will accomplish both of those things: get you back outside quickly, but make you look REFRESHED!
A traditional facelift involves lifting the brows, cheeks, jowls and neck. This is usually a long procedure, under deep anesthesia. It can typically take 4-5 hours to complete. This type of facelift is ideal for older patients who have excessive skin and muscle laxity with deep wrinkles. Results can be very dramatic, often turning back the clock 10-15 years.
A mini facelift will address specific segments of the face. For example, and upper lift or “Pony Tail Lift” will involve lifting the brows and cheeks (midface) as one unit. This can often tilt up the corners of the eyes a bit as well. A cheek and jowl lift will address the cheeks and jawline, with an incision in front of the ear. A neck lift will address only the neck with incisions behind the ears and under the chin. The length of the surgery is less for a mini facelift because you are not treating the whole face.
In our practice a mini facelift will most often include the jawline and neck. This procedure is performed in the deep plane, under the muscle, to ensure long lasting results. This is an ideal choice for patients aged from late thirties to mid-fifties. It can also be helpful for older patients who have had a prior facelift but are experiencing some relapsing laxity.
Choosing between a minifacelift and a full facelift depends on the patient’s concerns, budget, and expectations. A mini facelift is for patients who aren’t concerned about their brows or forehead, have limited skin laxity, or don’t need extensive neck work. A mini facelift can cost roughly half of what a full facelift costs, depending on anesthesia choice. Mini facelift patients generally expect to look five to ten years younger; whereas, a full facelift may turn the clock back 10-15 years or more.
