Mini Facelift

1/10 | http://www.docshop.com/education/cosmetic/face/face-lift/mini
BY
James P. Wire, MD
SENIOR SECTIONAL EDITOR
updated March 12, 2015
Source: http://www.docshop.com/education/cosmetic/face/face-
lift/mini
Mini facelift surgery is the most common type of facelift surgery
performed today. It addresses wrinkles and sagging skin on the lower
third of the face using small incisions placed around the ears. It
restores definition to the chin by removing excess tissue and artfully
tightening remaining tissue. A skilled plastic surgeon can tailor a mini
facelift procedure to give you a youthful, more refreshed appearance
that accentuates your natural beauty and boosts your confidence.
Mini facelift surgery appeals to many men and women because it can
Mini Facelift

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address some of the most prominent signs of aging. For example, some
people experience hormonal changes, or are genetically predisposed to
losing definition in their jaw. Many patients turn to mini facelift surgery
to restore this definition.
If you have noticed a loss of definition in your jaw due to sagging skin
or excess fat tissue and you would like to restore a youthful
appearance, you may be a candidate for a mini facelift. By familiarizing
yourself with the basic principles of this surgery, you can engage your
surgeon in an informed consultation and outline a treatment plan that
can provide beautiful, natural-looking results.
The Benefits of Mini Facelift Surgery
Mini facelift surgery can provide a wealth of physical and emotional
benefits:
Minimal Scarring - Incisions are easily concealed within your natural
facial contours and hairline.
Minimal Side Effects - A mini facelift results in less swelling,
bruising, and tenderness than a more extensive facelift surgery.
Conservative Treatment - Mini facelift surgery addresses primarily
the lower third of your face and neck. The procedure will complement
your natural features, giving you an enhancement commensurate
with your degree of skin laxity and wrinkles
Self Confidence - Feeling confident about your appearance can make
a tremendous difference in your quality of life.
Efficiency - In many cases, mini facelifts can be completed in a few
hours.
Conservative anesthesia - A mini facelift can be done using local
anesthesia, allowing the patient to remain conscious throughout the
procedure without feeling pain. As such, patients do not have to
experience the groggy disorientation and risks that follows general

anesthesia having been placed upon "life-support".
Mini Facelift Planning and Preparation
The first step in a mini facelift experience is a consultation with a
plastic surgeon. If you are considering any cosmetic surgery, it is
important that your surgeon present you with several different options,
rather than excessive or one-size-fits-all procedures. If you are
considering a facelift, it is especially important to select a surgeon who
performs facelifts frequently and delivers consistently excellent results.
Once you and your surgeon have decided upon your surgical plan, you
can schedule the procedure. You will need to ask a friend or relative to
drive you to and from the clinic.
Immediately prior to surgery, your surgeon will administer anesthesia. I
find local anesthesia to be suitable to a mini facelift not only because it
ensures a patient's comfort, but also because it may be administered
without a breathing tube. As such, the patient's jaw can remain in its
natural position, which allows me to deliver the most accurate
treatment.
SMAS Lifting is Essential
It is important to recognize that a
mini facelift yields substantial
results despite its "mini"
distinction. It involves alteration
of not only the patient's skin, but
also the immediate underlying
muscular system, called the
SMAS (superficial muscular
aponeurotic system), and fat
tissues. By lifting and refining
these tissues along with your
skin, your surgeon can enhance
your natural facial contours and provide results that appear both natural
and significant. SMAS mini lift surgery has become the standard of
care, as cutaneous (skin-only) facelift surgery simply cannot deliver
results that look as natural.
SMAS mini lift surgery has
become the standard of
care, as cutaneous (skin-
only) facelift surgery
simply cannot deliver
results that look as natural

Keith G. Saxon, M.D., a plastic surgeon practicing in Kansas City, MO,
explains that a cutaneous facelift basically fails to address the bigger
picture:
"It's not just the facial skin that's aging," Dr. Saxon said. "My goal for
each patient is to take care of all of the tissues that are aging, which
includes the skin and the supportive structures underneath, as well as
the SMAS and fat tissues."
The Mini Lift Procedure
During mini facelift surgery, your surgeon will locate incisions in front
of your ears that extend from the bottom of your earlobe to your
hairline, behind your ear. The length and pattern of your incisions
depends on your needs and your surgeon's technique. Next, your
surgeon will pull your tissues upward and outward toward your ears.
This technique reduces sagging skin and jowls, as well as the
appearance of wrinkles.
Once the SMAS and skin reach a position that accentuates your natural
bone structure and facial contours, they are sutured into place, and
excess tissue is trimmed away. I personally use permanent sutures for
the SMAS. Other surgeons may use surgical staples or removable
sutures. In total, a mini facelift can take about two hours.
Recovering from Mini Facelift Surgery
Some surgeons refer to mini facelift surgery as a "weekend" facelift."
This can be somewhat misleading. While some patients can return to
work as early as a week after surgery, others may require several
weeks to heal from swelling and other side effects. It may take up to a
year before final results are apparent.
Since mini facelift surgery is performed as an outpatient procedure, you
will return to your home to rest the same day as the surgery. You may

be given a compression garment to wear home. In the past, it was
common for surgeons to place drains at surgical sites in order to
prevent fluid accumulation. However, many surgeons, myself included,
have refined their techniques to make drains unnecessary.
In many cases, you will return to your plastic surgeon's office the day
after surgery for a follow-up consultation. Your surgeon will schedule
further follow-up appointments to monitor your recovery. After about a
week, your surgeon will remove your sutures.
It is common for patients to experience side effects such as bruising,
swelling, redness, sensitivity, temporary loss of sensation, and some
discomfort in the weeks following surgery mini facelift. You may also
experience some sensations of tightness as your body adjusts to the
feeling of newly repositioned tissues.
Lori is a patient of mine who underwent eyelid surgery. She loved the
results, but said it made the lack of definition in her chin more apparent
to her. Lori decided she wanted a mini facelift, and together we
determined a treatment plan to address sagging tissues that were
making her jaw appear square. She said her recovery was swift, and
she achieved the rejuvenated appearance she wanted.
"During the first week, my face felt a little tight, like plastic," Lori said.
"When I touched it, it was like I didn't have feeling for a few days, and
then it came back. I was so thrilled that I was able to go back to work
within ten days after surgery, and everyone thought my results looked
natural."
Some patients can return to work within the first week after surgery,
while others, like Lori, may need ten days or more. You will need to
refrain from any type of strenuous activities that might significantly
In many cases, you will return to your
plastic surgeon's office the day after
surgery for a follow-up consultation

raise your heart rate during the week following surgery. Your surgeon
will let you know when it is safe to resume strenuous activities and
exercise. By following your surgeon's explicit instructions and
maintaining your overall health, you can expect beautiful, natural-looking
results within the year following surgery.
Combining Surgical Procedures
The goal of every facial cosmetic
surgery procedure is to achieve
harmony - in other words, after a
patient has recovered, it should
not be obvious that he or she
underwent plastic surgery.
Ideally, the enhancement should
blend with the patient's overall
facial appearance for natural-
looking rejuvenation.
"The mini facelift is really a
convergence of new technologies,
face lifting techniques, and the
world of wellness and how they interplay," Farhan Taghizadeh, M.D., a
plastic surgeon practicing in Albuquerque, said. "A balanced facelift
practice today has integrated several technologies and treatments to
mix and match the best plan for each patient."
In order to achieve aesthetic harmony, your surgeon may recommend
combining a mini facelift with other surgical enhancements to achieve
more extensive rejuvenation. In other cases, goals may simply require
more than what a mini facelift alone can provide.
Treatments commonly combined with a mini facelift include:
Neck Lift: A neck lift can address the skin that extends from the chin to
the collar bones - essentially, the skin that is visible when you wear a t-
shirt. It involves removing excess skin and lifting remaining skin and
underlying platysma muscles to restore definition. In some cases, a
The goal of every facial
cosmetic surgery
procedure is to achieve
harmony - in other words,
after a patient has
recovered, it should not be
obvious that he or she
underwent plastic surgery

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neck lift can be performed using the same incisions created during your
mini lift. In other cases, it may require small incisions under your chin.
Mid Facelift: A mid facelift addresses the area of the face that extends
from the cheekbones to the jaw. Using incisions similar to those used in
a mini facelift, your surgeon can artfully tighten the SMAS and overlying
tissue to restore definition to the cheeks and reduce the prominence of
nasolabial folds. This can provide dramatic rejuvenation when combined
with a mini facelift.
Brow Lift: A brow lift, sometimes called an upper facelift, involves
tightening the skin of the upper third of your face, or forehead. Patients
who develop wrinkles or creases on their foreheads and between their
eyebrows can be excellent candidates for a brow lift. This procedure
can be an outstanding complement to a mini facelift, helping a patient to
not only regain definition in the jaw, but also look generally more rested
and refreshed.
Blepharoplasty: A blepharoplasty procedure targets the area around
your eyes. Treatment can involve reducing puffy "bags" in the lower
eyelids, or lifting the upper lids to achieve a more "awake, alert"
appearance.
Maintaining Your Mini Facelift
A mini facelift can provide incredible results, but it is important to
understand the aging process continues. Over time, even refined
tissues age. Fortunately, there are several types of non-surgical and
minimally invasive techniques that can help enhance and maintain your
results.
Some common treatments that may be used before and after a mini
facelift include:
Ablative and fractional laser treatments to address skin blemishes
like large pores and scarring from acne
BOTOX® Cosmetic injections to temporarily stop muscle contractions

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that result in fine lines and wrinkles
Dermal filler injections to add youthful volume to lips, cheeks, and
other areas of the face
Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections, sometimes called a Vampire
Facelift®, which use your own isolated growth factors to increase
collagen production and blood flow, which is purported to rejuvenate
skin tone
Liposuction, or surgical fat removal, to eliminate stubborn fat deposits
and restore definition in specific areas of the face
Fat transfer (fat grafting), a process of removing unwanted fat from
one area of the body, such as from the neck, and injecting it into that
the face
Exilis® treatments, which use radiofrequency technology to tighten
skin and increase collagen production
In addition to surgical and non-surgical treatments, maintaining your
overall health can be highly beneficial to your appearance. Your surgeon
can prescribe specific vitamins and skin care products for you to take
before and after surgery to maintain the health of your skin. You should
also maintain a healthy lifestyle that includes a balanced diet, regular
exercise, limited alcohol consumption, and abstinence from tobacco. A
mini facelift can turn back the clock, and an excellent skin care regimen
and healthy lifestyle choices can delay the development of new signs of
aging.
Affording Your Mini Facelift
A mini facelift is an elective surgery, which means you can expect to
pay for the entire cost of treatment out of pocket. Many surgical
practices provide in-house financing or accept medical credit cards.
Your surgeon's staff can help you apply for these finance services.
The cost of cosmetic surgery is high by virtually anyone's standards,

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but if you educate yourself about the factors affecting cost, you stand to
experience the greatest returns on your investment. The cost of your
surgery depends on your surgeon's expertise and experience, the type
of anesthesia or sedation you receive, the type of facility in which the
surgery is performed, the complexity of your procedure, and the cost of
any pre- and post-operative appointments and medications you receive.
You should also keep in mind that any treatments performed in
conjunction with a mini facelift will increase the total cost.
There has never been a better time to be a consumer, and when it
comes to choosing a plastic surgeon to perform a mini facelift, you have
a wealth of resources at your fingertips. Conduct extensive research to
identify the most reputable surgeons in your area, and schedule
consultations with several of them. An outstanding surgeon will listen
patiently to your goals and concerns, and offer multiple options to help
you achieve the enhancement you desire.
Achieving Big Benefits with a Mini Facelift
A mini facelift is a landmark
procedure that directly reflects a
shift in plastic surgery - toward
giving patients the most natural-
looking results possible. No
surgery can make a middle-aged
patient look like a teenager, but
conservative procedures like a
mini facelift can restore facial
definition that looks attractive at
any age. When you choose a
skilled plastic surgeon with an
excellent reputation for beautiful
results, you can expect to achieve an enhancement that leaves others
noticing your refreshed and rejuvenated appearance - not your facelift.
References & Resources
Source: http://www.docshop.com/education/cosmetic/face/face-
lift/mini
No surgery can make a
middle-aged patient look
like a teenager, but
conservative procedures
like a mini facelift can
restore facial definition that
looks attractive at any age

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Author: James P. Wire, MD
Publisher: DocShop

Mini Facelift

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