Because a mini facelift is less invasive than a full facelift, most patients report feeling minimal pain and discomfort following their surgery. It is common to experience some slight bruising and swelling.
Recovery time after a standard facelift, mini facelift, or neck lift is fairly quick. Most patients will be back to their day-to-day routine after one to three weeks.
Is a mini facelift painful? Whenever you have a mini or full facelift, there is some pain and discomfort that follows the procedure. With the mini facelift, there is less pain because only certain parts of the face were tightened. This pain is much less significant than those who undergo a full facelift experience.
Facelift recovery Week 2
During this week you'll likely still have some swelling and bruising around the affected areas. Swelling and bruising can also cause some people to experience some numbness, tingling and tightness. These are all common occurrences after a facelift and should not cause concern.
The swelling may get worse before it gets better, but it will probably go away in 1 to 2 weeks. After a few days you may get some bruises on your neck and chest. This is caused by gravity, which pulls the excess blood and bruising downward. You will feel some pain for 2 to 4 days after surgery.
Overall, a mini facelift is considered effective in correcting sagging skin in the lower half of your face. Depending on your overall goals, you may consider additional procedures, such as an eye lift or dermal fillers.
Don't smoke or drink alcohol for two weeks before your mini facelift and for two weeks afterward. Reduce stress as much as possible by incorporating some relaxation periods into your daily routine – listen to soothing music, do yoga, meditate, take naps – whatever helps you tone down the stress.
In most cases, a facelift works best for people in their 40s, 50s, and 60s when signs of aging begin to become prevalent. Deep lines, wrinkles, fine lines, and sagging skin are the result of the aging process and can be best corrected through surgical techniques rather than non-surgical ones.
If mini facelift patients maintain a healthy lifestyle after their procedure they can typically expect their results to last anywhere from two to six years (while full facelift results can last a decade or longer).
A mini facelift involves the placement of incisions in front of the ears which extend from the hairline to the bottom of the earlobe. The surgeon will then gently pull the skin and tissues up and outward the ear. Excess skin and tissue are removed to tighten the appearance of the skin.
If you are given a sedative during your facelift, then you most likely won't remember the procedure. While it's happening, you'll likely be awake, although you'll feel very relaxed. However, because the sedative medication blocks the formation of memories, you won't remember it later.
A mini-facelift is usually performed in an office-based setting. In appropriately chosen patients this procedure is well tolerated using only local anesthesia. Sedation or general anesthesia are other options and would be performed in an outpatient surgical facility.
Although the mini facelift is designed primarily to tighten the lower half of the face and focuses mostly on the jawline and jowls, a slight amount of upper neck tightening can also be achieved. In a traditional facelift, the focus is mostly on lifting and smoothing the neck more dramatically.
Mini facelift scars are minimal
Traditionally, an incision is made in the hairline near the temples on each side. The incision goes in front of the ear, down the front of and hugging the earlobe area, then back to the lower scalp behind the ears.
Generally, a ponytail lift involves incisions made high up on the face – above the front of the ear or beyond the hairline. The facial cosmetic surgeon then pulls the ligaments below the skin to adjust and reduce sagging.
Some treatments to treat nasolabial folds include: Mini Face Lift: A mini face lift targets the lower portion of the face. Small incisions are made around the ears where the skin and underlying tissues are gently pulled and tightened, reducing the appearance of nasolabial folds.
Swelling and inflammation are normal during facelift recovery. Swelling may occur around the mouth, chin, or jawline, depending on the extent of your facelift procedure and where it was performed. Most patients can expect the majority of their swelling to dissipate after 3 – 4 weeks.
While facelift results can be different for every patient, the American Society of Plastic Surgeons found that, on average, patients felt they looked about 12 years younger after their facelift surgeries.
Typically, a mini facelift addresses the jowls and upper neck regions, whereas a full facelift may also include the midface and full neck.
A thread lift is a short, minimally invasive procedure that — using advances in thread technology — can lift and reposition sagging facial skin. The results are not as dramatic as facelift surgery but still visible. Thread lifts can target areas of the face and neck, including: Jowls.
Don't eat or drink (that includes water) from midnight on the night before your procedure until your surgery is complete. Don't Smoke! Smoking alters blood flow, and people who smoke will not heal as quickly as those who don't. You are advised to stop smoking for at least several weeks prior to your surgery.
About a week before surgery, eliminate all vitamin and herbal supplements, Omega 3 capsules, as well as ginger, green tea, flaxseed, cayenne, eggplant, garlic, tomatoes, and potatoes as these may as many may interfere with blood clotting. Also, eliminate alcohol, caffeine, and artificial sweeteners.
Complications of facelift surgery are infrequent, and cosmetic procedures are generally safe, as long as they are carried out by a qualified and experienced professional. However, any surgery comes with some risk. The risks and complications of facelift surgery include: Bleeding.
General Anesthesia
Throughout the procedure, you are completely asleep, and you feel no pain. This is the most common type of anesthesia Dr. Fan uses. A facelift takes considerable time, and the majority of patients, especially those who experience anxiety, are most comfortable sleeping through the procedure.
A facelift often will enhance the appearance of your cheek, jaw line and neck region but is considered major surgery. You should think carefully about your specific expectations and communicate your goals to your plastic surgeon.