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.
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.
Depending on the elasticity of your skin, diet and sun exposure, your short scar facelift and neck lift should last for 5 to 7 years or longer.
The short-scar facelift (or mini facelift) repositions the dermis and internal soft tissue. It also helps reduce scaring, especially behind the ear — as caused by a traditional facelift. This is important factor for men and especially women who like to wear their hair up or off their neck.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
In general, good candidates for mini facelifts are men and women in their mid to late 40s up to 60s or 70s. There is not a cut-off age, per se, but instead we look at one's overall health, mobility, and treatment goals.
A mini facelift can still make you look years younger, but it often involves much shorter incisions and will not involve a neck lift or brow lift. During a mini facelift, smaller incisions are made and the skin around the mid-face area of the face is lifted instead of the skin of the entire face.
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.
The incision is placed at the junction of the ear and cheek skin to hide the scar. In most patients, the incision will pass behind the tragus (the projection of skin in front of the ear canal). Placing the incision here means there is no telltale scar.
For facelift patients specifically, it is understandable to worry about scarring on one of the most visible parts of your body. However, you may be surprised to learn that facelift scars are rarely visible when the surgery is performed by a skilled plastic surgeon, and the patient practices appropriate aftercare.
Scars after a facelift are visible but inconspicuous, and generally not noticeable unless examined closely. The facelift procedure scar starts at the sideburn and follows the contour of the ear, extending along the front of the ear and continuing under the earlobe and behind the ear, into the hairline.
Mini facelifts are faster and safer than a full facelift, have a shorter recovery time and are usually less expensive than full facelifts. In addition, they usually do not require general anesthesia – just local numbing and the use of mild sedatives.
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.
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.
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.
"Liquid facelift" is the phrase used for a combination of injectable procedures that can address some of the issues associated with aging – like loss of volume or the appearance of wrinkles – without going through invasive surgery or recovery.
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.
The deep plane facelift is generally considered the most comprehensive and long lasting type of facelift. This facelift involves the layer of muscles under your facial skin. These muscles are responsible for much of the drooping or sagging you may experience in your face as you age.
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.
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.