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.
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 traditional face-lift incision starts at your temples in the hairline, continues down and around the front of your ears and ends behind your ears in your lower scalp. An incision might be made under your chin to improve the appearance of your neck.
Sun exposure can cause skin discoloration and make mini facelift scars more visible. Don't pick, scratch, or pull at your scar tissue. This can increase your risk of infection, cause uneven healing, or even end in more noticeable scarring.
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.
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.
Facelift recovery time
You should look and feel normal after 2 – 4 weeks. Keep in mind that facelift surgery cannot stop natural aging, so we encourage patients to continue to take care of their skin and make healthy lifestyle choices.
Scars from a mini facelift are typically located in natural creases of the skin or areas that are not prominently noticeable, so they are even less detectable to others.
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.
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.
Two incisions will be made on either side of the face along the hairline. Traditional facelift incisions start at the temple hidden in the hair dip inside the ear where hidden and wrap around the earlobe in the crease where they are very inconspicuous.
Short Scar Facelift / Mini Facelift / J-Lift
A short scar facelift, or J-lift, uses small incisions to tighten underlying facial muscle tissue and remove sagging skin. Short scar lifts are meant for patients with less significant facial aging and tend to have a shorter recovery than the traditional facelift.
Where Are Incisions for Neck Lift Located? During a neck lift, incisions are typically located behind each ear, with an additional incision sometimes made under the patient's chin. For some patients, just the ear incisions will suffice.
Pulled-down earlobes may happen at the time of the original procedure, or can develop with time. The most dramatic distortion has been called “the pixie ear.” Natural contour can usually be restored, but this is often difficult. The earlobe is often not distorted, but simply pulled forward — a tip-off to a facelift.
An S Lift removes excess skin and repositions fat and muscle to reduce jowls and smooth the jawline for a more youthful appearance. These results generally last between 5 to 10 years or longer in many cases.
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.
In general, it takes about six months to heal from a facelift procedure. Any visible scars will usually progress from a pinkish appearance to a white color that's nearly impossible to notice. Sometimes this can take up to one to two years. In most cases, the scarring won't change much in appearance after two years.
Recovery time after a facelift depends on a patient's age, health status, and specific procedure desired. Patients are usually able to return to their normal activities and work within 1-2 weeks but should wait approximately 2-4 weeks before engaging in any strenuous exercise.
In reality, a facelift can be everything from extremely obvious to incredibly subtle. The results are often dependant on the talent and skill of the plastic surgeon that you choose.
When suturing, often a two-fold method is used: First, the underneath part of the incision is closed with resorbable sutures that won't have to be removed. Then the top layers of skin are either glued together or sutured with very fine suturing material to minimize scarring.
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.
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.
Following facelift surgery, patients should sleep on their back with their head slightly elevated using pillows. Not only does this sleeping position help to reduce swelling and promote proper healing, but it also reduces the risk of postoperative complication, such as inadvertently pulling out stitches.
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.