Will a mini facelift work for me?
Posted on Tue, Nov 01, 2011
Take years off your face with a mini facelift.
For so many men and women who want more tightening and lifting than Thermage or fillers can offer and who have busy schedules with little opportunity for downtime, the mini facelift is the answer. A mini facelift typically costs about half as much as a traditional facelift and the downtime is minimal. Most of my minilift patients are able to go back to work in about 3 days. The incisions are much smaller than a traditional facelift and the procedure is much less invasive and less prone to complications.
How much improvement can I expect?
The ideal candidate is relatively lean and still has a reasonable amount of elasticity in the skin of the face and neck. Ideally there is minimal fat, mostly just a moderate amount of loose skin to the neck and lower face. For patients with more excess skin and fat to the neck and face, it is more likely that an extended facelift will be needed. Several of my minilift patients have undergone the procedure comfortably with local anesthetic only (no IV sedation) and almost all go home without needing postoperative dressings or pain pills. As with any type of cosmetic procedure, surgical sites must be carefully tended to and smoking can cause major problems with healing and scarring. The procedure typically takes one to two hours to perform.
How exactly will Dr. Stover perform my mini facelift?
A mini facelift goes by many other names, such as an executive facelift, a lifestyle facelift, a weekend lift or even a lunchtime lift. Cosmetic surgeons have differing ideas as to what a mini facelift actually entails. No two mini facelifts are the same, but typically I make an incision above the front of the ear, continue downward behind the tragus (the firm cartilage bump in front of the ear) and extend under the ear and then upward in the crease behind the ear. There is no backward cut in the hairline behind the ear as one sees with a traditional facelift. Loose muscle is then tightened with deep sutures and then excess skin is removed. The visible scars are minimal and are barely noticeable after a few months.
Mini facelifts are not necessarily easier than a traditional facelift.
Though mini facelifts may seem simpler to the patient, I find that often the procedure is more technically challenging than a traditional facelift. The cosmetic surgeon really must have a thorough understanding of the traditional facelift before being able to predictably have great results with a minilift.
Combination procedures result in even greater rejuvenation.
Often patients will combine other procedures with a mini facelift to gain added benefits. Some patients will need liposuction to the neck which can be done at the same time as the mini facelift. Many patients choose to combine their minilift with laser resurfacing to improve the texture of the skin and soften the very fine wrinkles that even surgery will not remove. Resurfacing the skin with the Active and Deep FX fractional CO2 laser is a safe and predictable way to enhance the overall rejuvenating outcome of a minilift.
I have performed mini facelifts safely and comfortably in all of my 3 offices on the Big Island: Waimea, Hilo and Kona. Almost all patients are pleasantly surprised and exceptionally pleased with the results of their surgery. Call any of my offices for a complimentary consultation to find out if you are a good candidate for a mini facelift.
NEW! If you've ever wondered how you'd look after your cosmetic procedure, contact us now for a complimentary consultation. I can simulate the exciting possibilities in a realistic 3D image of you. The Cosmetic Centers of Hawaii is the only cosmetic provider in the State of Hawaii that offers this comprehensive Vectra X3 imaging service.
And to find out more about mini facelifts, download our "Mini Report on Mini Facelifts."
