Mini Facelift Surgery

Written By: Dr Kristie McNealy                     Reviewed: 03 August 2010

If you're in your 30s or 40s, and are just beginning to see the signs of aging in your face, a mini facelift may be a good option.  Less invasive than a traditional facelift, the mini facelift is sometimes called the “weekend” facelift because of the short and easy recovery time.

What is a Mini Facelift?

A mini facelift is a surgical procedure which can reduce wrinkles and minor sagging around the cheeks, jawline, and neck through small incisions.  Because the surgery in a mini facelift is targeted to specific problem areas, it is much less invasive than traditional facelift surgery. This gives a shorter recovery time, and less risk of scarring and other complications associated with other types of facial surgery.  Mini facelifts can be performed endoscopically, or with longer traditional incisions.  A mini facelift is not a good choice if you have a large amount of sagging skin, or if you want to remove wrinkles from the forehead and brow area.

Risks of Mini Facelift Surgery

Possible complications of mini facelift surgery include bleeding, infection and scarring.  Sometimes nerve damage can result in numbness or problems with muscle control, but these issues are usually temporary.  Because incisions are smaller than those seen in traditional facelifts, there is less risk of scarring, bleeding or nerve damage in mini facelifts.

What to Expect with a Mini Facelift

Before Your Mini Facelift

First, you'll need to meet with a surgeon for a consultation, to discuss your desire for a mini facelift.  Your surgeon will examine you, and explain whether or not a mini facelift would address your problem areas.  They will also discuss any other procedures which might help you achieve the desired results, and explain the risks of mini facelift surgery.

During Mini Facelift Surgery

Mini facelifts can be performed under general anesthesia, or using local anesthetic and IV sedation.  If you are having endoscopic surgery, your surgeon will make very small incisions, and insert a camera to see the tissue they are operating on.  For traditional surgery, slightly larger incisions will be made, and the skin will be folded back.  Muscle is reshaped, fat is removed, and the skin is repositioned.  Excess skin is removed, and stitches are used to hold the tissue in place.  Min facelift surgery takes 1 to 2 hours.

Mini Facelift Recovery

Recovery from a mini facelift only takes a few days, nd is much less painful than recovery from a full facelift.  You may have some bruising or stiffness for a week or two.  In most cases, you can resume all of your normal activities in 1 to 2 weeks.

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Related Treatments

• Facelift Surgery
• Browlift Surgery
• Eye Lift Surgery (Blepharoplasty)
• Nose Reshaping / Nose Job (Rhinoplasty)
• Dermal Fillers
• Collagen Injections