What is the mini facelift?

The mini facelift is a state-of-the-art procedure that provides an overall lift to the lower region of the face and upper neck without the typical pulled-back appearance associated with other facelift procedures. This new procedure has a lower risk of complications, smaller incisions, and a quicker recovery when compared to a traditional facelift.

Who is eligible for the mini facelift?

The mini facelift is designed for men and women between the ages of 40 and 65+ who want to stay ahead of the aging process. Around this age, most individuals lose elasticity in their skin and develop looseness along the jaw line and under the chin. The mini facelift can help excessive skin redundancy while offering benefits other facelift procedures cannot.

Where is the procedure performed?

The mini facelift is an outpatient procedure performed in our office. An anesthesiologist monitors the patients’ vital signs from the beginning to the end of the procedure. Patients do not receive general anesthesia as is administered during major surgery in the hospital. Rather, they receive heavy sedation intravenously. Patients are completely comfortable during the surgery and cannot remember anything afterwards, and return home the same day.

How is the procedure performed?

An anesthesiologist provides intravenous sedation. A local anesthetic is used in the area in front of the ear to desensitize the lower face, minimize bleeding, and separate the skin from the underlying tissue. An incision is made beginning at the hairline, extending behind the tragus of the ear, behind the earlobe, and up to the hair line towards the nape of the neck. The connective tissue under the skin is then tightened using two oval-shaped “purse-string sutures”. The skin is re-draped and the excess is tailored. The incision is sutured closed under magnification using a technique that is designed to reduce tension at the closure to minimize visible scarring. The suturing approach was designed to achieve the best chance of hair growth through and in front of the scar line.

What is the significance of the purse-string sutures?

These specially designed sutures allow significant tightening of the tissue because they are anchored deeply in the face. When tied, the sutures exert a pleasant angled traction on the jowl and neck. This technique minimizes the chances of facial paralysis and nerve interference associated with the traditional facelift because the muscles and the surrounding connective tissue are tightened as opposed to cut and reattached.