With the advancement of non-surgical facial rejuvenation treatments from freezers and fillers to the minimally invasive tightening/lifting procedures such as Ulthera and ThermiLift, comes the postponement of facelift surgery. However for patients experiencing pronounced facial aging defined by sagging skin and loosening of the underlying jowl, neck and mid-face structures, facelift surgery is often the next logical step. Fillers and freezers are wonderful to slow down superficial signs of aging but when the underlying structures start to weaken and skin needs to be removed, the best way to address them is surgically.
In its most basic terms, a traditional facelift is the best option for a patient with more advanced signs of aging who wants to refresh their neck, jawline, cheeks and forehead while the mini facelift rejuvenates the lower third of the face, focusing on the jowls and neck. The full facelift is just that. It usually includes the tightening of skin and underlying structures all parts of the face. The operation and recovery are both longer and the cost is higher.
The mini-facelift is a much scaled down version. Surgical time, recovery time and incisions are shorter. It is usually performed under local rather than general anesthesia. They are projected to last from three to five years compared to five to ten for a full facelift. The dissection is less extensive. The mini-facelift is perfect for the younger patient (30’s to 40’s) where the beginning signs of age are starting to show such as facial laxity, jowling and some neck laxity. This is also better for suspension of muscle without a lot of skin laxity.
The full facelift or traditional facelift repositions the muscles, removes a great deal of skin laxity and is a better operation for the patient who has more extensive facial laxity, jowling and a large amount of fatty tissue in the neck or a large degree of muscle banding in the neck. With an additional incision under the chin, the platysmal bands are tightened and excess fatty tissue is removed.
Can a facelift give you the results your looking for? Please call our office to book a consultation with Dr. Honrado to discuss your questions. 310.286.0043