20 May Too Young for a Facelift, but Need One? Try the Mini Lift!
A “facelift” has become an umbrella term for what might be any number of surgeries to address signs of aging on the lower half of the face and neck. At RefinedMD, Dr. Sudeep Roy is our resident plastic surgeon, specializing in facelifts and customizing every procedure to the patient. This can include the “mini lift,” which might be a suitable alternative to a full facelift for younger patients in their 30s or 40s, or simply those who want a quicker recovery period.
The days are long gone when a one size fits all facelift was the norm, and that’s a great thing! In the 90s and early aughts, facelifts could cause that fake, pulled look as well as visible scarring. That’s because those facelifts only addressed the skin, but there’s a lot more to aging than skin laxity and sagging. Today’s facelifts also address the underlying tissue, rejuvenating it while also removing excess skin. The result is completely natural looking but also dramatic. You can easily look 10+ years younger with a full facelift and up to five years younger with a mini lift. But what’s the difference between the two?
A Mini Lift
Mini lifts are just what they sound like. They are miniature versions of a full facelift. Today’s incisions, no matter what type of facelift you get, are designed to be hidden usually in the natural crevices of the ear. Once healed they are virtually impossible to spot unless a trained eye is looking for them. Sometimes incisions for full facelifts might need to be made in the scalp area—but not behind the ear. This is sometimes called a “ponytail facelift” because those with longer hair feel confident pulling up their hair, knowing that incisions won’t show.
A mini lift will typically only require incisions in the ear crevices, and normally fewer and shorter incisions than with a full facelift. As you can imagine, this means the results aren’t as dramatic but you also enjoy a shorter recovery period. Most clients well suited for a mini lift are younger than 50. They have some signs of aging but aren’t quite ready for a full facelift yet. In some cases, this can delay the desire for a full facelift by several years.
Optimizing Your Facelift
Keep in mind that a facelift is not going to change the quality of the skin itself. It can do a fantastic job of removing most lines and wrinkles since it does remove sagging skin. However, it will not get rid of acne scarring, hyperpigmentation, or some of those lines and wrinkles etched into the skin. A facelift also does not address the eyes or forehead—that would require different, additional surgeries. A facelift does include a necklift, so it’s a bit of a 2-in-1 procedure. The incision for the necklift part of the procedure is very small and hidden right under the chin.
If you want to make the most of your facelift, no matter what kind you get, there are many things you can do. For starters, upgrade your sun protection now. Sun damage is one of the leading causes of early aging, lines, wrinkles, and sagging—not to mention skin cancer. Medical-grade skin care products, including sunscreen, are powerful tools and our aestheticians can work with you to develop a routine.
Complementary Facelift Procedures
If you want to improve the quality of your skin after a facelift, you also have options. Chemical peels, laser treatments, microneedling, and CoolSculpting are all non-surgical options that can improve your skin. You can tackle redness, varicose veins, brown spots, and much more. A facelift offers dramatic results, but it does have its limitations. Most patients benefit from a combination of treatments, often surgical and non-surgical, to get the best results.
If you’ve been thinking about getting a facelift, you’re running out of time to take advantage of a “pandemic surgery.” Millions of people are getting vaccinated every week, and pretty soon the world is going to open up to some kind of new normal. If you’ve been working from home, and avoiding gatherings and travel, this is a prime time to treat yourself to the surgery you’ve always wanted. Connect with RefinedMD right now to book a consultation with Dr. Roy. Call the office or start a chat today.