Mini Facelift

The Mini Facelift is also known by a variety of different names, such as the s-lift, baby boomer facelift, limited-incision facelift, or mini-lift. It is generally appropriate for people who show aging in the mid-face and do not have a severe amount of excess skin around their jaw line and neck.

The Mini Facelift is particularly valuable on younger patients in their forties, fifties and secondary facelifts. It can be combined with liposuction in the neck area to give a remarkable overall improvement.

The short scar facelift is carried out under local anesthesia and an overnight stay in hospital is usually not required. Occasionally procedures can sometimes be carried out under sedation.

Starting at the top of the ear (hidden by the hair at this point) the incision courses down following the curves in front of the ear round the earlobe and up behind the ear for 2-3 cm. Using these incisions on both sides, the skin and deep tissues are remodelled and redraped. The incisions are enclosed with stitches in front of the ear.

Bandages are removed the morning after the surgery and the hair will be washed. Over the subsequent few days, you can gently wash your hair with a mild shampoo, obviously exercising care in the suture area.

Any discomfort can be controlled by taking a mild analgesic such as Paracetamol (Aspirin must not be taken). Bruising, swelling and numbness are temporary following a facelift and are mostly resolved after a week.

Some surgeons refer to mini facelift surgery as a "weekend" facelift." This can be somewhat misleading. While some patients can return to work as early as a week after surgery, others may require several weeks to heal from swelling and other side effects. It may take up to a year before final results are apparent.

Having a Mini Facelift doesn't stop the clock. Your face will continue to age with time, and you may want to repeat the procedure one or more times - perhaps ten years down the line. So, while you will continue to age, if you had an identical twin who did not have a lift, you would always look better than your twin.