Are Dermatologists Qualified to Perform Mini Lifts?

The more experienced your doc is in mini facelifts then the better judgement he/she can offer you in what you may need. Derm Surgeons can and do give great results with minilifts because of their expertise in surgery and their unparalled knowledge of the skin and its movement dynamics. Derm Surgeons are also the top experts with all the adjunctive procedures such as fillers, botox, lasers, chem peels, scar treatments etc... that usually need to accompliment the mini lifts to help give the best results. Mini lifts run $6-8500 and are done safely under local anesthesia. If you trust your doc and they have experience with great before and after photos etc.. then strongly consider them. As always, several consultations with different docs are always recommended. Sincerely,

David Hansen,MD

Unless your dermatologist is a board certified plastic surgeon, you should not undergo a mini facelift with him. Perhaps your dermatologist is performing a liquid facelift, but calling it a mini lift? A non-surgical facelift using injectables like Sculptra, Restylane, Botox, etc. can provide great results and can be performed by either a dermatologist or plastic surgeon.

If you are truly seeking a mini facelift, you should see a qualified and experienced facial plastic surgeon for a second opintion.

This is a good question. Many patients psychologically think that, if a procedure is performed by a medical specialist, such as a dermatologist, rather than a surgeon, it isnt' as intimidating. However, I would not recommend having surgery with anyone who is just starting to perform a procedure---probably after watching some videos or taking a weekend course. Board certified plastic surgeons usually train for a minimum of seven years before becoming board eligible and going into practice. Your area of the country has plenty of well trained, board certified plastic surgeons. See someone who has the appropriate credentials and experience--and who can know when NOT to perform a surgery. If a dermatologist doesn't know how to perform the full facelift, you are much more likely to be deemed a candidate for a mini-lift, which may not be the right operation for you. Also, does your dermatologist have an accredited facility? Can he or she offer you a board certified anesthesiologist? Does he or she have admitting privileges at a local hospital in case you have a complication? These are all serious questions which must be asked and answered to your satisfaction.