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Results, Recovery, Incisions from Mini Facelift: What to Expect?
What do you think of the lifestyle lift or, for that matter, any minilift, if a person does not require a complete facelift? Is it lasting, and where are the incisions made? How long is the usual recovery time? Many thanks for your opinion.
Asked 44 months ago by
debra weintraub in las vegas, NV
+4
Thes so-called name brand facelifts that offer minimum...
Thes so-called name brand facelifts that offer minimum down time done in a dental chair under local anesthetic are not very good. They are great marketing tools to have patients come in.
A quality facelift, whether it is a full facelift or a short scar facelift done under adequate and safe anesthesia, will often give a better longer lasting result.
A professor of mine once said that "I can give you a caricature sketch-type facelift that will be very quick, and give you an OK result for...
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+3
Mini Lift = Mini Results
Mini Lift usually refers to a skin-only excision around the ear, with minimal or no undermining (surgical release of tissues to aid in repositioning).
The technique tightens the cheeks and jowls by creating a pull (tension) on the skin of the area without lifting or tightening the underlying support structures.
The advantages are a quick procedure with minimal or no recovery that will refresh one's appearance. The disadvantage is lack of longevity (a few months to a couple of...
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+3
A mini facelift gives a mini result for a mini length of time
If you are young and are seeing early signs of facial aging, perhaps a mini facelift is adequate to treat your situation. Far too many patients, however, are tempted by the allure of a mini lift thinking it will give them the same result as a properly done facelift and that the results will last as long. This is simply not true.
The Lifestyle lift is a heavily marketed procedure trying to capture your interest with a clever name and promises that are frequently not delivered when you read...
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+2
Incisions from minlift
The incisions for a minilift are basically the same in the front of the ears as for a facelift. However the incision stops just behind the earlobe. Muscle and tissue are pulled up and repositioned. It improves the slightly sagging jawline and snugs up the skin on the face to just behind the earlobe. It will not improve the neck beyond about 1 to 1 1/2 inches down the neck.
Recovery is about 5 to 7 days. The results should last for 4 to 6 years depending on the elasticity of the...
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Mini facelift is a right operation for the right patient
As you can see, the doctors vary in their opinion in what a mini facelift will achieve. One reason for that is the patient: the results will be different for different patients. A younger (40's or 50's) patient who is thin, has good bone structure and some sagging skin will do great with a regular facelift, but will also do very well with a mini facelift with a long duration of the results.
The other reason is the doctor: all surgeons are not created equal, and some are just better at doing...
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+2
Facial Rejuvenation - No two surgeries are alike
FACIAL REJUVENATION: no two surgeries are alike
I prefer the term 'facial rejuvenation' over the more antiquated term 'facelift', as many patients that I see who seek a more youthful and refreshed facial appearance undergo a set of surgical procedures very different from what would have been considered a 'facelift' twenty-five years ago.
The word 'rejuvenation' means, literally, 'to make young again'. In each individual, different facial...
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+2
Expect mini results, almost the same down time.
Mini-lifts including the Lifestyle Lift offer minimal pulling through usually traditional facelift incisions. The downtime is slightly less than for an actual facelift. Many patients are very disappointed to learn that their mini-lifts had the same incisions as if they had a real facelift, but half the result or less. Because of the excessively tight closure of many minilifts (in an attempt to pull on tissues that are far away), the scars can be wide and unsightly. The results are...
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+2
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Mini facelift results
A mini facelift means something different to each surgeon. In my practice, a mini facelift refers to the incision, not what happens under the skin. The incision is placed in front of the ear and what happens under the skin is exactly what happens with a standard facelift with repositioning of the muscles and fascia on the side of the face. As a result, there is marked improvement of the jowls and mid face region. The neck is minimally improved with this...
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Mini Facelift Results
There is no exact definition for "mini facelift," and most doctors have their own interpretation, based on their personal results, experience, etc. Look at before and after photos to gage the type of result you may expect from your doctor's "mini facelift" and then ask specific questions such as: does it address my neck, my jowls, my cheeks, my brows? Ask about anesthesia. Some "mini facelifts" may involve "max" anesthesia.
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Results and recovery after of mini lift
If performed on the right patient a mini lift can achieve very nice results. The scar places along the hairline in front of the ear in such a way that new hairs will grow through it and conceal it. It then extends around the ear stopping behind the earlobe. I find that there is usually less bruising after a mini lift than a standard facelift. It should be noted, however, that a mini lift is not for everyone. It will not achieve satisfactory results in those...
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+1
Minlifts are Great for the appropriate patient. Trust your face to a Facial Plastic Surgeon.
Minlifts are great for the appropriate patient. Mild jowling and neck laxity will be improved with this technique. The problem with minilifts is that many surgeons will try this technique in individuals with more severe changes. These patients often do better with extended lifts. Minilifts have a quicker recovery. This is due to the fact that less work is done and the post operative changes are less dramatic. I recommend you seek consultations from...
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Incision and scar in a minilift
A minilift uses an incision that is shorter (i.e. ends behind the ear and does not extend into the hairline behind the ear) and requires less undermining. The vector of elevation changes by shortening the incision, limitiing the amount of lift you get in the middle portion of the neck. It's a perfect procedure for those who are somewhat early in the aging process (40's to 50's). Many surgeons market the minilift, swift lift, lifestyle lift or...
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Mini facelift
Generally, a mini facelift is one that uses shorter scars and less is done under the skin - thus less improvement. For the right patient, this is a wonderful operation. A facelift must consider correction of excess skin, loose muscle, and excess/deficient/shifting fat. The scars for a minilift are limited around the ear. You can expect a little swelling and bruising for up to 2-3 weeks depending upon what is actually required, but may be able to camouflage the...
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+1
Can be the right answer....sometimes
The mini-lift is a fine operation if it is used in the RIGHT patient.
Any qualified surgeon should have the mini-lift as PART of their toolbox. The problem arises when the doctor has the mini-lift as their ONLY tool.
As many of the surgeons here have stated the issue is especially worrisome when the procedure is being marketed.
When I see a patient in my office that comes in looking for a mini-lift I can discuss this with them in the context of comparing it to a full Facelift.
So here are...
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+1
Minilift
A minlift will work if it is going to address the changes you have. A minilift will address the jowls, early deepening of the facial creases, and minimal neck laxity. If you have anything else or more significant changes, then a minilift may not give you the best result.
The incisions are usually in front of the ear and stop at or slightly behind the ear lobe. Recovery is between 5-10 days. As for the longevity of the lift, it will vary. No lift is forever, and aging changes will...
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+1
Mini Facelift
Hi,
The principles of a minifacelift are the same as for a full face lift. The SMAS and Platysma muscles should be tightened. The extent of a mini facelift will depend on what needs to be done. The less that needs to be done the less swelling and bruising. The incisions are usually in front of the earlobe and extend around the earlobe. The extent of this incision will depend on how much needs to be done. No two patients are the same.
Best,
Dr. S.
+1
Mini-Facelifts and All That Jazz...
To key to success in Plastic Surgery is to try to ALWAYS better to under-Promise and Over-Deliver.
In my opinion all the MINI lifts and, especially, the branded XXX-Lifts, do exactly the opposite. They create false expectations in eager people who are "mini"-informed.
These operations are only adequate in people with MINI-aging and are grossly mismatched when attempted in patients with real signs of aging. Unfortunately, the marketing behind the Mini-lifts intentionally creates...
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+1
Mini Lift for Minimal Indications
Generally, I offer Mini lifts to patients in my practice who have less dramatic aging changes, but want to stay ahead of the curve. The technique I utilize has an incision that starts along the temporal hair tuft, follows a line behind the tragus, and stops behind the earlobe. It does not include a postauricular or occipital hairline incision. For this reason, it is not appropriate for patients who have substantial aging changes in the neck. As others have posted, the downtime is slightly...
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