When Getting Fraxel and a Mini Facelift, Which Would You Suggest Doing First?

Hi Docs!

You were so great in answering my previous questions. Now I am also considereing getting a "mini" facelift, as well as doing a Fraxel repair (or similar) laser resurfacing.

If doing these 2 procedures within a few weeks of each other, would you suggest doing surgery or laser resurfacing FIRST? To me it makes sense to do surgery and THEN the laser resurfacing...but really I have no clue! Or maybe it doesn't matter...?

I have some vacation and would like to fit it all in to one time frame, if possible.

THanks!

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combination timing

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4 Doctor Answers | Asked by interested in facial resurfacing

Doctor Answers (4)
Community Comments (1)

You have to be careful here for a number of reasons....

You have to be careful here for a number of reasons. Laser resurfacing of the skin is a burn which alters the skins blood supply. A facelift will raise the skin and also compromise the blood supply. Skin loss can occur when these procedures are combined. I am glad to hear you are staging them. I must admit I do not know what a "mini" facelift means. That is not a medical term, it is a marketing term.The answer to your question is going to be dictated by how much skin elevation... more

Facelift before laser

I always recommend doing a lift before the laser. This is because when you perform a laser procedure often there is an area that you feather the laser along the jawline to camouflage any potential color difference between the neck and facial skin. During the mini-lift, you may have a skin shift that could potentially raise that feathered zone up onto your face or above the jawline.

Steven Wallach, MD

12 reviews

Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

Combined treatments are better!

When doing combined treatments for the face, it is always better to do the lift before the laser. The excess skin removed from the facelift to make a more youthful appearance can then be lasered for a more polished firm look. Normal waiting time for the laser after a facelift would be 6-8 weeks post surgery.

I would suggest doing the mini-facelift first

When I discuss mini facelift it is a procedure that has less skin separation from underlying muscles compared to standard facelift. In that regard there is less stress on the skin in general. Fraxel laser is also much less traumatic to the skin compared to old type of CO2 laser traetment. I consider it safe to perform mini-facelift AND Fraxel laser at the same operation and have done this on my patients numerous times. If you did want to have them as separate operations I would suggest the... more

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Comments (1)

marysd 6 Dec 2012

Just completed a brow lift, facelift eye lift and fraxel all at one time. I think the skill and knowledge of your surgeon is best to guide you through your decision. For me they kept the yellow tape on the fraxel an extra day which made everything work perfectly. Only one anesthesia session, everything healed very quickly. Fraxel was totally clear on the 3rd day. Redness gone within 5 and help of desowen lotion/cream. Good luck.

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