What is the least scarring face lift? Can it all be hidden in the scalp?

There are some surgeons
offering lifting procedures with minimal access incisions, but the only thing
that can be done through those incisions is elevation of the deeper tissues via
sutures. Since tissues are not truly
repositioned but only dragged to a new position, they are totally dependent on
how long the stitches hold. Studies we performed at Northwestern University
indicated that one technique similar in concept gave very short-term results: only
a few months.

Even in patients with a
history of poor scarring and keloid formation, the scars at the visible portion
of the ear (in front) are at the edge of the ear and closed under no tension. They
are virtually never visible after 2 to 3 months, even in men or women who wear
their hair pulled back. The scars behind
the ear are easily hidden, but sometimes in patients who are prone to have pink
and highly visible scars, they do need to be revised. I would suggest you
consult with more than one experienced surgeon and ask to see patient examples
with early scars, as well as scars that have matured. I find that once patients
have seen a number of postoperative photos, they are comfortable with the
scars, which are hidden at the edge of the ear and not visible.

Thank you for your question.   There are many marketing ploys out there claiming to make short scars, invisible scars or even no scars at all for a face lift.   The reality is each surgeon has a different approach, however to perform a face lift you need to make an incision somewhere.   Don't do a face lift or choose your surgeon based on who will make the smallest scar as that may not be the right procedure for you.   Find a board certified plastic surgeon, go in for a consultation and ask to look at before and afters of their work to see the scars.   A face lift is a great operation with a high success rate and the scars typically heal quite well.   Make a good decision overall, not just based on the scars.   Good luck!

All surgical facelift techniques involve incisions, but how these incisions are designed, where they are placed, and then closed can be very different from surgeon to surgeon.  It is wrong to consider a facelift technique based on the length of the incision, where dubious marketing claims have made many prospective patients incorrectly think a shorter incision is better--results and studies have proven otherwise.  Proper facelift techniques require long enough incisions to allow proper re-positioning of the SMAS layer and removal of redundant skin in a smooth fashion.The attached link provides more information.I hope this helps.  

The least scarring facelift is the one done by an experienced and detailed surgeon. Although the full incisions in front and around the ear are necessary, these can be made to hide very well. You might be thinking of endoscopic or "thread lifts". Endoscopic lifts only address the brows. Thread lifts have a high incidence of string rupture and future asymmetry.

Any facelift that addresses the lower face and neck requires incisions around the ears.  However, well placed and well closed incisions should result in scarring that is very inconspicuous and minimally visible.  Viewing before and after photos and meeting other facelift patients of your chosen surgeon should give you a pretty good idea of what to expect.  Good luck!