Isn't a Full Face Lift Riskier Than a Mini Face Lift with Respect to Complications, Etc?

You are correct in that the less surgery you have the less the risk but also the less the improvement

In general, mini facelifts offer fewer complications than full facelifts simply because the procedure is less invasive, and performed in about half the time.  Most mini facelifts can be performed in an office setting under local anesthetic making it more safe than the higher risks of general anesthesia.  Risks of nerve injury and hematoma (bleeding), though rare, is higher as well.  I like to combine fat transfers with my mini lifts to get the best overall result.  For patients with more skin laxity and neck sag, a full facelift is often required in addition to a platysmaplasty. 

Well, more dissection and more surface area encountered in a full face lift probably translates to greater risk.  But you may be talking about raising the risk of, lets say hematoma, from 1 percent to 1.5.  Exposure (the ability for the surgeon to see the area encountered in surgery) is better in the full lift.  So one could also reason that the better exposure more than makes up for the increased risk.  So consider the choices carefully.  Ultimately, if a mini lift is the wrong operation,  no amount of risk reduction makes sense.  I'd go with a surgeon you trust and do whatever operation you both feel is the right one, with your goals in mind.