Is an early maintenance mini facelift really effective?

Question

I’m starting to show a bit of sagging in my face. Even though sagging is minimal, I’d like to have an early mini lift. But I’m confused because some doctors say don’t get face lifts if you don’t have significant sagging, while others recommend early maintenance lifts. They say it’s not to reverse aging, but to look the way you do now longer by getting a facelift while signs of aging are still minimal. Could you please explain how this mechanism work and if it’s true?

Ronald J. Edelson, MD · Answer

Of course there are surgeons who would recommend this and want you to think an early facelift will prevent aging later. It might depending on the situation but I have a hard time recommending a facelift under 45 in mist people

Alan Gonzalez, MD, FACS · Answer

Hello @Luminous593734, thank you for your question. To make an informed recommendation, more information is needed. A consultation is vital to establishing a surgical or non-surgical protocol plan that meets your needs, meets your expectations, and takes into account what is possible. Best wishes! Alan Gonzalez MD, FACS. American Society of Plastic Surgery Member (ASPS),International Federation for Adipose Therapeutics and Science” Member (IFATS), American Society of Plastic Surgery Member (ASPS), Colombian Society of Plastic Surgery member (SCCP)

Jonathan Kulbersh, MD · Answer

Thank you for your question. Mini-facelift procedures are ideal for patients who aren’t candidates for a traditional facelift but want to reduce early signs of aging, such as jowl formation and mild skin laxity. If you’re unsure whether or not this procedure is right for you, you may want to consider non-surgical options for improving your appearance, such as RF microneedling or laser resurfacing treatments. I recommend scheduling an in-person consultation with an experienced, board-certified facial plastic surgeon. They will be able to answer any questions you may have and determine the best treatment option to help you achieve your aesthetic goals.

Jason Emer, MD · Answer

In our practice, we perform a non-surgical face lift / skin resurfacing treatment using Renuvion Helium Plasma Radiofrequency. ​To get the most improvement with skin tightening, we combine Renuvion (formerly J-Plasma) with lasers (Fraxel, Clear + Brilliant, CO2), microneedling/PRP, Ultherapy and InMode FaceTite. I suggest getting a formal evaluation with a cosmetic dermatologist. Best, Dr. Emer​​​​

Dean P. Kane, MD, FACS · Answer

Dear luminous593734, 
Since the beginning of the last century until the 1980’s, surgery was the only option to lift sagging skin. Excess skin was pinched and surgically removed. The only scar occurred at the incision. As facelift surgery evolved, the skin was elevated allowing more skin to be removed but it also induced scarring (ie., collagen) and therefore tightening of the overlying skin and underlying tissues. 
Evolving technologies of non-surgical / minimally invasive skin and soft-tissue tightening  have been developed since the 1980’. This is providing properly selected patients the option for non-surgical skin contraction, soft-tissue contraction of the underlying fat and muscle compartments and lifting of sliding deeper tissues. Without a in-person evaluation, I will offer the following recommendations: 
1.            Please consult with a talented Board Certified Plastic Surgeon with non-surgical and minimally invasive skills beyond surgical facelifting
2.            A min-facelift for “maintenance” makes no sense to me as it produces little if any collagen stimulation / restoration or skin cellular turnover and tightening. 
3.            Consider: 
a.            non-surgical retinoids and chemical peels for general tightening and collagen stimulation
b.            a plan of under the skin collagen stimulation sessions with Sculptra
c.             I have tried using radio-frequency Thermi, thermal skin tightening but find the results underwhelming. 
d.            PDO thread suspension face lift

I hope this is helpful. All the best. Happy Holidays!

Darryl J. Blinski, MD · Answer

Interesting question/s. Doing 'minim' FL/NL procedures is recycling back to popularity after 20+ years. Since it is now seen the PDO threading faces are VERY temporary (lasting at best 3-6 months for the high costs - $3,000-$8,000++) as are the Liquid FaceLifts ($10,000-$12,000+), the minis are 'back'! Excising and tightening both slight skin laxity as well as underlying muscle laxity (SMAS) seems to give 3-5 years of results at a fees from $5,000-$8,000+. Plus redo minis are very common now. So either spend on minimally invasive short lasting rejuvenation or try the 'minis'.

William Portuese, MD · Answer

Facelifts are not performed for maintenance, they're performed to correct the visual changes of aging once that has occurred. More information is needed such as a full set of facial and neck photographs from all angles, and your age to make determination about how best to proceed. Mini lifts tend to give mini results, and we rarely ever perform them. There's no sense in putting someone through the whole process unless you can have significant results from a surgical procedure

Mark T. Boschert, MD · Answer

It really comes down to your understanding of facial aging. We do not age by growing more skin. As we age, we lose facial volume. Therefore, early on the best type of rejuvenation is volume replacement. That’s why fillers are very popular when we are young and eventually fat grafting when a more significant amount of volume is needed. Eventually, we also need to take up some of the extra skin that has developed due to volume loss. If someone is immediately resorting to a mini facelift every time you age, they are not really addressing the problems of facial aging. They are just tightening. Eventually, that will not look very natural . I would suggest seeing a board-certified plastic surgeon in your area who has good experience with all aspects of facial rejuvenation and try to make a plan based on your old needs as to how to maintain a useful look for decades. Best of luck! Dr. boschert Renaissance Plastic Surgery.

Richard P. Rand, MD, FACS (retired) · Answer

There are some patients with genetically earlier facial aging who benefit from a facelift. But doing a mini for maintenance does not make sense. That leaves scar tissue and can make it harder to get a great result when you really need one. As one experienced plastic surgeon once said, "a mini-facelift gives a mini-result that lasts a mini-length of time with the maxi-of-scars." Check the photos on my website at randcosmeticsurgery.com, none are minis.

Is an early maintenance mini facelift really effective?

Answers (9)

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