This patient is shown before and after having a Mini facelift in conjunction with a blepharoplasty (eyelid lift) performed by Dr. White.
Degradation of skin elasticity, deflation of facial volume and descent or falling of facial structures are an unfortunate effect of aging. The traditional facelift addresses each of these issues, but with a price: down time and expense. Many men and women 40 to 65+ who don’t wish to look their true calendar age consider facelift procedures to erase sagging jowl s and that loose, draping, wrinkled skin under the chin.
The office-based mini facelift is a mid-range mini surgical facelift to address the mid to lower face. The post operative effect provides a more natural appearance with limited down time when compared to other formal facelift procedures. Most “traditional” facelifts are performed with general anesthesia and involve multiple weeks of downtime and a long incision beginning at the upper temple and extending behind the hairline on either side of the face to the nape. The minimal incision mini facelift, which has been performed since the late 1990s, is the basis for the officebased mini facelift. The mini facelift proves an overall lift to the lower region of the face and upper neck, offering significant age diminishing effects with minimal downtime and lasting results.
Mini Facelift: The Solution for Saggy Jowls and Neck
The mini facelift is designed for men and women who want to stay ahead of the “Ds” of the aging process: Degradation, Deflation, Descent. As we age, most individuals lose elasticity in their skin and develop varying degrees of descent along the jaw line and beneath the chin. The mini facelift not only tightens skin, it is designed to suspend the underlying structures of the lower face and upper neck. This suspension of the lower face offers the benefit of a more youthful appearance without the wind blown look of a formal facelift. This “turn back of time” from the mini facelift will last until the normal aging process resumes for the individual. Lifestyle choices, heredity, bone structure, skin type and sun exposure all play a part in determining how long the mini facelift surgical results will last for each individual.
Mini Facelift: The Procedure
The mini facelift is an outpatient procedure that usually takes one to two hours to perform, depending on age of the patient and the degree of facial correction desired. Oral pre medications are given to help relax the patient, local block is used for the skin. A small, relaxed S-shaped incision is made beginning along the sideburn, extending along the front of the ear, around the earlobe and up to the hair line back from the ear toward the nape of the neck. Great attention is given to the placement of the incision line to provide an inconspicuous scar after healing. Short skin flaps are created with meticulous care. The underlying connective tissues and facial musculatures are gently lifted and tightened using a simple suture technique. The sutures are anchored to dense tissue around the facial bones to suspend the sagging facial tissues. This suspension enhances the appearance of the jaw line andupper neck. The leftover redundant skin is then tailored to match. The incision is carefully closed using plastic surgery techniques designed to reduce tension and minimize any visible scarring.
In some cases, a small incision will also be made under the chin to remove excess tissues; this tuck with liposuction of the neck and jowl area may be performed in conjunction with the mini facelift for optional aesthetic results in the neck region.
Unlike the conventional facelift that may result in a “pulled back” appearance, the mini facelift offers very natural-looking results. Patients enjoy an overall firming of the lower facial area, noticeable jaw line definition and a more elegant neckline. Generally, the results obtained with the mini facelift are predictable and quite dramatic, sometimes erasing five, ten, even fifteen years from one’s appearance.
Board Certified Cosmetic Surgeon Dr. White is considered an expert at the mini facelift. Call 423-648-4011 to schedule your mini facelift consultation.
Filed under: Cosmetic Procedures Tagged: anti-aging, cosmetic surgery for the face, face lift, facelift, facelift surgeon, facial cosmetic surgeon, facial cosmetic surgery, facial plastic surgeon, facial plastic surgery, facial rejuvenation, mini face lift, Mini Facelift, Office based facelift, plastic surgery for the face, QuickLift facelift
