Are You a Candidate for a Mini Facelift?
The aging process affects people at different rates, but eventually, everyone will reflect the common signs of aging: wrinkles, loose skin, and pockets of fat. The face is one area where these changes seem especially prevalent, leaving many people to look for a way to prolong or even reverse these changes. Luckily, there is indeed a way to rejuvenate your more defining facial features.
With a facelift procedure at our San Antonio office, you can temporarily reverse many of the apparent effects of old age. And while a traditional facelift can provide many benefits, some patients may not yet need such significant changes or are wary of what the procedure entails. If you are interested in the prospect of facial plastic surgery but would prefer a more subtle, less intrusive procedure, consider whether a mini facelift may be right for you.
Full Facelift vs. Mini Facelift
In any facelift procedure, the goal is to reduce signs of aging through the repositioning of subcutaneous tissues and tightening of skin. A conventional facelift involves incisions that curve around each ear and extend upward toward the hairline. Through these incisions, skin, muscles, and fat can be excised and manipulated before the skin is pulled taut and sutured back into place.
In a mini facelift, the same basic principles apply, but the incisions are much smaller and placed above the hairline. In this way, patients experience less scarring and overall damage to surrounding tissues. The procedure also results in less dramatic changes, allowing patients to achieve a younger look without changing their appearance too dramatically.
What Can a Mini Facelift Accomplish?
Any facelift procedure is primarily focused on features from the middle of the face to the lower face. Within this area, a range of improvements can be made to the skin and underlying tissues, including:
- Reduced wrinkles
- Tighter skin
- Better cheek definition
- Less creasing along the nasolabial folds (the outer edges of the mouth)
- Less jowling
- Better definition of the upper neck
- Less fatty tissue
Due to the less invasive methods of a mini facelift, patients can also expect results that are less dramatic. The end result is a face that looks younger and less worn, but still natural.
Candidates for a Mini Facelift
Patients who desire a mini facelift want to combat signs of aging but do not want to deal with the drawbacks of a full facelift. Namely, patients want to achieve results that are less conspicuous, from a procedure that has fewer risks and side effects. This often means that candidates are in their late 30s, 40s, or early 50s, when wrinkles and loose skin are just beginning to have a noticeable impact on their appearance. In addition, good candidates for a mini facelift procedure possess the following:
- Cosmetic problems limited to the lower face:A facelift cannot address problems from the eyes upward. If patients wish to improve their eyelids, brow, or anything else above a facelift’s capabilities, other treatment options should be considered.
- Good health: Even if a mini facelift is less invasive than a full procedure, patients still need to heal properly with as few risk factors as possible. A healthy immune system is integral to a successful recovery.
- Healthy skin:Skin that is able to retain some elasticity and heal easily will be a positive factor in your facelift surgery. Healthy skin results in the most aesthetically successful procedures.
- Accurate expectations:Realize that a facelift is a good way to temporarily improve your youthful appearance, but it cannot remove every flaw, nor can it last indefinitely. Speak with your doctor about what you can specifically expect from a mini facelift.
Additional Consideration for Candidacy
Before agreeing to facelift surgery, discuss how your overall health will play a role in your candidacy for treatment. Certain diseases and conditions can increase the risks during and after surgery, including but not limited to heart disease, liver disease, bleeding complications, poor circulation, and diabetes. Smokers will also be asked to abstain from any tobacco use in the weeks prior to and following surgery. Your medical history plays an important role in your safety and satisfaction, and as such, you and your doctor should discuss any possible risk factors beforehand.
Schedule Your Consultation with Us
If you are considering any form of facial surgery, schedule an appointment with us to learn about our cosmetic options and how we may best serve you. Call or email our office today to set up your first informational consultation.