When most people think of cosmetic surgery, chances are facelift procedures are somewhere near the top of the list. At Atlantic Coast Aesthetics, we get a lot of questions about facelifts, like our ACA Question of the Week. This question came in from our Twitter followers and asks, “Facelift or mini-lift: which one is better?” Dr. Thomas A. Pane, our Chief Medical Officer and founder, took on this question because it offered an opportunity to dispel one commonly-held myth about facelifts and give patients a better understanding of how facelifts work, what they are intended to treat and which version may be best for a given patient.
On a purely procedural level, Dr. Pane says there really isn’t a great deal of difference between a “full” and a “mini” facelift. The incisions required are made in the same places and positioned for maximum concealment in both cases. Both can be done under local or general anesthesia. The recovery rate and time to full recovery are basically the same for both versions and with proper technique and aftercare, the incidence of postoperative complications is essentially identical.
The practical difference lies mainly in the length of the incisions and what the procedure is intended to correct. Jowling, wattling or loose skin around the neck area is generally not correctable with a mini-facelift because of the smaller incisions, which means that the area affected by the mini-facelift is smaller as well. Mini-facelifts are generally performed under local anesthesia, although this is not a “hard and fast” rule, while standard facelifts are typically performed under general anesthesia. While a full facelift is normally a good solution for a number of problems in the facial and cervical area, a mini-facelift is generally indicated only for minor revisions or corrections to the facial area itself and is therefore not considered a good choice for the majority of patients.
In addition, Dr. Pane says that the results of a mini-facelift are less durable and the procedure may need to be repeated more often than a full facelift. For this reason, he generally prefers to steer clients toward the full facelift unless a number of very exacting criteria are met that would make the patient a good candidate for a mini-facelift.
Dr. Pane explains that so-called “mini-facelifts” are primarily a marketing ploy implemented by a large company that specialized in cosmetic surgery. This company has since gone out of business. However, the myth that a mini-facelift involves less recovery time, less anesthesia and fewer complications has become entrenched in the minds of people who are interested in facelift procedures. While they are not necessarily bad in and of themselves, Dr. Pane’s personal preference is to do the procedure that will maximize results and reduce the likelihood of needing revision surgery for the patient in the future. Generally, facelifts are very safe procedures when performed by competent, qualified physicians such as Dr. Pane, who carries double board certification in cosmetic and general surgery.
To determine whether a full or mini-facelift is the best option for a given patient, an in-person clinical examination of the face and neck areas is the normal starting point. This allows the doctor to evaluate the patient’s skin tone and health, the problem areas the patient wishes to correct and other factors which may militate for or against a facelift as opposed to other procedures that may yield the same or even better results through less invasive means.
Naturally, compliance with aftercare instructions and paying attention to any signs of aa potential problem with the procedure area are a crucial factor in assuring a swift recovery and minimizing the risk of postoperative complications. Routine follow-up visits and staying in close contact with the doctor after a cosmetic operation can also help address problems that may develop before they have an opportunity to become more serious, as well as avoiding environmental factors that may affect recovery.
If you would like to know something about cosmetic surgery but don’t know who to ask or where to go for straight answers, ACA and Dr. Thomas Pane are pleased to answer your questions. You can follow us on Facebook or Twitter, email us at https://acplasticsurg.com or call us at (561) 422-4116. The only bad question is the one you don’t ask, and it’s entirely possible that your question might also help us to help others with the same question as ACA’s next Question of the Week, answered on a live Google Hangout in person by Dr. Pane. We look forward to helping you find the beauty you’ve always dreamed of!