A mini facelift gives the same benefits as a traditional facelift.
Are you bothered by deep wrinkles? Do you get annoyed seeing your sagging skin? A mini-facelift can help you.
A mini-facelift is minimally invasive. Unlike other types of facelifts, a mini-facelift involves less surgery. Given this, patients choose mini-facelifts because of their safety and shorter downtime.
In addition, a mini-facelift poses fewer risks compared to a traditional and deep plane facelift.
But what exactly is a mini-facelift? What problems can it solve? How does the procedure go?
In this article, I will talk about what a mini-facelift is, the problems it can solve, and what you can expect before, during, and after the procedure. I will also answer frequently asked questions about mini-facelifts.
What Is a Mini-Facelift?
A mini-facelift can combat various signs of ageing such as wrinkles.
As you age, your skin becomes weaker. As a result, it becomes vulnerable to signs of ageing. These include fine lines, wrinkles, facial volume loss, and sagging skin.
Moreover, signs of ageing can take a toll on you. They affect your confidence, self-esteem, and even your work performance.
A facelift can solve these problems. However, as promising as a regular facelift is, not every patient wants to go through it.
Hence, a mini-facelift helps. This innovative treatment gives you the benefits of a regular facelift, but with less surgery.
Since a mini-facelift is less invasive than other facelifts, it poses fewer risks. A mini-facelift also requires less downtime compared to a regular facelift.
As its name suggests, a mini-facelift involves small incisions. Using special surgical techniques, I effectively hide the incisions I make on my patients.
Despite involving small incisions, a mini-facelift greatly impacts one’s appearance. It can reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. A mini-facelift can also add volume and make your skin firmer.
In general, a mini-facelift focuses on the lower part of your face. The procedure tightens the skin in certain areas of your face. These include your jaw and chin. Since these areas tend to show signs of ageing, a mini facelift can help enhance your look.
If you’re looking to solve issues in these problems areas, you may have a mini-facelift. In addition, if you want fewer incisions and less skin removal, you may have a mini-facelift.
However, a mini facelift only works if it is done by an experienced and skilled cosmetic surgeon.
Despite the small incisions involved, practitioners consider a mini facelift a major cosmetic procedure. Hence, you need to do your own research to make an informed decision about it.
To give you a heads up, how much a facelift costs varies depending on your goals. Mini facelift London costs £5,000 on average. The mini facelift UK cost varies depending on your goals, facility type, and complementary procedures.
Problems a Mini-Facelift Can Solve
A mini facelift can get rid of fine lines, wrinkles, and sagging skin.
Thousands of people all over the world get mini facelifts each year. Here are the problems a mini facelift can solve:
1. Fine Lines
As its name implies, fine lines appear shallow. They are usually the first indicator of ageing. Since they are shallow, fine lines are not extremely noticeable.
You can typically find fine lines around your eyes and mouth. It’s because these parts get used the most for facial expressions.
As you age, your collagen and elastin levels decrease. This causes fine lines. Other factors such as sun exposure, poor lifestyle habits, and genetics can also aggravate fine lines.
Fortunately, your cosmetic surgeon can reduce the appearance of your fine lines through a mini-facelift.
2. Wrinkles
When fine lines become worse, they turn into wrinkles. They are usually the second indicator of ageing. Since wrinkles are deeply seated in your skin, they are easily noticeable.
Just like fine lines, you can typically find wrinkles around your eyes and mouth. It’s because these parts get used the most for facial expressions.
The breakdown of collagen and elastin mainly causes wrinkles. Other factors such as sun exposure, poor lifestyle habits, and genetics can also aggravate them.
Fortunately, your cosmetic surgeon can reduce the appearance of your wrinkles through a mini-facelift.
3. Facial Volume Loss
Another sign of ageing people commonly experience is facial volume loss.
Just like fine lines and wrinkles, facial volume loss is caused by decreasing collagen levels. Collagen provides structure to your skin, so your face loses volume once it decreases.
In addition, your fat balance changes― you gain it in some areas and lose it in others. Your genes can also aggravate the process.
Fortunately, your cosmetic surgeon can add volume to your face through a mini-facelift.
4. Sagging Skin
Sagging skin is often linked with fat loss. While fat loss is a common factor, decreasing collagen and elastin levels also cause sagging skin.
As you may well know, ageing causes the breakdown of collagen and elastin. So, while anyone can get saggy skin, it tends to occur in ageing people.
When you’re young, your skin is firm. It easily stretches and snaps back to its original place. Once your skin loses this ability, it begins to sag.
Sagging skin occurs almost anywhere on your body. It commonly occurs on your eyelids, jowls, chin, and neck.
Fortunately, your cosmetic surgeon can reduce sagging skin through a mini-facelift.
5. Jowls
As you age, your jawline and neck become less defined. Consequently, you get fleshy jowls. Your jowls describe the area below your jaw that leads to your neck.
In addition, less elasticity makes your jowls look worse.
Even if your face bounces back, your jowls might not do the same. It’s because the skin on your neck is thinner than most parts of your body.
Therefore, your jowls are more prone to becoming fleshy and looking worse. At times, your jowls look worse before you see signs of ageing on your face.
Fortunately, your cosmetic surgeon can reduce fleshy jowls through mini facelift jowls.
Mini Facelift: The Whole Process
Knowing how a mini facelift goes helps you make an informed decision.
In this section, I will explain what usually happens when you get a mini-facelift. Here are the things you can expect to happen before, during, and after a mini facelift:
What to Expect Before a Mini-Facelift
You need to consult a doctor before getting a mini facelift.
Before getting a mini facelift, you need to consult a surgeon who specialises in it. I specialise in mini facelifts, so you can book a consultation with me.
First of all, we have to talk about your medical history and current condition.
As part of my initial assessment, I will ask you to discuss surgeries you had, if applicable. I will also ask you to talk about past or current conditions. These include allergies and other diseases that may affect how you react to the surgery.
Moreover, I will ask you about the medicines you take, and whether you smoke and drink.
After this, we will talk about your goals. Whether it’s tightening your skin or boosting your confidence, please explain what your goals are.
Depending on your goals, I will then explain whether a facelift mini will work for you or not. If you are a suitable candidate for a mini-facelift, I might suggest complementary procedures. These procedures include neck lift, laser resurfacing, and brow & forehead lift.
If you need complementary procedures, I will explain to you how these procedures usually go.
Once you approve and agree with everything we discussed, you can set an appointment for your facelift mini.
Preparing for a Mini-Facelift: What to Do
Preparing for a facelift mini involves avoiding smoking.
Before going to surgery, you need to stop taking aspirin, ibuprofen, and any other medication that can increase bleeding. Your doctor will tell you when you need to stop ingesting these kinds of medicine.
If you are smoking, you need to stop weeks before your facelift. It’s because smoking can decrease your ability to recover faster.
You also have to arrange for someone to drive you to and from the clinic. Plan ahead to have someone stay with you on the first night after coming back home from the facelift.
Right before a mini facelift, you have to go through an assessment. These include measuring your face and examining your skin.
The staff will also take photos of your face from different angles. These photos help with planning the facelift and assessing its short & long-term effects.
Once these are done, you can proceed to the procedure.
What to Expect During a Mini-Facelift
Expect to have small incisions during a mini facelift procedure.
First, I will mark your face, so I can accurately perform the mini facelift in London.
Then, I will administer anesthesia. This is a crucial step because it minimises the pain you’re supposed to feel because of the surgery.
We use sedation anaesthesia at my clinic because it is safer than general anaesthesia. In addition, sedation anaesthesia enables my patients to recover faster than general anaesthesia.
Once the anaesthesia settles, I will make small incisions on your hairline and around your ears. I do this carefully so that the scars won’t become visible after the procedure.
Next, I will manipulate the tissue under your skin. I will lift them. If needed, I will remove excess tissue from your skin.
Once everything is in place, I will close the incisions. I use a special technique to stitch your skin, so the resulting scars become barely visible.
What to Expect After a Mini-Facelift
You have to follow some guidelines to properly recover from a mini-facelift.
After I finish the stitches, you need to stay in our facility so we can observe you for any short-term effects. Once we clear you, you can go home.
You should have someone drive you home after the surgery. Your face is extra fragile, so it’s best if you don’t drive.
A mini facelift does not require an overnight stay. However, you have to take care of yourself or have someone take care of you 24 hours after the surgery.
After the surgery, you may temporarily experience:
- Swelling
- Bruising
- Redness
- Sensitivity
- Numbness
- Pain or Discomfort
Take note, these effects are temporary. You will recover from them after some time.
In addition, you can take the following steps for proper and quicker recovery:
- Apply ice packs on your face for 10 minutes every hour the night after your facelift. The day after the surgery, you can put ice packs on your eyes four to five times throughout the day.
- Keep your stitches clean and dry.
- Use prescribed medicine or ointments.
- Refrain from straining, heavy lifting, swimming, and other intense activities for at least two weeks after the facelift.
- Avoid smoking.
- Avoid putting pressure on your face.
- Sleep with your head elevated days after the facelift.
- Avoid aspirin, ibuprofen, and other medicines or supplements that may increase bleeding for at least a week after the facelift.
Testimonials
Testimonials help you determine how well a cosmetic surgeon performs facelifts.
Here are what my patients said after getting facelifts from my clinic:
Dr De Silva is an Outstanding Surgeon
“The decision for me to have a face lift in my mid 50’s was a very difficult one. I am quite an anxious person and have always suffered from claustrophobia so the thought of having a very tight neck post surgery was a terrifying prospect.
Nevertheless, I had become increasingly depressed with my tired appearance and sagging neck and knew that this would only get worse with time. So, after two consultations with Dr De Silva I decided to take the plunge. From the moment I met him, I felt reassured; he is very calm and sincere as well as having brilliant credentials as a surgeon. I just knew I was in the hands of an expert and would be OK.
It’s now six months since my surgery and I am absolutely thrilled with my new look. I look fresher and have a much more youthful neck yet don’t look ‘done’. I have definitely got my Mojo back!
Having said all that, I did struggle for the first three months as my neck did feel very tight which Dr De Silva warned me about before I decided to have the surgery. However, thanks to his reassurance and the brilliant aftercare I received from his team I got through it all.
Has it been worth it? Absolutely. But, only because I went to the best.”
― Tracy
Source: RealSelf
Never Worried – 60 Years Old, Face and Neck Lift
“At 60 years of age, I felt that my face and neck were letting me down. I looked morose even when smiling. After consultation with Dr De Silva, I felt totally confident that he understood exactly what I wanted and trusted him implicitly.
It is now just over two months since I had the procedure (face and neck lift in combination with laser skin resurfacing) and I am thrilled. The result (and it is still improving all the time) is incredible. I feel young and happy again. I am so glad I did it. Dr De Silva and his team are professional, courteous and an absolute pleasure to have contact with.
I was never worried and knew what to expect during recovery. The first two weeks after surgery are a bit difficult but swelling and bruising disappears relatively quickly. I actually saw improvements daily. I would unreservedly recommend Dr De Silva and his team to anyone contemplating facial cosmetic or plastic surgery.”
― Cecilia
Source: RealSelf
Facelift, Upper & Lower Blepharoplasty and Milia Removal
“After many months of research I decided on two surgeons and finally made my appointments. During my research I looked at other procedures and was particular impressed with the results of the lower face and neck lift. My jaw line and neck had been getting lax and I had developed a jowl and as well excess skin on the neck. Now vanity was taking over. I wanted to discuss this as an option too.
After my appointment with Dr De Silva, I knew he was the surgeon for me. He was informative, professional, very approachable, obviously passionate about his work and had a very pleasant and calming personality. I felt I could trust him.
Having discuss various options, I decided to opt for both the eye surgery and the lower face and neck lift.
The post op appointment was very reassuring and informative. With my photo up on the screen Dr De Silva marked out the areas where he would make the incisions and showed me the procedures he would perform. I handed in my blood test results which I obtained from my GP for free.
A few days before my operation, both Dr De Silva and the nurse Stephanie phoned to reassure me that all was prepared and to check if all was ok with me and to give me last minute instructions.
On the morning of the surgery I arrived five minutes late due to train delays so was a little flustered when I got to the clinic. However, everyone was very calm and told me not to worry and to relax. Once I had dress into the op gown, Dr du Plessis, the anaesthetist came to prepare me for sedation. He explained to me in the detail of the sedation process and gave me a pre relaxing sedative. I had opted for sedation rather than local anaesthesia as the recovery period is much shorter and I also felt it was safer.
Dr de Silva then came to let me know that everything was ready. Once I was comfortably laid down in the surgery room, Dr du Plesse gave me last minute instructions before administering sedation and that was all I could remember until waking up seven hours later.
Within 30 minutes after waking up I was able to go to the bathroom and get dressed with the help of my care giver Jane. Soon after, a taxi was called and Jane and myself made our way to the hotel a short distance from the clinic where I would spend my recovery night.”
― Helen
Source: RealSelf
Mini Facelift Before and After Photos
Patient 1: This patient was suffering from wrinkles, facial volume loss, and a tired appearance. She went through a neck lift and facelift at my clinic. After the surgery, her face became smoother and her jaw became sharper. She also looked more alert.
Patient 2: This patient was suffering from wrinkles, fleshy jowls, and an undefined jawline. He went through a neck lift and facelift at my clinic. After the surgery, his face became smoother, his jawline became defined, and his jowls improved.
Patient 3: This patient was suffering from wrinkles, a heavy jawline, and volume loss. She went through a neck lift and facelift at my clinic. After the surgery, her face became smoother and her jawline became sharper. Volume was restored as well.
Conclusion
A mini facelift is a revolutionary approach to dealing with signs of ageing. Due to its minimally invasive yet effective nature, a mini facelift London is a common choice among patients.
Wondering what a mini-facelift can do for you? Contact us to book a consultation now!
