Question:
A mini lift sounds sooo much more appealing to me. less expensive…less invasive…can get rid of my sagging skin and jowls. why would I opt to get full facelift surgery?

Dr A’s Answer:
Mini Facelift is a very limited facelift. For the most part it is tightening of the skin only and perhaps some minimal lifting of the deep tissues. Many people think that sounds great. They pull on their skin and their face looks great, right? The thing is skin isn’t the problem nor the solution. Skin is following the shape of the deeper tissues. The deeper tissues are not sagging because of the skin, the skin is sagging because of the deep tissues. Skin does not have the strength to hold the shape of your face long term. It works great for a few minutes while you pull on it with your fingers, even for a few weeks after surgery. But fixing your face with a mini facelift is like fixing a bad foundation in your house be redoing the siding.

The best solution is not to tighten your face at all, but to reposition it. The deep tissues need to be unattached and reattached higher. . . where they used to be. The skin then follows the new shape, and yes, some skin is removed, but this is like fixing the siding after the foundation is fixed.

If you are 45, a mini lift may be for you. But for the vast majority of patients who show up in their 50’s, don’t waste your money on a mini-lift.