Facelift vs. Mini Facelift

A facelift is a procedure that can help a person look younger by reducing the amount of excess sagging skin that is prominent on the face and neck. ⁽¹⁾ People may seek out a facelift for a multitude of reasons; some people want to revitalize their appearance after experiencing the processes of aging and the effects of gravity, while others suffer from facial volume loss as a result of weight loss. Whatever the reason, a facelift can make a real difference in the appearance of the facial profile. There are variations of the facelift, with two common ones being the full, traditional facelift and the mini facelift. While both procedures seek to improve the facial profile, a traditional facelift can address multiple areas of the face, while a mini facelift mainly addresses the lower portion. ⁽²⁾

At Scottsdale Plastics, Dr. Robert Bonillas is a plastic surgeon dedicated to improving the lives of his patients. When approaching any facelift procedure, Dr. Bonillas will apply his philosophy of the importance of close attention and personalized care as he outlines your personalized procedure. Call Scottsdale Plastics at (480) 245-6380 or reach out to us through our contact form to set up an appointment where you and Dr. Bonillas can discuss your needs.

For more information about the treatments that Dr. Bonillas offers at his practice, you can visit the online blog, Beauty Talk.

About Facelifts

Both a facelift and a mini facelift serve to rejuvenate a patient’s appearance, but a traditional facelift is more extensive. It is ultimately your decision to move forward with either procedure, but Dr. Bonillas will be able to provide helpful cosmetic recommendations during your personal consultation.

Facelift

Simply put, a full facelift addresses the entire face in a broader way. The forehead, midface, and lower face areas can all benefit from a full facelift. This procedure will most likely require incisions that leave longer scars. However, these scars will be well-hidden to begin with, as they will follow along the natural facial creases and borders. The ideal candidates for facelifts are usually older patients who have more prominent facial saggings in more areas of the face. ⁽¹⁾

Mini Facelift

A mini facelift focuses on rejuvenating the areas of the lower face. It will leave shorter, smaller scars that can be less visible than those left from a full facelift. The incisions will usually be made around the natural contours of the ears. This procedure will leave patients with a sharper jaw and smoother lower face skin. ⁽²⁾ People who seek mini facelifts may be younger, with only lower face sagging.

Benefits

While the two procedures have similar goals, a traditional facelift is more beneficial for patients with more comprehensive needs. This is because a full facelift will address many areas of the face–it will emphasize the jawline and reduce the jowls while also lifting the skin of the forehead and midface. ⁽¹⁾

One of the main benefits of a mini facelift is that it requires a less extensive procedure. This means Dr. Bonillas can remove less skin and make smaller incisions while still providing substantial improvements to the facial profile. ⁽²⁾ A mini facelift may be mini, but it is also incredibly aesthetically effective; in fact, Dr. Bonillas will target the area that is most affected by the downward pull of gravity over time: the lower third of the face. A lot of loose skin can end up here, creating an overall drooping facial appearance. By simply tightening up this area, we can help a patient achieve a younger, more vibrant look. ⁽²⁾

Candidates

Drooping facial tissue can be difficult to disguise or address, and you may feel like it is causing you to look older than you really are. If you have a significant amount of loose skin in the face as a result of aging processes or because you have lost a substantial amount of weight, you may be an eligible candidate for receiving a facelift. If you are unsure about what variation of a facelift would be best for you, Dr. Bonillas will help you consider both options during your personal consultation.

Personal Consultation

Both a facelift and a mini facelift treatment plan will begin with you attending a personal consultation at Scottsdale Plastics. During this personal consultation, Dr. Bonillas will closely evaluate your facial features and overall facial structure. He will also consider the contours of the jaw leading into the neck area. Because every face is unique in its own way, Dr. Bonillas will use these evaluations to construct a highly personalized plan and procedure for your facial rejuvenation. Your input is extremely important during this phase, as Dr. Bonillas will take your aesthetic goals and opinions into account as he designs your procedure. This meeting is also a time when you can voice any and all of your questions or concerns so that you feel as informed as possible when you walk out of the office.

To schedule your personal consultation, reach out to our office at (480) 245-6380 or fill out our contact form.

Preparation

Dr. Bonillas will provide you with all of the information you will need to prepare for your facelift procedure. Preparation will look similar for both a facelift and a mini facelift. For both procedures, Dr. Bonillas asks that you keep the following steps in mind while you prepare for your upcoming appointment date:

Procedure

The procedures for a full facelift and mini facelift will be somewhat different, as the full facelift will work on various different areas of the face, while a mini facelift centers in on the lower third.

For a full facelift, Dr. Bonillas will begin by making guiding markings on the face. Then, he will make the necessary incisions, which are discreetly concealed by natural features of the face and surrounding structures, such as the hairline and the ears. After making these incisions, Dr. Bonillas will lift and trim the appropriate amount of excess tissue. ⁽¹⁾ The procedure will be similar for tightening the neck and jaw area during a mini facelift, but the incision will be smaller and Dr. Bonillas will remove tissue only from around the lower third of the face. ⁽²⁾

Recovery

Recovering from a facelift and a mini facelift looks quite similar, with the exception of a full facelift requiring a longer recovery period. For both kinds of procedures, Dr. Bonillas will recommend that you avoid exerting yourself with physically demanding activities or lifting heavy objects. When you sleep or rest, you should lay on your back with your head elevated and your neck supported. ⁽¹⁾ Take this time to rest at home and go on light walks to help with blood flow. It is normal to experience swelling and bruising near the treated areas; you can use cold compresses to help ameliorate these symptoms. ⁽¹⁾ Dr. Bonillas will discuss pain medication with you as well. Dr. Bonillas will let you know when during your recovery you should return to the office for a follow-up appointment where he can check on your progress and results. If you have any questions during your recovery, please feel free to call our office.

Results

Both a full facelift and a mini facelift will result in the improved appearance of the frontal face and the side profile. A full facelift will provide more comprehensive results, benefiting more areas of the face with the tightening and removal of excess skin. A mini facelift will also provide the face with a more youthful definition, but mainly in the lower areas of the face. No matter what areas of the face are treated with a lift, the results are likely to make you look years younger.

Corresponding & Complementary Procedures

As you consider either a facelift or a mini facelift, you may want to keep in mind the fact that a facelift will not be able to address every little detail of the face. However, Scottsdale Plastics does offer multiple procedures that can serve to enhance or complement the facial rejuvenation provided by a facelift or a mini facelift.

Eyelid Surgery

Eyelid surgery, or blepharoplasty, is a lifting procedure that can address sagging skin around the eyes. If you have prominent eye bags or overhanging eye skin, you may find that you look tired, even when you have gotten plenty of rest. An eyelid surgery can address either of these areas in order to lend the face a more youthful and wakeful appearance. In some cases, this procedure can help improve the vision of those who experience vision obstructions from overhanging eyelid skin.

Injectables

A facelift can remove sagging skin, but it cannot necessarily correct deeper, underlying volume loss that can occur over time. Dr. Bonillas can provide injectable treatments like dermal fillers in order to restore some of this lost volume. Some types of fillers can also reduce the prevalence of wrinkles in the newly tightened skin.

Cost of a Facelift in Scottsdale

Dr. Bonillas will provide you with a detailed cost estimate for your facelift procedure after your personal consultation. For your convenience, Scottsdale Plastics offers various financing options through well-known companies like PatientFi and CareCredit.

To schedule an appointment where Dr. Bonillas can inform you about your facelift cost, call Scottsdale Plastics at (480) 245-6380 or reach out through our contact form today. We look forward to speaking with you!

References

1. Yang AJ, Hohman MH. Rhytidectomy. PubMed. Published 2021. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK564338/
2. Van Pham T, Truong KHTN. Short or Minimum Incision Deep Plane/Extended Deep Plane Facelift/Rhytidectomy. Facial Plastic Surgery. 2020;36(04):376-385. doi:https://doi.org/10.1055/s-0040-1714118