Mini Facelift
Consultations offered at our five convenient locations in Harley Street, London, Princess Margaret Hospital, (Windsor), Spire Thames Valley, (Gerrards Cross), Kings' Oak Hospital, (Enfield) and Refresh Medispa, (Amersham)
A facelift, also known as rhytidectomy, is a surgical procedure that enhances the appearance of the face and neck by removing excess skin, tightening underlying tissues, and smoothing out wrinkles. When the collagen levels in your skin decline from ageing, it is common to start to experience wrinkles and fine lines that alter your perceived age. The fat and muscles in your face can also begin to atrophy, leading to sunken cheeks and droopy jowls. With a facelift, we can remove excess skin and reposition the underlying connective tissue in your face, lifting the skin for a more radiant appearance and long-lasting results.
At Refresh, we have helped thousands of people restore their complexions with natural-looking results that help them look younger and feel better in their skin. Ageing does not have to mean you are limited to living with sagging skin and wrinkles that affect your self-esteem.
Contact Refresh online or call +44 330 660 0979 to learn more about how a facelift can rejuvenate your appearance for long-lasting and natural results. We have a location in Amersham, Harley Street, as well as in Enfield, Stoke Poges, and Windsor.
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About Mini Facelifts
A facelift is one of the most effective ways to eliminate sagging skin and droopy pockets of excess fat that are common with age. Sagging skin and wrinkles often result from a decline of collagen– the protein in your skin that provides structural support and helps you maintain a firm appearance. Although collagen supplements can delay signs of ageing, they are a temporary solution to sagging skin, wrinkles, and lines. Smoking tobacco and UV light exposure can also accelerate ageing. (1)
Facelifts are customizable. Dr Fazel can adjust the technique based on the look you would like to achieve, and can also combine the surgery with dermal fillers for a softer, more natural appearance. (2)
Mini Facelift
The mini facelift is a specialised approach in surgical facial rejuvenation which allows for effective tightening of the facial tissue with a less invasive technique. It is designed to address age-related changes and enhance facial contours by effectively lifting sagging skin around the lower face. This procedure focuses primarily on the jawline, reducing jowls and tightening the area beneath the chin and neck region.
Mini Facelift vs. Traditional Facelift
The primary difference between a mini facelift and a traditional facelift lies in its scope and invasiveness. A traditional facelift usually addresses more extensive areas of the face and involves more significant structural alteration, while a mini facelift focuses on specific areas that show signs of ageing. This often makes the mini facelift less invasive, resulting in shorter incisions, reduced downtime, and a faster recovery.
Mini Facelift Benefits
With a facelift, Dr. Fazel can:
- Reduce lines and folds: By removing excess skin that is causing fine lines and folds on your face to appear.
- Define your jawline: Eliminating droopy jowls can provide a smoother look and a sharper jawline without excess skin affecting your appearance.
- Increase your self-confidence: You can enjoy feeling more confident in your skin with a more youthful, smooth complexion.
- Faster recovery time: Most patients return to normal activities in just one to two weeks.
- Restore your facial volume: Dr. Fazel can reduce the appearance of hollow cheeks and reposition that fat in your face to improve symmetry.
- Create a natural look: Dr. Fazel takes care to place incisions carefully and discuss your aesthetic goals in depth during your consultation to ensure we can help you achieve a result that looks natural and meets your needs.
- Provide long-lasting results: If you take good care of your skin and avoid sun exposure, you can enjoy results for many years.
Mini Facelift Candidates
Ideal candidates for a mini facelift are:
- Adults aged 40 and above who have begun to exhibit signs of ageing on the face and neck.
- Individuals with noticeable sagging or loose skin in the jowl or mid-face area.
- Those in good overall health with reasonable expectations for surgery results.
- Non-smokers, as smoking can affect healing and overall results.
Consultation
During your consultation, we will ask about your medical history, current medications, and lifestyle. Please come prepared to ask questions and discuss your aesthetic goals to help us create a treatment plan for your desired look. It is important that you have realistic expectations about what we can achieve with a facelift, so we will discuss the procedure in detail to ensure we have a plan that meets your needs. We can also combine your facelift with other procedures. If you have eye bags and droopy skin above your eyelids, we can remove it with an eyelid lift (blepharoplasty).
To learn more about additional procedures that we can combine with a facelift, see our blog.
Preparation
To prepare, you will need to:
- Refrain from smoking for approximately 6 weeks before and after the procedure
- Cease drinking alcohol
- Stop taking any medications or supplements that could thin your blood
- Avoid excessive sun exposure and tanning beds
We also recommend that you fill any medications that you will need for your recovery ahead of time. You will need to schedule some time off work and ask someone you trust to drive you home afterwards so you can focus on resting.
Procedure
Before the procedure begins, we will cleanse your skin and place you under anaesthesia. Dr. Fazel can then make a thin incision along your hairline and ears to lift your skin, reposition the underlying connective tissue, and remove excess skin that is drooping or causing you to look older than you are. Dr. Fazel will make discrete incisions alongside the ear that you can easily conceal for a natural look.
Recovery
After the procedure, patients can expect some swelling and bruising around the treatment areas, which should subside within a few days. Follow these recommendations for optimal recovery:
- Keep the head elevated to reduce swelling.
- Avoid strenuous activities for several weeks.
- Follow up with Dr. Fazel to monitor the healing process.
You will likely be able to return to work and routine activities within 10 to 14 days depending on your individual healing.
Mini Facelift Results
After a facelift, you can enjoy looking younger and feeling more like yourself again without droopy skin, lines, and wrinkles affecting your appearance. With a facelift, we can help you achieve fresher-looking skin with long-lasting results. You can easily maintain your results if you follow a consistent skincare routine, avoid sun exposure, and take good care of your skin.
Corresponding Procedures
Dr. Fazel offers several corresponding procedures to help you address specific areas of concern. Since a facelift is customizable, we can also rejuvenate your eyes with eyelid surgery (blepharoplasty):
- Upper: We can make a thin incision along the crease of the upper eyelid to remove excess skin and adjust the underlying muscle. The procedure eliminates droopy skin that can affect your field of vision and results in smoother-looking eyes.
- Lower: If you are struggling with puffy under-eye bags, we can improve their appearance by making a thin incision inside the lower eyelid and adjusting the underlying fat pad. You can enjoy brighter, more rested eyes with a lower blepharoplasty.
- Quad: During a quad blepharoplasty, we can perform lower and upper eyelid surgery to completely makeover your eyes.
Cost of a Mini Facelift in Amersham
The cost of a mini facelift procedure at Refresh will depend on the condition of your skin and whether or not you need additional procedures to reach your goals. During your consultation, we can discuss additional procedures and recommend a treatment plan that meets your needs. Contact our office to learn more or call +44 330 660 0979 to schedule an appointment on Harley Street, or in Enfield, Amersham, Stoke Poges, or Windsor.
FAQ
Can I have a mini facelift at any age?
Although there is no age limit for a facelift, most patients are 40 or older and experiencing moderate to severe signs of ageing that cannot be treated with noninvasive techniques.
How do I know if a surgical or a non-surgical mini facelift is right for me?
You will know if a surgical facelift is right for you if you have moderate to severe wrinkles and sagging skin that you cannot correct with nonsurgical treatments that stimulate collagen production. The type of facelift you need will depend on your symptoms and your aesthetic goals. We can examine your skin during your consultation to determine a treatment plan that is tailored to your needs.
Will there be visible scars after a mini facelift?
We place carefully planned incisions where they are less noticeable, typically within hairlines or natural creases of the skin, which helps hide any potential scars.
How painful is recovery from a mini facelift?
Most patients experience mild to moderate discomfort manageable with prescription medication. General tightness and swelling are expected but usually subside within a few weeks.
References
- Rohrich RJ, Sinno S, Vaca EE. Getting Better Results in Facelifting. Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery – Global Open. 2019;7(6):e2270. doi:https://doi.org/10.1097/gox.0000000000002270
- Caplin DA, Perlyn CA. Facelifts: A Contemporary Perspective. Missouri Medicine. 2010;107(3):195-197. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6188335/